ABSTRACT

This chapter will explore the evolving relationship between regional theatres in England and education. Some theatres, fearing that the term ‘education’ is often regarded as being solely concerned with the experience of children in schools, use a number of other terms including learning and participation, creative learning and creative projects to describe their work. Funding has also been an influential factor. Regional theatres in the UK have long relied on subsidy from local authorities and Arts Councils to enable them to experiment and to innovate as well as providing affordable seats for audiences. For some time there has been an expectation that this subsidy will not just support the artistic process but will also enable theatres to provide learning opportunities particularly for children and young people.1