Summer Theatre Project 2020

25 Summer Theatre Productions over the same number of years and now in the second month of our 35th year in business, we are still as passionate as ever about Youth Theatre. This year we are proud to announce our 26th Summer Theatre Project - 'Swinging On The Swings' a brand new production by Martina Collender that will be directed by the one and only Liam Meagher.


This powerful pair have a brilliant track record together having worked on 'One Hundred Thousand Breaths' (2016) and 'If the Lights Change' (2017) this one will definitely be great.

Now its your turn, if you or a young person in your life is between the ages of 15 and 19 years old is a young actor or actress or just interested in theatre and would love to spend six weeks putting on a professional theatre production in the same away professional theatre companies do, this is one event not to miss.

This year the Summer Theatre Project kicks off on Monday the 20th of July and will end on Saturday the 29th of August after several performances, full commitment will be required as its a full time project so make sure your available before signing up. This year there is a maximum of 20 places and it will cost 40 euros to get involved (bursary available if requested). No experience needed to join the fun.

To join pick up a form from Waterford Youth Arts up in the Old Military Barracks on Barrack Street  or request a form by sending an email to info@waterfordyoutharts.com and drop it back to the office by Friday 20th of March by 5pm after which all applicants will be invited to a workshop event on Saturday the 28th of March where Director Liam Meagher and Writer Martina Collender and from this workshops they will decide on the cast for the show.

The Magic of Volunteering

Personal growth is a powerful thing and one of the many ways young people develop into outstanding individuals, is through the arts. 

Waterford Youth Arts is a safe and secure environment for young people to learn, engage and  explore a wide variety of artistic mediums in a fun way, thanks in part to the great practitioners who  pass on their knowledge and know-how and the incredible volunteers who keep our workshops running smoothly. 

WYA is always looking for new volunteers who are driven, open to new experiences, who like working with young people and have a genuine interest in the arts. If this sounds like you and  if you have 2 or more hours each week (consistently) to assist our practitioners with encouraging the young artists of tomorrow get in touch.

As part of the workshops not only will your time and effort be beneficial to young people you will also get a lot back, as it’s a great way for you to learn about the variety of art mediums  – Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Film and Visual Arts through participation in workshops and leading, but you may also learn something new about yourself. 

If you would like more information you can drop into the Arch on Barrack Street, make an enquiry through WYA's Facebook and Twitter pages, contact the company through email at info@waterfordyoutharts.com or call reception at (051) 879377 for an immediate response. All potential volunteers will have to go through Garda Vetting to be considered for the role.

WYA 35 - The Young Playwrights Programme

Waterford Youth Arts is proud to launch a brand new creative writing venture, for aspiring playwrights called - The Young Playwrights Programme.
From now until the 24th of April, we are calling upon young writers (14 to 19 years) to submit a short play or an extract from a longer work, maximum length of 15 minutes. Of these submissions three plays will be selected and the writers will be mentored by professional playwrights - Nicola Spendlove, Jim Nolan and Martina Collender, with the final result being a rehearsed reading of the selected plays as part of The Lit Festival 2020.
The Young Playwrights Programme aims to encourage and nurture the talents of young local writers and to give them the challenge of writing plays. Through this new programme we hope it will give them new skills and create exciting pieces of Theatre and give them the opportunity for their work to reach a wider audience.

All submissions should be sent to info@waterfordyoutharts.com 
by Friday 24th April, where they will be evaluated by our
panel of writers and feedback will be provided to all playwrights
even if their work is not selected, so get out there and get writing.