What does it mean to be a theatre maker today?
A UK-wide free training programme for ages 18–30
Dive into the world of theatre-making and shape the future of theatre with OV Theatre Makers, a free, six-month training programme.
With the support of director Joseph Hancock and leading professional theatre makers, you’ll explore contemporary theatre-making practices to provide you with a toolkit of skills to begin developing your own work and career. Developing a broad range of theatre making skills from writing and devising to directing and producing you will then have the chance to showcase your work in a Scratch Night at a professional theatre venue.
Travel to London will be required and we’re able to support with costs if needed.
The programme will include:
- A welcome day to get to know each other and the OV Theatre Makers team
- 13 masterclass days, Oct 2026–Feb 2027, led by director Joseph Hancock and guest practitioners from a range of theatre disciplines, such as writing, directing and producing. Previous guests include poet and playwright Inua Ellams, director Lyndsey Turner and West End producer Ameena Hamid
- A Scratch Night showcasing participants’ work presented at the Studio at The Old Vic
- Bespoke workshops on networking, freelancing, how to pitch, collaboration and sustainability
- A theatre ticket allowance
- Tickets to two Old Vic productions
- Support with travel costs for the duration of the project if required
- Guidance and support from the OV Theatre Makers team and opportunities to meet OV Theatre Makers alumni
- The opportunity to join our Emerging Theatre Professionals (ETP) network, which allows you to stay connected to The Old Vic through a variety of free workshops, networking events and tickets to see Old Vic productions.
OV Theatre Makers is a six-month programme comprising of 15 sessions. Sessions will take place in The Old Vic’s Backstage building, usually on a fortnightly basis but transitioning to weekly sessions in February during the lead up to Scratch Night.
It is essential that participants can commit to all of the following dates:
Programme launch
A Welcome Day introducing you to the programme and allowing you to get to know each other, the OV Theatre Makers team and The Old Vic. We will also take the company to see an Old Vic production in the evening.
- Sat 03 Oct (Old Vic performance from approximately 7.30–10pm).
In-person masterclass sessions: Oct 2026–Feb 2027
- Sat 17 Oct
- Sat 31 Oct
- Sat 07 Nov
- Sat 21 Nov
- Sat 05 Dec
- Sat 12 Dec
- Sat 09 Jan
- Sat 23 Jan
- Sat 06 Feb
- Sat 20 Feb.
Scratch Night
Using what they’ve learnt, participants will devise and curate responsive pieces of theatre to showcase and amplify their work, ideas and voices. This will be performed to an invited audience in the Studio at The Old Vic.
- Rehearsal: Fri 26 Feb, 10am–5pm
- Rehearsal: Sat 27 Feb, 10am–5pm
- Tech and dress rehearsals: Fri 05 Mar, 10am–6pm
- Scratch Night: Sat 06 Mar, 10am–10pm.
Who is this programme for?
OV Theatre Makers covers a broad range of theatre-making disciplines as well as practical guidance on how to develop and sustain a career in the industry. As such, we are looking for people with a passion for theatre making who would benefit from developing new skills, confidence and networks.
We are committed to identifying and resolving barriers which may ordinarily exclude people from accessing theatre and are therefore particularly keen to hear from who have had limited or no access to arts opportunities in the past. This includes people from the global majority, care-experienced people, carers, disabled people, neurodivergent people, people from working class backgrounds and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be aged 18–30 and based in the UK
- You must be able to travel to London to take part. We are able to support with travel if required
- You must be able to attend all dates
- You must have attended state school when aged 11–16
- As an alternative route to formalised education, OV Theatre Makers is not open to anyone who has already received or is receiving formal, degree level (or equivalent) arts training. This includes attending Drama School or any Theatre/Drama/Acting/Performance/Technical Theatre related degrees
- You cannot be currently studying for any degree and cannot hold above a bachelor’s degree (e.g. Masters or PhD)
- You cannot be working as a professional in theatre. This includes administrative, backstage, technical or creative roles.
- We are committed to working with people who have a disability or identify as neurodivergent (for example: dyslexia, ADHD, autism) and can make adjustments for this at all stages of the application process and programme
- If you have a different learning style, we can change the course content and resources to suit you
- We can bring in additional access support if required
- The project will take place at a venue with step-free access
- We can provide travel support if needed
- If you would like to talk to us about your access requirements prior to applying or at any point during the process, please contact us via email at ovtheatremakers@oldvictheatre.com or call 0203 954 3155.
Applications are currently closed. Please register your interest to find out when applications open for our 2026 cohort.
Information session
We will hold an information session on Wed 08 Jul, 6.30–7.30pm with director Joseph Hancock and Participation Manager Charlotte Gaughan.
This is an opportunity to hear more about the programme, the application process and to ask any questions. We are delighted to be joined by OV Theatre Maker alumnus Harvi Chera, who will speak about his experience on the programme.
Complete an information session registration form to attend.
If you have any questions, or need any help completing your application, please contact ovtheatremakers@oldvictheatre.com or call 0203 954 3155.
Phenomenal experience; life changing.
