ATG Entertainment: working locally to transform communities

Last year, in partnership with ATG Productions and theatre company Out of Chaos, Coxon’s team worked on a new model for creating exciting, relevant productions for school audiences, and providing large-scale stages for high-quality small- and mid-scale theatre companies to tour work.

It’s called Creative Learning Presents, and its inaugural production was Macbeth, a powerful version of the Shakespeare play featuring two actors and telling the story accessibly in 80 minutes. ATG Entertainment Creative Learning ensured that daytime performances happened underneath national tours, with affordable ticket prices for local schools as well as wrap-around pre- and post-show resources that feed back into the classroom. More than 7,500 children and young people have now seen the production at their local venue, with a wider tour in 2025 to reach more UK venues as well as transferring to the first dedicated Creative Learning programme at the Empire Theatre in San Antonio, Texas.

“We’ve always been committed to bringing high-quality work to all audiences, removing as many access barriers as possible,” Out of Chaos says of the scheme. “By offering our Macbeth (made in association with Oxford Playhouse) at such low prices, we can do this in the fullest way imaginable. What’s been so wonderful is that both ATG Entertainment Creative Learning and Out of Chaos have taken a big chance with this; we didn’t really know how things would go when we all turned up for the opening in Liverpool – but what an experience it’s been!”

Continues...

Creative Learning has become more important and more necessary as the presence of arts and culture in schools has declined. “Teachers are pushed beyond capacity,” says Coxon. That’s where the Creative Learning team comes in. Last year, ATG Entertainment Creative Learning collaborated with Get Into Theatre, the industry’s leading digital careers resource, to transform the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to work experience, partnering with teachers across the UK to develop a deep understanding of the nation’s education landscape and the varying needs of teachers.

The aim was to enhance access to theatre careers for children and young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, d/Deaf or disabled communities and global-majority backgrounds. The result was the Work in Theatre programme, which engaged 5,650 people and led to the creation of a Theatre Careers Toolkit to inspire more teachers and students.

One participant says of the scheme: “There are so many people who ask: ‘When are you going to get a real job?’ or who say of working in theatre: ‘That’s so hard to do.’ These comments often discourage people from pursuing their dreams. It’s essential to learn about the variety of practical jobs that allow you to stay in the industry you love.”

Coxon adds: “We witness the remarkable outcomes on the ground every day. As Creative Learning evolves and builds on a legacy of more than two decades, we see clear, lasting impacts from this work. While the positive effects of the arts on well-being are well documented, we see these benefits extending in countless, transformative ways.”

Part of that is in developing a pipeline for future talent. Young people who have engaged with a first-time experience through the Creative Learning programme often deepen their involvement through further opportunities such as joining a youth theatre and going on to perform in ATG Entertainment’s summer projects, involving a full-scale musical production.

“Thinking about long-standing youth theatre programmes at our regional venues such as Liverpool Empire and Theatre Royal Glasgow, we see countless young people build the interest to pursue a career in the industry,” Coxon says. “Many go on to drama school or other training, eventually entering the industry. That formative experience with their local Creative Learning programme often sees them return to their local venue to deliver a masterclass, turning the wheel again to inspire a new generation of youth theatre participants.”

Along the way, participants in these activities are garnering vital skills for life, building self-confidence, teamwork skills and a sense of themselves and their role in the world.

In the wake of declining arts education in schools, and the lasting effects of the pandemic, ATG Entertainment’s Creative Learning programme is stepping up to address the needs of schools and communities.

“We’re a network of 16 dedicated learning and participation departments,” Coxon explains. “We also have exciting programmes under way in Germany and this year launched our first dedicated North American department in Texas. We’re busy doing the work that matters, across the rich tapestry of the places we serve, laying the groundwork for a vibrant and inclusive future for theatre and live entertainment. For all of us in the live entertainment sector, this work has never been more vital.”

ATG Entertainment Creative Learning