Blackpool Grand Theatre's pioneering Story Led Resilience Programme wins the UK Theatre Award for Excellence in Arts Education

Blackpool Grand Theatre's ground-breaking Story Led Resilience Programme is top of the class after scooping the 2023 UK Theatre Award for Excellence in Arts Education in a glittering ceremony at London's Guildhall on Sunday 8 October.

The Grand's innovative and internationally recognised Story Led Resilience Programme from the theatre's Creative Learning Team was developed using stories presented on Blackpool Grand Theatre's stage to identify, explore and define resilience in young people, and was described at the UK Theatre Awards as "a remarkable and unique initiative, using Arts Education to strengthen resilience and build confidence".

The UK Theatre Awards 2023 are the only nationwide awards to celebrate outstanding achievements in theatre across the UK. Blackpool Grand Theatre Chief Executive, Adam Knight, said on receiving this distinguished accolade:

"I'm thrilled, delighted and incredibly proud. This award reflects the development and impact of our Story Led Resilience Programme in the communities of Blackpool and beyond. The Story Led Resilience initiative has been created and developed by our Head of Creative Development & Learning, Celine Wyatt, with the support and collaboration of her team, notably over the past few years with the theatre's Cultural Education Manager, Jo Cleasby.

"A successful project such as this is never possible to achieve without the ongoing commitment and support of a much wider team. As much as this is an award that rightfully recognises the incredible talent that we're proud to have in Celine, Jo and all the Creative Learning and Development team; it also reflects the outstanding work of the entire team at Blackpool Grand Theatre and the contribution that each and every one has given to achieve ongoing excellence and raise the reputation of our wonderful theatre within our community, across the industry and throughout the UK.

"Congratulations and thank you to everyone, including our partners, funders and supporters, who have played a part in realising this incredible, prestigious, and internationally recognised UK Theatre Award."

Blackpool Grand Theatre's pioneering Story-led Resilience Programme makes use of drama and arts-based methods as a gateway through which young people can learn about resilience through the lens of on-stage characters' challenges, successes, and relationships. Children and young people practice resilient moves as they tell and retell the story, working out how best the characters can cope with life's ups and downs. This cutting-edge formula helps them identify what they can learn from the characters' situations and apply it to their own lives. Crucially, participants in the programme also get to experience a professional performance of the production as a core part of the fully rounded creative learning experience.

As Education Partner for The Children's Theatre Partnership (CTP), The Grand's award-winning work will continue supporting theatres across the UK on the forthcoming stage adaptation of Onjali Q Raúf's Boy At The Back Of The Class, which can be seen at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 May 2024 as part of an extensive national tour.

The Grand's Creative Learning Department has been developing extensive work for schools and the community for many years. In practice, it means looking at stories for themes of resilience and then working out, with the use of the Resilience Framework, how the outcomes for the characters could change. Also identifying and learning from characters whose choices in stories demonstrate resilience.

Head of Creative Development & Learning, Celine Wyatt, said:

"It's a delight to have the commitment to serving our community of children, young people and families recognised. It takes an arts village to raise impactful projects, so thanks to all the team at The Grand, the independent artists - especially The Knotted Project, and to all our funders and partners."

Blackpool Grand has also recently celebrated even more national recognition with the theatre's Head of Business and Finance, Mark Preston FCMA, receiving a Highly Commended honour in the Finance Director of the Year category at the Accounting Excellence Awards! The glitzy ceremony, held earlier this month at London's Roundhouse, was compered by top comedian Tom Allen and famous National Lottery voiceover artist Alan Dedicoat. The theatre's Chief Executive, Adam Knight attended the awards alongside Mark and said of this impressive achievement:

"We are very proud that Mark's incredible accomplishments were recognised in this prestigious and important awards ceremony, particularly navigating The Grand's pandemic and recovery finances. The entire Grand Theatre team would like to congratulate Mark on this very well-deserved accolade."

Blackpool Grand Theatre is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, for which an uplift was received in the 2023-26 portfolio to support the ongoing development of the Story Led Resilience programme in Blackpool. The development of the programme has also been supported by grant awards from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Ragdoll Foundation, and The Goldsmiths' Company Charity and is currently under commission from Childrens' Theatre Partnership and the Royal Opera House.

To find out more about the award-winning Story Led Resilience Programme or to work with us call our Creative Development team on 01253 290111 or email creativelearning@blackpoolgrand.co.uk

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