Organisation
Project
Forge
Year, type of grant
2022-23, Investing in Young Women
Grant awarded
£24,540 over 24 months
Summary
Forge was a two-year project for young women aged 15-25 interested in careers in the arts but facing barriers. In year one they participated in workshops in all aspects of theatre-making, developing skills and learning from female practitioners in the industry. The year culminated in a performance where Forge members supported all aspects of a showcase performance including costume, set and lighting design, stage management, scriptwriting and performance.
In the second year, the focus shifted towards independent work, taking creative responsibility, working to a budget and managing all aspects of their final project, which became an immersive, interactive, multimedia promenade performance in celebration of International Women’s Day.
Following this event, the group continued working together on their Silver Arts Award and accessed individual mentoring and peer support to shape next steps.
Who, what, where
How this project supported Ragdoll Foundation aims
Projects funded through Investing in Young Women explored how arts and cultural organisations could support gifted young women from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop their talents and skills with a view to embarking on careers in the arts and creative media.
Acta’s application was clear, compelling, well-argued, and had a strong sense of purpose. Progression routes into a further education or careers in theatre were identified from the beginning. Selecting initial participants from previous acta youth theatre participants meant that some relationships were already established, which helped the project make a strong start.
