Past Projects

From 2021 – 2023 Young Vic Taking Part undertook a radical arts-in-education project called INNOVATE, which asked the question: How can the arts enable students to engage, learn and thrive across all their subjects? Participating schools included Dunraven school and the Southbank University Academy. The Advisory panel included Dr Sylvan Baker, Darren Chetty, Kai Rufai, Dr Javeria K.Shah and Dr Vicky Storey.

In 2024 the Young Vic Taking Part department worked with a group of young co-curators to create an installation, MANtelpeace that gave an insight into the world of young men growing up in London. This interactive exhibition celebrated the transition from boyhood to manhood and provided a fresh perspective on traditional masculinity.  The project was led by  Adam Karim, with set design by Finlay Jennar and sound design by Duramaney Kamara.

May Fest was an annual month long festival that celebrated creativity and connection. Co-curated with and for our local community, the month included workshops, talks and performances led by Michelle Payne, Philip Morris, Sophie Ellerby, Harriet Taylor and Scott Howland.

AiTopia was an ambitious Neighbourhood Theatre show from The Collective, a 50 strong cohort of multi disciplinary artists from Southwark and Lambeth. directing by Michelle Payne. this epic production explored new models of theatre making centered on community and colloboration

In 2021 Sundown Kiki was born: an explosive new show by young queer Black and Global Majority artists that brought the worlds of theatre and ballroom together. The conversations Sundown Kiki sparked led to Communities of Resistance, a creative project where the same young people travelled to the home of ballroom, New York, in a partnership with the Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI). In 2023, the Young Vic staged Sundown Kiki Reloaded, a remount with a US twist, which featured Kiki Scene youth from the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

A week long programme introduced young people to the world of theatre production, focusing on lighting, sound design, set construction, costume design and stage management.  Working alongside the Young Vic’s production team the young people gained hands on introductory experience of technical theatre.