Theatres Trust Report Calls for Better Designed Theatres and Performing Arts Spaces in Schools

By The Theatres Trust, PRNE
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

LONDON, July 22, 2010 - As MPs debate the Academies Bill this week, The Theatres Trust, the
national advisory public body for theatres, publishes a report highlighting
the need to improve the quality of theatres and performing arts facilities in
schools.

Its Conference 10 report, Designing School Theatres addresses the
differences in school theatre design in maintained and independent schools,
and the importance of performing arts teachers' involvement in the design
process.

The subject was heatedly debated by 200 people at its two day conference
on the 26th and 27th April 2010 in Leeds, resulting in 26 key principles for
school theatre design and 7 further actions. Practical ideas coming out
included:

    - designing main hall spaces so they are fit for purpose for performances

    - for example ensuring audience entry doors do not open onto the stage;

    - design and procurement to include consultation with performing arts
    teachers and specialist theatre architects and consultants;

    - enlarging drama studios to accommodate full class sizes;

    - providing proper backstage and technical support spaces.

At a time when schools' capital investment projects are under review and
the Academies Bill is being passed through Parliament, the report recommends
that there needs to be good quality design guidance and consultative
procurement processes to ensure young people have access to inspiring, fit
for purpose performing arts facilities.

Theatres Trust Director, Mhora Samuel said, "Young people deserve better
school theatres. Good theatre design delivers usable, practical performance
space that builds young people's confidence, communication skills and
underpins Britain's future excellence in the creative industries. Meaningful
and informed discussion in this specialised area will lead to better schools
theatres for less money, always important, but now crucial in these times of
budgetary cuts."

A copy of The Theatres Trust Conference10: Designing School Theatres
report can be downloaded from the Trust's website.
www.theatrestrust.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

About The Theatres Trust: The Theatres Trust is the national advisory
public body for theatres. The Trust aims to protect theatres on behalf of the
nation. It advises in planning, regeneration and development, architecture
and design, heritage, and theatre. It enables better planning to secure,
improve and achieve sustainability for new and existing theatre buildings and
to protect theatre use. Its aim is to ensure that current and future
generations have access to good quality theatres that reflect our rich
cultural heritage and offer inspiring new environments in which to enjoy
theatre. www.theatrestrust.org.uk

The Theatres Trust Conference: The Theatres Trust holds an annual
conference. Conference 10: Designing School Theatres looked at the design of
theatres located within secondary schools, academies and independent schools.
It considered the challenges associated with creating theatres that feel and
work like theatres whilst also serving a range of educational, learning and
community needs, their relationship to other theatres in their cities and
towns, and the role they play in shaping the next generation of theatre
activists, artists, and audiences.

School Theatres Design Principles include:

School theatres should be exhilarating and inspiring. They should help to
create focus, have character and feel magical. Such performing arts spaces
enable arts, culture and creative learning in schools. They also contribute
to a school's overall success.

If the school is having only a Main Hall and performing arts are on the
curriculum, it must be usable as a performance space.

The design of performing arts facilities should be defined in the first
instance by the teaching and learning outcomes of the school. Performing arts
facilities will need to promote creative development and provide imaginative
rehearsal spaces in addition to providing a performance facility.

Entry doors to the theatre/hall should not be located directly onto the
performing area or be designed with glass panels. Sound lobbies and acoustic
considerations are vital.

Make sure all performance spaces are sufficiently high to properly hang
and focus lights, and there needs to be a proper rear-stage cross over, good
access to dressing rooms, storage space and wing space.

Consider carefully the number of teaching/rehearsal facilities in schools
with bigger drama studios that can accommodate larger class sizes. The
minimum height of a studio space and its size (recommended in BB98) should be
revisited.

The Conference 10: Designing School Theatres report can be downloaded
from the Trust's website at: www.theatrestrust.org.uk/events/conference-10/resources-10
along with Contributor presentations (www.theatrestrust.org.uk/events/conference-10/Presentations-10),
Further school theatre design resources (www.theatrestrust.org.uk/events/conference-10/resources-10)
and Conference photographs (www.theatrestrust.org.uk/events/conference-10/photos-10).

(Due to the length of these URLs, it may be necessary to copy and paste
the hyperlinks into your Internet browser's URL address field. Remove the
space if one exists.)

For further details contact: Suzanne McDougall, +44(0)20-7836-8591, suzanne.mcdougall at theatrestrust.org.uk

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