The Belgrade Theatre is the largest professional theatre in Coventry, acting as both the city and region’s commercial and producing theatre.

The Belgrade have been a theatre partner since 2023 and are still building their cluster. Their Lead School is Edgewick Primary School, working with another 4 Primary schools and 1 Secondary. They already have a group of active Shakespeare Ambassadors who will be working on creative projects to make Shakespeare relevant and resonant to their school and wider communities.

The Core at Corby Cube have been a theatre partner since 2023 and are a performance venue in the heart of Corby town centre with a rich programme of music, comedy, drama and youth performances. They provide a wide range of enriching creative activities for children, young people, families and adults alongside mentoring artists to develop new work.

At The Core at Corby Cube, they strongly believe in the value of arts engagement and the positive impact it has on children and young people.

The Core are proud to offer a comprehensive programme of educational workshops and opportunities for schools and students. The RSC Associate Schools programme has become an integral part of their schools offer and they currently have 5 Associate Schools signed up (all secondary). They are looking to develop and build on this small cluster as it continues to grow, and are especially looking forward to delivering the Playmaking Festival for the first time in 2026.

For over a century, the Embassy Theatre in Skegness has entertained thousands of people and the cream of British entertainment has performed on their hallowed stage. The entire season is packed full of live events – stunning tribute shows, top drawer comedians, event cinema screenings and of course, an annual pantomime. Recently renovated, the multi-purpose auditorium, Courtyard cafe and accompanying hospitality spaces are ideal for large scale touring productions, weddings, corporate events and team bonding initiatives. Visit the theatre’s website for full details of everything that's coming up.

The Embassy has been a theatre partner since 2023. Their Lead School is Skegness Junior Academy and there are currently 5 other schools in the cluster. The cluster are looking forward to developing their work with the partnership, and are excited about taking part in the Playmaking Festival in the summer of 2026.

Photo: The Grand Theatre Blackpool / Sean Conboy

Blackpool’s beautiful Grade II listed Grand Theatre attracts the best in award-winning touring companies, including The National Theatre, English Touring Theatre, UK Productions, Opera and Ballet International and the Russian State Ballet. The theatre aims to appeal to all, with an eclectic offering of opera, ballet, quality drama, comedy and dance.

The Grand lead the Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre cluster, which is a large cluster of 16 schools with a mixture of Primary, Secondary and SEND schools. Their two Lead Schools are St Mary’s Catholic Academy and Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School.  

The Grand have been a theatre partner since 2015. They have been engaged in almost every element of the Associate Schools Programme: Shakespeare Ambassadors, Next Generation and Playmaking Festivals, with pedagogy embedded throughout the work. The Grand engages adults from across Blackpool, theatre artists based locally and participants from The Grand Young Technicians in participatory activity accompanying RSC tours.

Photo: Hall for Cornwall

Hall For Cornwall is the only large-scale purpose-built theatre in Cornwall. They are a vibrant organisation presenting a varied artistic programme designed to help people of all ages to enjoy and experience the arts and further their own creativity. They provide an extensive range of outreach activities for people of all ages and backgrounds, to complement their work on stage. 

The Cornwall cluster joined the Associate Schools Programme when it was first established in 2016, with Treviglas Academy as the Lead Associate School. The cluster are engaged in almost every element of the Associate Schools Programme: Shakespeare Ambassadors, Next Generation, and Playmaking Festivals, with pedagogy embedded throughout the work.

Following their participation in the 2022 Playmaking Festival in Stratford-upon-Avon, they created the Cornwall Young Ensemble made up of young people from across the cluster who rehearse and perform regularly. 

Hall for Cornwall work with adults from across Cornwall, including parents/carers of the young people in their Associate Schools, on participatory activity to accompany RSC tours.

Photo: Hull Truck Theatre

Hull Truck Theatre is a producing theatre in the heart of Hull, making thrilling work of exceptional quality with a distinctive northern voice.

Inspired by the city, Hull Truck tell powerful human stories that resonate with our times. Through their work with schools and with the community, they help to raise aspirations and give life-changing creative opportunities to thousands of young people and adults.

The Hull and East Riding cluster is a relatively new cluster of 9 primary schools. The cluster will be co-lead by St George’s Primary School and Brough Primary School as the Lead Associate Schools.

Photo: The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury re-opened in October 2011 after an extensive rebuild and has since become one of this country’s leading regional theatres with a wide and varied programme that includes the best in national and international theatre, opera, music and dance.

Their theatre offers a major programme of creative activity for the community that has seen nearly 3,000 people involved in workshops since they opened. These activities are for a range of ages and include regular sessions run by professional practitioners on theatre practice, playwriting and dance.

The Marlowe work with two clusters of schools in Kent, both led by three schools (one Primary, one Secondary and one Special School). They have been a theatre partner since 2016, with one of the two clusters being part of the very first cohort of Associate Schools. Both clusters have 10 schools in each of them, made up of a mixture of Primaries, Secondaries and Special Schools, spread right across Kent. RSC pedagogy is embedded within classroom practice across the schools and students have been involved in Playmaking Festivals (both at The Marlowe and also at site-specific locations), Shakespeare Ambassadors, Next Generation Act and Backstage, and the RSC’s Youth Advisory Board.

The Marlowe have been working with the Pilgrim’s Hospice and Kent Refugee Action Network within participatory activity accompanying the RSC’s 2026 tour.

Mayflower Theatre is the largest theatre on the South Coast with 2,271 seats in the auditorium. The Theatre’s aim is to bring a diverse range of shows to Southampton. They present a mixture of spectacular touring productions, from musicals to dance, opera, drama, ballet and comedy.

Mayflower Studios is a cultural and community hub. They present family shows, dance, musicals, music, comedy, circus, cabaret, spoken word, and visual arts. Participation is at the heart of everything they do.

Both the Theatre and Studios operate under the Mayflower brand. Collectively they provide Inspiring Experiences to all who engage with each venue. They provide an extensive and inclusive participation offer across youth, education, community and artist development.

Mayflower Theatre and Mayflower Studios became a theatre partner in 2024. They are building a cluster that will combine schools from Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Their Lead School is Havant & South Downs College, and the cluster will be made up of Primaries, Secondaries and the College.

Photo: The New Vic Theatre

The New Vic is the producing theatre for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. The first purpose built Theatre in the Round in Europe, they present a varied and adventurous programme that includes contemporary drama, new commissions, innovative adaptations and accessible classics.  Productions have toured nationally and internationally and they have been an Affiliate Company of the National Theatre Studio. The New Vic have developed award-winning community programmes, working regionally, nationally and internationally through their Education Department and ground-breaking New Vic Borderlines, working to change the lives of disadvantaged members of their communities. The programme for families and young audiences includes the innovative Tail Trail experience, an immersive experience placing children at the heart of the story.

The New Vic has been a partner theatre with their Lead School, Springhead Primary School, since 2013. They collaboratively lead the North Staffordshire Associate Schools partnership cluster. There are 9 Primary schools in the cluster and they have a particular expertise in how to embed creative practice into Early Years teaching.

Newcastle Theatre Royal is one of only nine Grade I listed theatres in the country and is one of the best and well-recognised independent large-scale theatres in the UK. Their landmark theatre in the heart of the city centre has an unrivalled reputation for staging the best national and international touring working, welcoming world class theatre including drama, musicals, dance, opera and the annual family pantomime.

Theatre Royal create moments of magic on and off stage, through an ambitious creative programme for audiences and communities across the North East and are committed to supporting established local artists as well as new and emerging talent from across the region.

Their Creative Engagement Team work with young people and community groups to deliver a number of talent development programmes, engaging with approximately 7,500 people every year and proving participants with pathways to find their own creativity, support their personal and professional development, improve well-being and provide positive health outcomes.

Newcastle Theatre Royal work with schools and adults from the West End. They have engaged adults in participatory activity accompanying RSC tours and are currently building a cluster of primary schools within the Associate Schools Programme.

Northern Stage is a theatre where everyone is welcome. They make and present contemporary theatre, live performance and creative programmes that spark connections, provoke curiosity and joy, and explore new ways of seeing the world from our home in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne.  
 
Northern Stage promotes creativity and creative practice and provide life-changing experiences for people who would not normally have access to such opportunities. They champion creativity and support a diverse range of artists to create ambitious and adventurous theatre. 

Northern Stage work with a cluster of 7 schools, with a mixture of Primaries and Secondaries. The cluster is led by Sacred Heart Catholic High School as the Lead Associate School. The Newcastle Cluster have been involved in the Associate Schools Programme since 2017, having previously been part of the Learning Performance Network (LPN).

Silhouette Youth Theatre is based in a shopping centre in the middle of Northampton and works closely with the community it serves. It is committed to providing affordable and accessible opportunities for all and it seeks to Redirect the Light. This means shining the light on areas of social deprivation, on communities that are forgotten and on young people that need them the most. Silhouette have a strong Connect Programme and work with over 53 local Primary schools and five local Secondary schools. They provide training, support and performance opportunities for their young people. Silhouette is involved in all Next Gen programmes and has a strong leadership team that are all Shakespeare Ambassadors.

Silhouette have been a partner theatre since 2022 and work with two clusters: a Northampton cluster made up of three Secondary schools, and a cluster led by Northamptonshire Primary Academy Trust.

The Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham has been embedded in the cultural life of Nottingham since the Theatre Royal first opened its doors in 1865. They pride themselves on bringing the finest touring companies to our venue, including Opera North, Birmingham Royal Ballet, National Theatre, Dance Consortium and the RSC.

Established in 2001 Theatre Royal’s learning department engages across all ages and backgrounds including delivering weekly arts courses for the over 55s, a community choir in partnership with the Institute for Mental Health, community theatre projects and a volunteer led programme exploring the history of the Theatre Royal, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

 Their Lead School is Bluecoat Beechdale Academy and there are 7 other schools in the cluster.

Nottingham Theatre Royal work with adults in the community on participation within RSC tours.

 

Photo: York Theatre Royal

York Theatre Royal is a producing theatre in heart of York. Their Creative Engagement mission is to enable their community to live creative lives through projects and programmes in their building and out in the community that uses theatre as a tool to unleash each person’s potential. Their vision is to provide opportunities for every member of their community regardless of circumstance to engage with them in a creative environment that is safe, welcoming and compassionate.     

Their departmental programme is centred around three strands: Participation, Education and Community. They seek to provide provision for all ages in a variety of settings, focusing on regional and city-wide partnership building and delivery to ensure programmes are collaborative, authentic and people centred.   

York Theatre Royal have been a theatre partner since 2016. They work with a cluster of schools in York and Selby, with Selby High School taking on the role of Lead Associate School. 

They have been engaged in many elements of the Associate Schools Programme and work with adults in the community on participation around RSC tours.