Emerging Creatives

Young artists in school years 7-12 with as interest in theatre (as makers, performers, or designers) who:

• Are interested in the craft behind the scenes and want to understand how it all works
• Are curious about production roles but unsure where to start
• Want to understand how technical and design elements serve the creative vision of a show

You don’t need prior technical experience — just genuine curiosity, enthusiasm for theatre, and a willingness to engage with the full scope of what it takes to make live performance happen.

Enrolments Open: Now

Enrolments Close: 24th July, 2026

Emerging Creatives doesn’t require an application to participate. To enrol click the ‘enrol now’ button above, create a Class Manager account, and enrol in the program. Note there are limited spots.

If you have any issues enrolling, email info@canberrayouththeatre.com.au.

Set Design: Discover how the use of space impacts visual storytelling, how to extract ideas from a dramatic source, and how physical environments communicate character and meaning to an audience.

Lighting Design: Explore how lighting shapes space, focuses attention, creates atmosphere, and contributes layers of meaning to a live performance — then get hands-on with real equipment and techniques.

Sound Design: Learn how music, effects, and amplification work together to define tone, build narrative, and create a world that an audience can inhabit.

Costumes and Props: Discover how costumes and props build character, create worlds, and communicate ideas the moment an audience sees them.

Stage Management: Develop the practical skills, systems, and professional communication strategies that allow a production team to work with clarity and confidence from rehearsal to opening night.

Putting It All Together: Experience how every design and technical element unites in the final stages of bringing a show to life. Develop your understanding of how the production process works — and how each creative decision shapes what an audience ultimately experiences.

Participants will then have the opportunity to apply their skills collaboratively as part of the production outcome of our Ensembles workshop program.

By the end of Emerging Creatives, you will:

Understand the language of production: Develop the vocabulary to communicate confidently with directors, designers, and fellow production artists across every department of a theatrical production.

Discover design as storytelling: Understand how lighting, sound, set, costume, and props each contribute layers of meaning — and how, working together, they shape the world an audience experiences.

Work with real craft and real equipment: Build hands-on familiarity with the tools, techniques, and professional practices across the full range of backstage disciplines.

Find where your passions lie: Identify which areas of technical theatre and design spark something in you, and understand how to pursue them further as an artist.

Step into a project with confidence: Know what to expect in a professional production environment and feel prepared to contribute as part of a creative team.

Connect with a professional community: Learn directly from industry artists working in production and design roles, and become part of the wider Canberra arts community.

Emerging Creatives Sessions:

4:00 – 7:00pm

Tuesday 28 July – Introduction
Tuesday 4 August – Set Design
Tuesday 11 August – Lighting Design
Tuesday 18 August – Stage Management
Tuesday 25 August – Costume Design
Tuesday 1 September – Sound Design
Tuesday 8 September – Collaboration
Tuesday 15 September – Collaboration
Tuesday 22 September – Collaboration

Additional Ensemble Workshops (Project)

4:30 – 6:30pm

Wednesday 2 September
Thursday 3 September
Wednesday 9 September
Thursday 10 September
Wednesday 16 September
Thursday 17 September

Saturday 19 September – Performance (times TBC)

Commitment

This program builds progressively, with each session developing skills and knowledge that inform the work ahead. Theatre production is fundamentally collaborative — what you learn in one area will shape how you understand every other. Your presence and engagement matters not only for your own development but for the learning environment you create alongside your fellow participants. We ask that you show up prepared and fully engaged, bring your curiosity to every session, and approach the work with the same seriousness of purpose you would bring to a professional production context.

The Culture We Build Together

Being part of Canberra Youth Theatre means joining a professional artistic community where emerging artists shape the future of Australian theatre. Our practice is built on:

• Commitment – to the work, the process, and the artists you’re creating alongside
• Courage – taking creative risks, challenging conventions, and pushing your practice forward
• Respect – for diverse perspectives, bold artistic choices, and the collaborative space we share
• Curiosity – treating each project as a chance to deepen your craft and expand your voice
• Professionalism – holding ourselves to the standards of the theatre industry we’re entering

This is where you transition from training into practice, where your ideas matter, and where the work you create contributes to your development, our community, and the broader arts sector.

Emerging Creatives is a heavily subsidised program – the full cost is $997 per person, which, due to the generous support of our funders, we are able to offer for only $550 for our members. Nonetheless, we understand that paying upfront in full can be difficult, so we offer flexible payment plans to spread out the cost over the course of the program.

Please see the financial support we offer, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@canberrayouththeatre.com.au to discuss payment options.