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Dates
Sundays during term time
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Specific Timings Below
Between 9 AM – 1 PM
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Fees (per term)
£66–£154 dependent on age.
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Bursary Application Dates
Closed
Who’s it for?
On Sundays during term time, we are open to young people from across the South West. Catering for children aged 3-18, Sunday Young Artists provides weekly classes in performance and production skills taught by professionals (with support from our full-time degree students at the height of their training.)
We offer classes for the following age groups
- Wings – age 3-4
- Upstage – age 5-6
- Downstage – age 7-9
- Centre Stage – age 10-12
- Stage Left – age 13-15
- Stage Right – age 16-18
Young Artists provides the best possible introduction to the “culture” of theatre. Enabling participants to explore collaboration across disciplines, discovering what is needed to make productions possible.
There is no leading role, but an ensemble of young artists that realises each piece of work together.
Students will gain an understanding of the variety of job roles in professional theatre and the importance of team work, communication skills and innovative thinking.
Term structure
Every term focuses on a theme, with exercises and activities structured around it.
Students will explore performance skills, costume and set design, as well as different roles within theatre making such as directing and stage management.
At the end of the term we invite family and friends to come and share in the work they’ve explored and created.
Term dates, class structure and fees
Autumn term 2025
The term runs on Sundays from 5 October to 14 December. There is no class on Sunday 2 November, due to half term. At the last day of term, we invite family and friends (two seats per student) to join us in sharing what they have explored in the ten weeks.
The classes run on the following schedule:
Wings (age 3–4)
09:45–10:00 Registration
10:00–11:00 Class
For autumn term 2025, the fee will be £66 per term.
Upstage (age 5–6)
11:00–11:15 Registration
11:15–12:05 Class 1
12:15–13:00 Class 2
For autumn term 2025, the fee will be £126.50 per term.
Downstage (age 7–9), Centre Stage (age 10–12), Stage Left (age 13–15), Stage Right (age 16–18)
09:45–10:00 Registration
10:00–10:50 Class one
11:00–11:50 Class two
12:00–12:50 Class three
12:50–13:00 Pack up and home time
For autumn term 2025, the fee will be £154 per term.
Autumn Term 2025
“If I Could Start Again: An Exploration of Second Chances “
What if you could rewind time and try again? In this imaginative autumn term, young performers will journey through tales of transformation, redemption, and possibility. Through storytelling, movement, character work, and ensemble collaboration, participants will explore the theme of second chances, from characters who rewrite their destinies to worlds where the past and future collide.
Let’s explore the beauty of a do-over and the courage it takes to try again.
Teaching
BOVTS courses for under-18s are taught by experienced professionals, assisted by our degree students at the height of their training. All hold enhanced DBS checks.
Policy & Procedures
You can view our safeguarding policy on our Policies and Procedures page. The Young Artists Manager and Young Artists Assistant Manager oversee the smooth running of the building each Sunday.
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FAQs
FAQ’s
Whether your aim is to improve your acting skills, learn a new design skill, or simply to have fun and make friends, you will receive a warm welcome at BOVTS Young Artists!
Is it for me?
BOVTS Young Artists is aimed at young people with creative spark. We aim to offer experiences in all areas of theatre making to give students an idea of how productions work in the professional world. We do this in an inclusive, fun atmosphere utilizing the talents of our current students who are soon to be professionals themselves.
Do I need any previous experience?
No, all we ask is that you are willing to give stuff a go.
What do we do?
Each term we will look at a different story or stimulus and invent a short performance around it using exercises seen on our full time courses. All students get involved with script writing, costume design, prop building, directing, stage managing and of course acting.
Will we use a script?
There may be some script or text to look at which will inspire our story. You also may be asked to write some script yourself. But mostly, we play and improvise. If working with text is a concern for you, please let us know, and we can make sure that these aspects of the classes are made accessible for you.
Do you run a financial assistance scheme?
Those who enrol on the Young Artists programme may be eligible for financial assistance through our bursary scheme. Please read our bursary policy below for further details.
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Short Courses Refund Policy
If you wish to cancel your place on the course, you will receive a full refund if you notify the school at least 7 days prior to the start of the course. For cancellations, contact [email protected]
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Bursaries for Youth Courses
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. When do bursary applications open for each term?
The dates for bursary applications are as follows:
Summer term Young Conservatoire 2025 – bursary applications are open between Thursday 26Â June to Thursday 28 August 2025. To apply for a bursary place, please complete the Young Conservatoire Bursary form.
Spring term Young Artists 2026 – bursary applications are open in the autumn term.
After these dates, places will go on general sale, meaning it is still possible to enrol, but that we won’t be able to consider you for a bursary-supported place.
2. I have been allocated a bursary before, do I need to reapply for next term?
If you are currently in receipt of a bursary and your circumstances haven’t changed, you will not need to complete a bursary application form again, but you will need to let us know you wish to be considered for a bursary next term. To do this, please email [email protected] expressing your wish for your bursary to be reviewed for next term.
3. I have been allocated a bursary before, will it be the same amount if I apply again next term?
As we take on new submissions for bursaries each term, the amount you are allocated each term is liable to change. We will inform you of any changes in the amount once all bursaries have been allocated for a term.
4. I have been allocated a bursary, how long do I have before I need to let you know if I will be taking it?
You will have a period of 14 days after the bursary has been allocated to accept it.
5. I haven’t received a bursary before, how do I apply?
We will upload an application form on our website during the bursary application period. Please fill this form to be considered for a bursary.
Forms will be available in the Young Artists Bursaries section on the oldvic.ac.uk/young-artists page.
6. Will all applicants be allocated a bursary?
We will consider all applications sent via our website form and assess them against a set of criteria. However, we cannot guarantee that an applicant will be allocated a bursary.
Some of the assessment criteria we use include (but are not limited to):
> applicant in financial hardship
> disabled applicant
> applicant is from an area of low progression to higher education
> applicant is in care or is a care leaver
> applicant belongs to groups of people who are considered ‘hard to reach’If you have any further questions, please contact [email protected].
- Policies and Procedures
