Projects
Y Touring receives major support from the Wellcome Trust.
“I am thrilled that the brilliant work done by Y Touring has gained the sustained support of the Wellcome Trust. In the present climate this is especially pleasing and a tribute to the high standards of both organisations.”Joan Bakewell. Patron, Y Touring
In January 2011, Y Touring was chosen to receive almost £1 million in a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award to support a five-year theatrical project on biomedical research and its implications for human health.
A wonderful 21st birthday present for Y Touring, the award will allow us to develop and produce one new Theatre of Debate® project annually for five years. Each project will stimulate conversation about a different facet of biomedical research and its effects on individuals and society through the use of theatre, debate and digital media. Y Touring Theatre Company is an operation of Central YMCA, the UK's leading 'activity for health' charity and their partners for the award are the Association of Medical Research Charities and the Royal Albert Hall.
The dramas will tour schools around the UK, be streamed to cinemas throughout the country and performed at the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room during National Science and Engineering Week, each spring. A national network of schools will be created, with access to extensive educational resources, facilitating a community of students engaged - in part - through digital media, and encouraging debate about the impact of biomedical research on society among young and adult audiences. Extensive evaluation of different aspects of impact will also be carried out by an independent team including researchers from the Universities of Derby and Manchester.
The project, costing £1.6m in total, is underway. The first year’s theme is ‘pharmacogenetics’ - the science of 'tailoring' medicines to best fit with individuals' genetic make-up. Other potential themes for future years include physical and mental enhancement, ageing and aspects of global health. Find out more about the first project, Dayglo
Royal Academy of Engineering project
Early this year Y Touring received it's second Ingenious award from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the first was for The Projectionist. As a result this autumn we are working with young people from Sedgehill School and Capital City Academy, a group of senior performers, engineers from Cranfield University and the Royal Academy of Engineering and playwrights Judith Johnson and Ben Musgrave to create two new plays to be performed by schools, youth theatres and amateur groups.Find out more.