The it’s your future Bursary Award Scheme was developed by THEATRE IS... in 2011 to invest in the artistic and leadership skills of the young people that we meet through our projects. THEATRE IS… has awarded 14 bursaries to promising young individuals from Luton and Thurrock. Each successful applicant was given financial support to fund their artistic development, and some were also given financial support to aid the bursary holders to run creative arts projects in their communities. We connected them with a member of our team of artistic professionals to work as their mentor, and we opened up a number of opportunities for the young people to explore and develop their talents; opportunities which otherwise would not have been available to them.

Bursary holders achieved many successes including performing on stage at a London Hip Hop event, working with professional artists, developing poetry, dance and rap about their lives and performing at events coinciding with the Olympic Torch festival in Luton, painting a mural which is now on permanent public display in The Mall in Luton and recording tracks and videos that they have been able to use to promote their talents.

Our bursary award was inspired by the life and energy of Hector Stringer, an ambitious young creative who we met during an it’s our theatre programme in Hertfordshire. His passion for music has inspired us to invest in the futures of young people like him.