Local performing arts charity Valley Arts has been busy in recent months, delivering a programme of drama workshops in Primary Schools across the Chew Valley.

As part of the charity’s commitment to making the performing arts accessible to all, the team developed links with six local Primary Schools in Chew Stoke, Chew Magna, Bishop Sutton, Ubley, East Harptree and Winford.

During May and June, Valley Arts facilitators Laura Davies and Rachel Cohen, delivered 24 free drama workshops to the six schools, on the subject of Wellbeing and Resilience, a topic many schools felt was important to discuss, in particular following the disruption of the pandemic. These workshops reached over 600 local primary school children.

The programme was made possible by a successful funding bid by the charity for an Organisational Development Grant from Arts Council England.

Besides the chance to take part in drama workshops, Valley Arts gave all the children the opportunity to see a live theatre production, without having to travel into Bristol or Bath, and at little or no cost to either the school or parents. Bristol-based Roustabout Theatre company performed their improv-style show ‘The Great Big Story Mix Up’, at all six schools, to a captivated audience of over 700 pupils.

Valley Arts chair Geraldine Hill-Male commented: ‘We believe all young people deserve the opportunity to experience the performing arts, so we set out to deliver this programme of workshops in conjunction with local Primary schools’.

Geraldine added: ‘It’s been really well received in schools, and we are eternally grateful to Arts Council England for supporting our bid, our hard working team and the wonderful Roustabout Theatre for making it such a success’.

Meanwhile, Valley Arts Youth Theatre is going from strength to strength since its inception in 2021. In June the 33 members, aged between 8 and 13, performed their own interpretation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, on a beautiful midsummer’s eve at Yeo Valley Organic Garden, to an appreciative audience of over 100 family and friends.

This September sees the Youth Theatre expanding to offer places to 45 young people in separate Junior and Senior groups.

The charity believes that money shouldn’t be a barrier to the arts, so is offering a number of subsidised places to help families that would benefit from financial support.

Valley Arts has also been trialling free after school drama-based activities in conjunction with local charity Youth Bristol, on their Youth Bus project in Wrington and Bishop Sutton. Plans are afoot to extend this in the future.

Youth Theatre leader Laura Davies commented: ‘Our vision is to offer more opportunities for young people in the Chew Valley, to learn new skills and enjoy being involved in the performing arts’.

Valley Arts is largely run by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you’d like to find out more, get involved or support their work, visit the website: www.valley-arts.co.uk