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ESSENTIAL OR DESIRABLE?
It's been all hands on deck here at YTAS in recent weeks, as we're sure you will have seen with last week's news. Yes, indeed, the cat is out of the bag and our Beloved Leader is off to pastures new. This means we’re looking for a brand new CEO... a Grand Fromage, a Top Banana, a Big Enchilada.
As we were writing the (very sensible) job pack and recruitment information, we did think of some other things that it just wouldn't be appropriate to put in this (terribly, terribly sensible) document. And rest assured, we did ask. But since
we consider ourselves and our recruitment process to be transparent and progressive, we’re happy to give our newsletter readers some additional insights into what the ideal candidate might bring to the post (and that we were told we definitely weren't allowed to include in the CEO job description). Here goes...
⚡ a willingness to play Zip Zap Boing with full conviction at any moment.
🤾 not being afraid to have a beanbag thrown at you in an in-person team meeting warm-up.
😁 welcoming campers to a National Festival with your top-tier Butlins* Redcoat impression.
☑️ a love of spreadsheets. A quiet night in with Excel should be your idea of a good time.
📸 being delighted by the idea of posing for a giant cheque picture.
📅 the ability to crack out a good fun closer at team meetings.
💝 bribing thanking the team with sweet treats at Christmas (this one is the most important**).
🐙 having many fingers in many advocacy pies. Think of an octopus in Gregg’s.
If you'd like to read the actual CEO job description, you'll be delighted to know that it's linked below, so keep on reading if you fancy getting on board with us. In other news, and as promised, we're dropping those all-important links to apply for Fringe Days Out 2025, and reminding everyone of the deadline to apply for the Next Generation programme.
We'd also like to send a huge big shout out to our members Mix Up Theatre, who have been recommended by the Child Poverty Action Group for their work with after school clubs. Excellent work everyone 👏
Read on for more news, and we'll be seeing you soon... maybe even as our next Hot Tamale? 🌶️
*Other holiday camps are available.
** Can't blame us for trying. Shy bairns get nowt.
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NOW CASTING FOR OUR LEADING ROLE
We're on the lookout for Youth Theatre Arts Scotland’s next Chief Executive Officer... could you be the very person we need? Our next CEO will join at a pivotal moment - with a strong team, a clear strategic plan, and the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Scotland’s national development agency for youth theatre.
We are looking for a visionary and collaborative leader to build on our success with care and ambition, and lead our organisation with clarity and purpose. They’ll champion young people’s creativity, ensuring the organisation is well-managed, financially sound, and impactful in advancing youth theatre across Scotland.
Our next CEO should be someone who inspires trust and confidence, bringing people together around shared goals, and nurturing a healthy, inclusive, and values-driven workplace culture. They'll be an experienced and inspiring team leader, with a track record of managing organisations, programmes, or teams; creating the conditions for people to thrive. A confident advocate for youth voice, participation, and access, they'll be familiar with Scotland’s cultural, educational, and third sector landscape.
Does this sound like you, or someone you know? Read the full details and download the Recruitment Pack below. We hope to hear from you soon!
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| Read more and apply before Monday 21 July 2025
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ALL ABOARD FOR NEXT GENERATION 2025-2026!
YTAS's Next Generation programme has supported a cohort of 20 young leaders aged 16-24 to access mentoring, training, and development activity both online and in-person on a part-time basis since autumn 2024. We're now on the lookout for our next cohort of young professionals who are hungry for development to join the programme from August 2025 to July 2026.
Participants will take part in creative and professional development workshops, mentoring, a residential weekend, and work placements in a free programme which leads to an SCQF Level 3 qualification. We’ll introduce participants to specialist artists from across the country, widen their understanding of what it means to work professionally in the youth arts sector, and welcome applications from across Scotland.
If you or a young leader in your youth theatre are ready to take that next step to kickstart their career in youth theatre, you can read more and apply over on the Next Generation page of our website. Applications are open until Monday 14 July 2025.
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| Read more and apply before Monday 14 July 2025
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FRINGE DAYS OUT: OPEN NOW!
It's time. It's here. We told you to be prepared... it's fastest finger first time. Hit that button below to apply for our Fringe Days Out vouchers to take your young people to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - for free!
This year, YTAS members are able to apply for one of five £100 first-come, first-served vouchers to use on Fringe tickets for your youth theatre. Tickets are open to all YTAS members* across Scotland, and we are particularly interested in applications from groups who have not benefitted from the programme before.
But that's not all! We haven't forgotten about the leaders... There will be three occasions in August to join YTAS and ten other artists to see a show, have a drink, and chat about the work. These informal events are a great way to meet other artists, and to see work that you might not have otherwise booked for yourself, so be sure to set some time aside for your own creative development in August.
Use the link below to apply for both the Artist Day Trips and the Youth Theatre Day Trips. Go!
* Not a member yet? Click here to join YTAS.
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| Apply for Fringe Days Out
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ADMIN JOY ABOUNDS
...well, hopefully! We're often asked for recommendations of administration systems here at YTAS, and while we can definitely feedback on systems we use and are familiar with, we can only talk from our own experience.
Since we don't want to lead anybody in the sector down a path of admin doom and gloom, we thought... who better to ask than those who know best: the folk using all these systems, day in and day out? That's right, you!
We're interested in how you manage things like class bookings, registrations, participant information, consent forms, dietary requirements, etc. Any software or other systems that help day-to-day admin are interesting too.
Do you have a particular soft spot for a box office system you've used for years? Are you practically evangelical about a certain CRM and want to share the joy with the sector? If you have insights, don't be shy! We've set up a Menti to gather your thoughts or advice, and help the youth theatre sector learn from your pearls of wisdom. We'll summarise the results in a future newsletter too.
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| Send us your thoughts
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CURTAIN UP
Wondering what shows to go see over the next few weeks? There's loads to choose from...
🌈 Tonight (18 June), join 15 emerging artists aged 16-25 from across the UK, Europe and Canada in Queer, There and Everywhere, an online audio production reflecting on their personal experiences as LGBTQIA+ young people and investigate the queer history of their home countries. The performance features monologues, poetry and songs knitted together to create one queer celebration for LGBTQIA+ History Month.
🔱 Running from tonight until Saturday, join Strange Town for Living On A Prayer and take a trip to a Greek gods' karaoke night. A singing competition has been declared, with the winner guaranteed survival, but what are they really winning and are there other prizes to be found? A divine mystery exploring life, death and the paths we choose between the two.
🎀 "Omigod, omigod you guys!" Elle Woods is back and painting Dunfermline pink, as Limelight Carnegie Youth Theatre present Legally Blonde this week from Thursday to Saturday at the Carnegie Hall. Bring your best bend and snap!
🐟 We're back with Strange Town from Thursday to Saturday too, as they present a parallel Edinburgh where miracles are a fact of childhood, whether it's walking on water, feeding 5000 or surviving the desert to Fife. In The Cult Of Work is a surreal adventure of toxic friendship, the hurry to grow-up, and the bushes who just want to burn.
📚 There are also two Positive Stories Festivals coming up, in Dumfries and Stornoway, so be sure to check out their dates and get along if you're nearby.
Please use your login and add more shows to our listings and we'll do our best to shout about them - it takes less than two minutes!
No login? Join as a YTAS Member to be able to list your own shows on our site.
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| Show me the shows
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