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A Moment in Time
In 2009 we celebrated our 25th anniversary - with a fabulous exhibition of photographs and memory boards that charted the careers and memories of 25 former members. Professional photographer, Kate Green, travelled around the UK in October, November and December of 2008, accompanied by current members of CYT, to visit the former members ‘at work’. While Kate took the photographs, the CYT current members conducted the interviews.
The portraits were intended to capture “a single moment in time” in the working life of these people all now aged between18 and 45. They help to demonstrate the sheer wealth of talent that has passed through the Youth Theatre.
As this is an exhibition about the effect of theatre on people’s lives, the exhibition was then mounted in theatre spaces within Wolverhampton. The exhibition opened at the Arena Theatre with a private view on Wednesday 7th January 2009 and was then on public view until Sat 17th January 2009. It then moved to the foyers and bar areas of The Grand Theatre from 17th June – 17th August 2009. The portraits and memory boards are now on permanent display at Newhampton Arts Centre.
Whilst the exhibition was at the Arena, CYT also staged extracts of 25 past productions.
This was an important landmark in our history - and our heritage gave us an excellent opportunity to inspire future generations of youth theatre members. This website contains images and comments throughout its pages - serving to keep alive in the minds of young people the potential that is within them all to succeed within their chosen paths. Creative arts are a notoriously difficult path to follow, but they are vital to the continuation of a large sector of the social and expressive sectors of our society. The project confirms that there really are ‘real’ and important careers to be followed - where success and career satisfaction are achievable. Even within careers that are not directly related to the Arts, many former members attibute their confidence and self-belief to the time spent within the theatre.
View the press coverage of the event!
The portraits are on permanent display at Newhampton Arts Centre, but if you can’t get there, why not visit our ‘virtual’ gallery, by Clicking Here!
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