In April 2017 Zest Theatre collaborated with North East Lincolnshire Council and CapeUK to deliver an innovative, new project for Grimsby. The 2030 programme was commissioned to discover more effective ways of working with children, young people and families and help them to thrive.
Zest spent 10 intensive days using Theatre to tap into young people's hopes and aspirations. In partnership with the Youth Offending Service we worked with young people to discover how they can face the future with creativity and self-belief. Together we explored their aspirations for the future, the hurdles they need to overcome and the vision for their town.
This commission was part of a pioneering programme to refocus the way in which NE Lincs Council engage with children and young people. Putting the arts in the centre of this project gave endless opportunities for young people to share their voice. The project culminated in a fully produced, promenade production that told the stories of each of our participants. Our young participants performed alongside Zest's professional actors to create an emotionally charged and authentic performance.
What do we do when all our artistic experience and knowledge is challenged? On a recent participation project, Zest had to rethink everything they knew about making theatre, shaking the foundations of their process to its' core. What we discovered about ourselves and our participants has changed our practice for the better.