Bristol Old Vic to host Industry Day as part of BBC's Bring the Drama Festival

The BBC is joining forces with some of the UK’s leading cultural organisations to create the first festival of its kind - a six-week programme of events taking place across the UK that is opening the doors to the next generation of behind-the-scenes talent in TV, film and theatre.

Bristol Old Vic will be hosting a free informative and fun morning for 15-19 year olds who want to find out more about what it takes to run a theatre – who works behind the curtain, how did they end up here, and what do they actually do each day?

There will be a chance to meet a range of people including backstage technicians, front of house staff, marketeers, fundraisers, events managers, finance team members, actors, directors, and producers...with a keynote welcome from Artistic Director, Nancy Medina.

This event can be booked via the Bristol Old Vic website: www.bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/bring-the-drama-industry-day

The festival runs from 12 February to 31 March 2024 to coincide with National Careers Week (4-9 March) and in parallel with new primetime BBC Two and BBC iPlayer series Bring the Drama, hosted by Bill Bailey.

During the pandemic lockdowns many skilled workers in the creative sector sought out alternative work - with craft roles in lighting, sound, stage management, hair & make-up and wardrobe among the hardest hit*. The legacy - a shortage of available crew - is delaying and hampering productions today.

The festival aims to open up a fresh talent pipeline: highlighting opportunities and training, targeting existing talent and new people who have little access to the industry, and creating a community for cultural organisations across film, theatre and TV.

From 1 February, anyone with an interest in learning more about craft skills in film, theatre and TV can search for a ‘Bring The Drama’ event in their region via the BBC portal on the ERIC app** - from backstage tours to ‘how to’ sessions on anything from cameras and lighting to set design, special effects and costume making.

Across the UK, theatres and cultural institutions will be running workshops and holding talks, with opportunities for young people to find out about apprenticeship schemes as well as careers in production and backstage. There will also be opportunities for educators, careers teachers and parents to find out about the vast range of jobs in this industry.

Suzy Klein, Head of Arts TV at the BBC, says: “We have created the Bring the Drama Festival so that anyone who wants to get into the many offscreen roles in theatre, film and TV can find an event near them, to introduce them to the magical world of working in the creative industries. There is so much talent across Britain and making world-class movies, TV shows and theatre is one of our greatest global exports – working with more than 150 partner organisations, the Festival promises to lure in the next generation of brilliant creatives.”