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Connections

A group of performers wearing eclectic, rugged outfits stand in a line on stage, holding hands and singing energetically. The background is dark with a set piece piled with clothes and a traffic cone. The scene exudes a theatrical and dramatic ambiance.

Connections is the National Theatre’s annual, nationwide youth theatre festival, celebrating the creativity and talent of young people across the UK.

Now in its 31st year, the programme has a proud history of empowering the next generation of theatre-makers.

Applications for Connections 2026 are now open! 

Apply now and be part of the story

Link opens in new tab. Application deadline: Monday 7 July 2025 at 12pm.

A group of smiling students in blue uniforms celebrate the National Theatre's 30th Connections anniversary. They stand in front of a colorful wall filled with posters.
Play Video

Connections | 30th Anniversary

Watch our new film celebrating the past three decades of Connections.

Play Video:

Connections | 30th Anniversary

Watch our new film celebrating the past three decades of Connections.

How it works

Two women are performing on stage. The woman on the left has long brown hair, wearing a bright pink outfit, and gestures with her hands while looking forward. The woman on the right, with long blonde hair, is wearing a light pink outfit and appears to be speaking passionately.
Stockton Riverside College perform Shout by Alexis Zegerman in Connections Festival 2024. Photo by J Lee

Connections is open to any company of young people aged 13-19, and up to 26 for groups with additional needs. Whether you’re a school, youth theatre, or voluntary organisation – whether you’re experienced in staging plays or trying it for the first time – your group can apply to be part of Connections.

Each year, Connections commissions a selection of brand-new plays for young people to perform, pairing some of the UK’s most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. We work with over 250 youth companies and more than 6,000 young people annually from every corner of the UK.

The Connections 2026 timeline kicks off in October 2025 with the Directors’ Weekend, a skills-development event for group leaders. Each participating company will then stage a Home Performance between February and April 2026 at their own venue, where a National Theatre Mentor Director will visit to provide feedback.

Every group will then transfer their production to a Partner Theatre Festival between March – May 2026, where they will perform on a professional stage. Finally, a select number of groups (one for each play) are invited to perform at the Connections Summer Festival (June 2026): a final celebration, which spotlights each play and champions the incredible work created throughout the year.

We are dedicated to ensuring that Connections works for you as directors and recognise the immense skill and dedication required to bring productions to life in school and youth theatre settings. The programme is designed to be flexible and adaptable to your needs, so if you have any questions or are unsure if Connections is the right fit for your company, you can reach out to us at connections@nationaltheatre.org.uk.

For more details on the process, timeline, casting, costs, and FAQs, click the button below.

Find out how Connections works

Partner theatres

Our Connections Partner Theatres are vibrant cultural hubs, who join us in celebrating your young companies’ work. Each theatre offers unique opportunities, and their expert teams help coordinate your visit throughout the year.

We will be announcing our Connections 2026 Partner Theatres soon. We were thrilled to work with the following 33 Partner Theatre Venues in 2025:

A map of the United Kingdom and Ireland over a vibrant orange and green background, marked with numbered location pins indicating various points across the regions, from Scotland in the north to southern England and northern Ireland.
2025 Partner Theatre Map

Connections Partner Theatre map 2025

1. Aberystwyth Arts Centre
2. artsdepot, London
3. Beacon Arts Centre
4. Blackpool Grand
5. Bristol Old Vic
6. Cast Doncaster
7. Chichester Festival Theatre
8. Crewe Lyceum
9. Derby Theatre
10. Exeter Northcott Theatre
11. The Garage, Norwich

12. Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
13. HOME Manchester
14. Kiln Theatre, Kilburn
15. Lighthouse, Poole
16. Lowry, Salford
17. Lyric Theatre Belfast
18. Lyric Theatre Hammersmith
19. Newcastle Theatre Royal
20. North Wall Oxford
21. Nottingham Playhouse
22. Pitlochry Festival Theatre

23. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch
24. Royal and Derngate, Northampton
25. Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
26. Soho Theatre, London
27. Southwark Playhouse, London
28. Theatre Peckham, London
29. Theatre Royal, Plymouth
30. Tramshed, Woolwich
31. Trinity Theatre Tunbridge Wells
32. Worcester Theatres
33. York Theatre Royal

Plays

Each year, we are proud to share our portfolio of Connections plays, that are born from discussions and workshops with young people across the country around themes that inspire and stories that matter to them.

The Connections 2026 plays will be announced here soon.

The Connections 2025 plays are:

Mia and the Fish by Satinder Chohan
The Company of Trees by Jane Bodie
Ravers by Rikki Beadle-Blair
YOU 2.0 by Alys Metcalf
Fresh Air by Vickie Donoghue
No Regrets by Gary McNair
Their Name is Joy by May Sumbwanyambe
Normalised by Amanda Verlaque
Saba’s Swim by Danusia Samal
Brain Play by Chloë Lawrence-Taylor and Paul Sirett

Open Gallery Dialog: 11 images Six young people sit and recline on red theater seats, casually posing in colorful hoodies and jeans. The text above and below them reads
Six young people sit and recline on red theater seats, casually posing in colorful hoodies and jeans. The text above and below them reads
Six young people sit and recline on red theater seats, casually posing in colorful hoodies and jeans. The text above and below them reads
View 11 images
Two young women standing in an empty theater with blue seats, looking at the camera. Text above them reads A person holding a large bouquet of yellow lilies stands in front of a row of bright purple theater seats. The top text reads A diverse group of five people are dancing energetically in a colorful, neon-lit environment. One person in the center is wearing a vibrant patterned hoodie, sunglasses, and a headband, with hands raised. Text at the top reads A promotional poster for A promotional image for the National Theatre's production Three individuals stand in a theater setting with red and black decor. The person on the left has a raised fist, the middle person is smiling, and the person on the right appears thoughtful. The text reads Four individuals are interacting with wooden chairs in an outdoor setting with a brick wall. The poster is for the A group of six young people, casually dressed, are sitting and reclining in red theater seats. They appear relaxed and thoughtful. The text A promotional poster for the play A theater poster for
Open Gallery Dialog: 10 images A group of people wearing white helmets and colorful costumes dance energetically under dramatic lighting on a dark stage. Their movements are expressive, and the scene captures a lively and joyful atmosphere.
A group of people wearing white helmets and colorful costumes dance energetically under dramatic lighting on a dark stage. Their movements are expressive, and the scene captures a lively and joyful atmosphere.
A group of people wearing white helmets and colorful costumes dance energetically under dramatic lighting on a dark stage. Their movements are expressive, and the scene captures a lively and joyful atmosphere.
View 10 images
A group of people on stage, energetically performing. Three individuals wearing white shirts with red ties and dark trousers stand in front, their mouths open wide as if singing or shouting, with arms dramatically extended. Dim lighting creates a focused atmosphere. Four individuals dressed in white shirts and dark trousers perform on stage. Two are seated, one with an expression of surprise or concern, while the other two are standing, engaged intently in the scene, their body language and gestures conveying an intense moment. Two people on stage perform a dramatic scene. One, wearing a beanie and gesturing energetically, sits next to the other, who wears plaid trousers and listens attentively. A tote bag lies on the ground beside them. The background is dark, highlighting the performers. A young man stands on a chair with arms outstretched, energetically performing on stage while wearing a striped sports jersey. Around him, several people are engaged in various activities, such as typing on laptops, reading, or observing. The background is dimly lit. A young person with long red hair, wearing a white shirt and a green striped tie, sings passionately with one arm outstretched. In the background, two others in similar uniforms sit on blue chairs, one looking surprised and the other amused, against a dark backdrop. A group of young people in green and gray costumes perform on stage, gathered around a makeshift set piece made of trash bags and various items. They appear expressive and engaged, suggesting a dramatic scene. The background is dark, focusing attention on the performers. A group of young people sits on the floor in a dimly lit setting. They are engaged in a discussion. One person, wearing a headset and holding a notepad, looks directly at the camera, while another person points to the left. Blue stage lights are visible in the background. Two individuals with blonde hair stand on opposite sides of scaffolding poles. The person on the left wears a plaid shirt and leans forward, while the person on the right, in a light-colored top, also leans forward, engaging in an intense conversation against a dark background. Three people are on stage in a theater. Two stand facing each other, holding signs reading

National Theatre Connections Festival 2024
Photographs by Jimmy Lee

The Connections 2024 plays were: 

Age is Revolting by Abi Zakarian
Shout by Alexis Zegerman
Orchestra by Charlie Josephine
Dy Enw Marw / Your Name is Dead by Elgan Rhys, in collaboration with Leo Drayton (Ysgrifennwyd yn y Gymraeg, and written in English)
Kiss / Marry / Push Off Cliff by Josh Azouz
The Sad Club by Luke Barnes & Adam Pleeth
Wind / Rush Generation(s) by Mojisola Adebayo
The Periodicals by Siân Owen
Replica by Titas Halder
Back in the Day by Yasmeen Khan

I really enjoyed working alongside others that I wasn’t used to. Not only did we perform something with a strong message, but throughout the process I was able to build friendships and connections.

Student, Connections 2024

The visiting mentor, the technical crew and the work shop providers all inspired the students and made them feel what they were doing was professional. Loved how inclusive the whole process was the representation was incredibly validating for my students.

Youth leader, Connections 2024

Our funders

The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.

BNP Paribas is proud to be Headline Partner of Connections 2025 through their BNP Paribas AccessArt25 programme.

Connections is also supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Buffini Chao Foundation, The EBM Charitable Trust, Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, Katie Bradford Arts Trust, Susan Miller & Byron Grote, Mulberry Trust, Tuixen Foundation, The Peter Cundill Foundation, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The Woodward Charitable Trust and The John Thaw Foundation.

Nationwide learning is also supported by Buffini Chao Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation, Tim & Sarah Bunting, MFPA Trust Fund for the Training of Disabled Children in the Arts, Behrens Foundation, Cleopatra Trust, and The Andor Charitable Trust.

Find out more about supporting our work

 

Contact Us

Kirsten Adam
Head of Young People’s Programmes

Ola Animashawun
NT Associate and Connections Dramaturg

You can contact the Connections team on connections@nationaltheatre.org.uk

Jenny Wilkinson
Project Producer, Connections

Finley Neilens
Connections Coordinator

Praise Okeowo
Young People’s Programme Assistant

Photos © Jimmy Lee
Connections Festival 2023

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