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Drama Teacher Conference

A large group of teachers doing a movement workshop with Drama Teacher Conference 2022

Enhance your skills and learn from industry professionals with the National Theatre’s annual two-day Drama Teacher Conference.

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2025 Drama Teacher Conference

On Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February 2025 the National Theatre’s annual Drama Teacher Conference will be celebrating its 10th birthday at the Lowry, Salford.

The conference is the perfect chance for teachers to enhance their skills and learn from industry-leading professionals. With the opportunity to join a night at the theatre on Wednesday 19 February at no extra cost, the conference promises to be jam-packed with exciting workshops and talks. This year, sessions include:

  • Exploring Contemporary Practitoners: Complicité
  • Improvisation and teaching Shakespeare at KS3 with Shakespeare North.
  • Ensemble: Moving the masses with The Knotted Project
  • NYE: The Power of Voice with Francesca Goodridge
  • Tech Top Tips: getting to grips with design, production and technical theatre (National Theatre Skills Centre)
  • Using real world events to create drama with Alecky Blythe

Read more about the 2025 schedule.

A group of six people are gathered around one person seated on a chair. They hold various props with dramatic facial expressions. The person in the middle holds her hands clasped together.
Photography by Emma Hare

Key information:

  • Dates: 19, 20 and 21 February 2025 
  • Location: Lowry, Salford 
  • Ticket cost: £100 for one day, with an offer of £150 for two. (Early registration comes at no additional cost.)
  • A limited number of bursaries are available for eligible schools, please see application form for further details.

Please note, applications are processed in the order that we receive them, with priority applied to certain schools where possible.

Applications for this event are now closed. Please contact secondary@nationaltheatre.org.uk with any questions.

A group of people are grouped casually on a circular stage with a green floor. Some are adjusting lighting and camera gear, while others stand by a large screen displaying graphs.
Photography by Emma Hare

Past conferences

2024 Drama Teacher Conference

In February 2024 leading drama experts and practitioners came together to inspire, inform and upskill. The two-day conference included workshops, networking opportunities and a ticket to one of our productions.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference; the workshops, the chance to meet and network with fellow drama teachers and the free ticket to the production as well! A brilliant couple of days!

– Teacher, Drama Teacher Conference 2024

 

The chance to reignite creativity, to remind yourself what it is like to be on the receiving end of teaching and learning, to re-inspire and excite the love of the subject – the chance to play and be with like-minded people and feel the joy of theatre!

– Teacher, Drama Teacher Conference 2024

Open Gallery Dialog: 10 images Out of focus to the left of the image, a group of people stand with their hands raised in front of a beige curtain, on the right three people are watching the group whilst smiling and clapping.
Out of focus to the left of the image, a group of people stand with their hands raised in front of a beige curtain, on the right three people are watching the group whilst smiling and clapping.
Out of focus to the left of the image, a group of people stand with their hands raised in front of a beige curtain, on the right three people are watching the group whilst smiling and clapping.
View 10 images
A woman stands in front of a microphone on an AstroTurf stage, presenting to an audience, a large television screen to her right displays ' Welcome to the Drama Teacher Conference 2024. Inspire, Connect, Support'. In front of a black background, a panel of five people sit in a row, the central figure holds a microphone addressing an audience who are out of shot to the right, the rest of the panel smile and laugh. In a white rehearsal room, six people, each manipulating an everyday item, surround a seated seventh person who glumly rests her chin in her hands. A roomful of people face each other in pairs, hands raised in a fighting stance, as part of a stage combat workshop. A woman, seated on the back of an auditorium chair, addresses an audience in the Lyttelton theatre as part of a sound workshop. In front of a black background, two people stand in front of a lighting desk, behind them theatre lights are seen on a rigging bar at head height. A small group of people, seated in a large circle which extends beyond the frame, listen intently to a facilitator who is also seated in the circle. A woman in a white vest and turquoise leggings leads a yoga class in a pose balancing on her left knee and hand, a large group of participants on purple mats copy the pose behind her. Four teachers stand looking through and handling National Theatre Archive materials.

Last year’s artist facilitators were:

Dilapidated hospital space. A man lies on a hospital bed in a suit with restraints on. Other suited men walk around him and one has a clipboard. There is a large sunflower growing out the ground by the bed.

Katie Mitchell

Photo © Tristram Kenton. Cleansed, directed by Katie Mitchell at the National Theatre, 2016.

Ian Rickson

Photo © Helen Murray. Ian Rickson in rehearsals for All of Us at the National Theatre, 2022.

A woman runs, carrying a black suitcase with metal trim, her coat and headscarf billowing and blurred, behind her.

Gecko Theatre

Artwork: Kin by Gecko Theatre.

The word Pilot in white text against a black circle with interlocking panels

Pilot Theatre

Pilot Theatre
A person with blond hair wearing a coral, fur coat can be seen from the side, looking at something outside the frame on the left, in front of a black background.

Quirky Bird Theatre

Photo © Chris Dobson

Quirky Bird Theatre

2023 Drama Teacher Conference

Open Gallery Dialog: 7 images Five Teachers taking part in a workshop for Drama Teacher Conference
Five Teachers taking part in a workshop for Drama Teacher Conference
Five Teachers taking part in a workshop for Drama Teacher Conference
View 7 images
A group of teacher wearing masks during a mask workshop, Drama Teacher Conference 2023 Two Teachers manipulating a puppet, during a workshop Drama Teacher Conference 2023 Teachers working in pairs during Drama Teacher Conference 2023 Five teachers sat in a row taking part in a Drama Teacher conference 2023 A large group of teachers with their hands in the air, taking part in a Drama Teacher Conference movement workshop 2023 Teachers resting after a movement workshop, Drama Teacher Conference 2023

Very inclusive and engaging […] direct transferable skills that can be used and adapted for a wide range of ages and abilities in school.

– Teacher, Drama Teacher Conference 2023

A good balance of giving information and hands on practice. Very informative and great suggestions for taking back to the classroom and using with students.

 – Teacher, Drama Teacher Conference 2023

2022 Digital Conference

Lucian Msamati speaking about monologues with a colleague
Play Video

The Art of the Monologue with Lucian Msamati and Amaia Naima Aguinaga

Play Video:

The Art of the Monologue with Lucian Msamati and Amaia Naima Aguinaga
Alecky Blythe speaking about her technique
Play Video

Verbatim Saying It For Real with Alecky Blythe, Sita Thomas and Hasan Dixon

Play Video:

Verbatim Saying It For Real with Alecky Blythe, Sita Thomas and Hasan Dixon
Emma Tompkins and Luke Kernaghan speaking about their method
Play Video

The Language of Design Costume Set and Direction with Emma Tompkins and Luke Kernaghan

Play Video:

The Language of Design Costume Set and Direction with Emma Tompkins and Luke Kernaghan

Contact us

Katy McEntee
Senior Coordinator, Schools Engagement

Jess Martins
Coordinator, Schools Engagement

You can contact the Secondary team on secondary@nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos © Emma Hare
Drama Teacher Conference 2024

Photos © Emma Hare
Drama Teacher Conference 2023

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