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Skills Centre: Prop Making Course

For 19+ Year Olds

A person is focused on painting a wooden object, wearing a lanyard and gloves. Colorful flowers and plants are blurred in the background, giving the setting a workshop or creative studio vibe.

Booking and details

29 April — 1 May 2025
The event location is

Clore Learning Centre

Dorfman Theatre entrance, National Theatre, London SE1 9PX

Apply for the Prop Making Course

Tuesday 29 April 10.30am – 5pm
Wednesday 30 April 10.30am – 5pm
Thursday 1 May 10.30am – 5pm*

*You must be able to attend all three dates to apply for this course

Learn about the paint finishing techniques that are used by the Prop Making team at the National Theatre.

The course:

  • Is suitable for anyone aged 19 and over, with an interest in improving and learning more detailed skills in prop making. You must already have some level of experience in art, making and design; either professionally, as a hobby or through courses at school or college.
  • Consists of practical sessions focused on developing your paint finish techniques for prop making.
  • Runs for three days and you must be able to attend all three days.
  • Is completely FREE to take part in. Access bursaries are available to support you to take part.
  • Takes place in-person at the National Theatre on the Southbank, SE1 9PX.
  • Is hosted by the National Theatre’s Skills Centre and led by artists from the Prop Making Department.

You will work with materials that comply with a sustainable approach to theatre making as set out in the Theatre Green Book. This will involve learning how to create painted textured finishes of different materials. Find out more about how we’re reducing our carbon impact at this time of climate crisis. 

Apply for the Prop Making Course (link opens in new tab)

Applications close on Monday 7 April, 10 am. 

Course Overview

Day 1

Wood graining and wood finishing.

Day 2

Marble and stone, texturing.

Day 3

Metals, rust, breaking down and metal leafing.

Props apprentice working in large workshop
Props apprentice in workshop, photograph by Cameron Slater 2023

Recruitment for our courses

The National Theatre’s Skills Centre is committed to diversity and access. Therefore, we concentrate our recruitment on young people from groups in three areas that we recognise have been most affected by the events of the last few years, including:

  • young people from the global majority;
  • young people from working-class backgrounds;
  • and d/Deaf, neurodivergent and disabled young people.

The opportunities above take place at the National Theatre on the South Bank in London, and therefore we aim to offer and prioritise places to those based in London, or who can travel to London easily and safely within the workshop day. This project is free to take part in and access support and travel bursaries are available to those in the Greater London area.

For those based around the UK and farther afield, we frequently offer online workshops and programmes nationally which may be accessible to you – to keep up to date about these opportunities, you can sign up to our mailing list (link will open in a new tab).

If you have any questions we can help with please get in touch.

Supporters

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The Skills Centre is supported by CHK Foundation and The Clothworkers’ Company.

Young People’s Programmes are supported by Bank of America, The Eranda Rothschild Foundation, Joseph Levy Foundation, The Maurice Hatter Foundation and the Richard Radcliffe Trust. With thanks to the MAP Fund.

Apprenticeships at the National Theatre are supported by Bank of America, Eggardon Trust, The de Laszlo Foundation, The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, and The Radcliffe Trust.

Traineeships at the National Theatre are supported by The Rayne Foundation, Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, and The Company of Arts Scholars Charitable Trust.

Find out more about supporting our work