Skills Centre: Scenic Art Course
For 16 – 19 Year Olds
Booking and details
Wednesday 19 February 10.30am – 5pm, and watching Ballet Shoes performance 7pm – 9.45pm
Thursday 20 February 10.30am – 5pm
Friday 21 February 10.30am – 5pm*
*You must be able to attend all three dates to apply for this course
Learn about Scenic Art and the techniques that are used by the Scenic Art team at the National Theatre.
You will be creating textures, colour mixing, painting and sign writing.
You will work with materials that comply with a sustainable approach to theatre making as set out in the Theatre Green Book. Find out more about how we’re reducing our carbon impact at this time of climate crisis.
The course:
- Is suitable for anyone aged 16-19 with an interest in developing their skills as a painter, scenic artist or with an interest in set design.
- Consists of practical sessions focused on introducing and developing scenic painting techniques.
- Runs for three days and you must be able to attend all three days.
- Is completely FREE to take part in.
- Includes a free ticket to an NT show that you will attend as part of the course.
- Takes place in-person at the National Theatre on the Southbank, SE1.
- Is hosted by the National Theatre’s Skills Centre and led by artists from the Scenic Art Department.
Applications close on 27 January at 10am.
Course Overview
Day 1
Prepare and create textured brick and plaster surfaces. Introduction to colours and colour mixing.
Day 2
Painting into textures and introduction to lettering.
Day 3
Applying lettering to painted surfaces. On the final day, everyone’s individual work will be brought together to create a collective piece that showcases what has been learnt on the course.
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
National Theatre Skills Centre is supported by Bank of America.
Creative Careers enabled by TikTok.
The Skills Centre is supported by CHK Foundation and The Clothworkers’ Company.
Young People’s Programmes are supported by 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 Radcliffe Trust and The de Laszlo Foundation.
Traineeships at the National Theatre are supported by The Rayne Foundation, Maria Björnson Memorial Fund and The Company of Arts Scholars Charitable Trust.
