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about us
Introduction
About usFirst Floor opened in January 2009. It is West Yorkshire Playhouse’s new place just for young people, where they can come and take part in creative activities.
What is First Floor?
First Floor’s primary purpose is to inspire young people aged 12 or over to try out a whole range of activities like drama workshops, sculpture, rap, singing, graffiti art and much more. At First Floor we want to help young people to learn new skills, discover new talents and interests and meet new people. We want to help them to find out what they are good at and develop it. We also want young people to be able to learn about the different kinds of jobs within a theatre and find out how to get more experience or training.
What can young people do there?
There are lots of different ways for young people to get involved, from informal Drop In workshops to longer courses or holiday projects.
During the school day we run programmes for groups of young people, for example those being supported by the Youth Offending Service, those on Alternative Curricula or other cohorts from schools or colleges.
First Floor Patron and Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd feels passionate about the impact First Floor can have on young people:
“Getting involved in acting really helped me excel at school where I hadn’t been doing previously. I believe First Floor and its fantastic facilities will really inspire other young people to achieve in a similar way by identifying their talents and giving them opportunities that I was unable to get in Leeds when I needed them.”
About the building
Located in the city centre, First Floor boasts a spacious and flexible performing arts studio, visual arts studio, Green Room and a large reception and informal meeting area. The Playhouse’s Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive, Ian Brown, is delighted that First Floor is now a reality:
“First Floor has been designed to engage and support young people’s creative development through their participation in arts activities. We have created an environment where participants should not be afraid to try new things and express their ideas and where they will gain the confidence from their achievements to take them forward in life.”
First Floor is fully accessible and forms part of 6 St Peter’s Building. It is next to Yorkshire Dance, opposite the BBC building and just across the road from the Bus Station. The building, a late-Victorian former textile factory, is owned by the Playhouse and already home to the theatre’s Costume Hire department, one of its rehearsal rooms and to tenants The Wardrobe bar and jazz club.
Click here to for directions to First Floor.
Funding
First Floor, which until 2008 was the theatre’s props and furniture store, has been created following a highly successful fundraising campaign, which raised over £600,000. West Yorkshire Playhouse has been overwhelmed by the support of public bodies, trusts and foundations and by the generosity of our audience members who continue to support the project.
Fundraising is ongoing in order to pay for staff at First Floor, projects, courses, new equipment and running costs and to ensure that First Floor can fulfil its potential to change the lives of young people in the region.
Click here for details of our funders.
