The partnership is part of the TikTok for Good initiative.
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, which aims “to give free and affordable opportunities both on stage and backstage to those aged 14-25” from the UK, recently created their own TikTok account, which will feature acting tips, original drama content, production highlights and more. Starting in 2020, the organisation will start to commission exclusive short-form drama for the app, which will explore topics and themes related to online safety and digital wellbeing.
To kick off the organisation’s partnership with TikTok, they’ve launched the #NYTFindYourStage challenge. Those vying for a chance to win one of 120 spots on the nationwide auditions and interviews set to take place between November 2019 and March 2020 need only upload a video to the app using the hashtag. If selected, they’ll have a chance to win one of the 800 places in the National Youth Theatre’s 2020 summer courses.
“We are thrilled to be working with this world-leading youth arts charity and to give our users the opportunity to access these outstanding theatre auditions and masterclasses,” says Elizabeth Kanter, Director of Global Public Policy at TikTok. “This partnership is part of our TikTok for Good programme through which we support local talent and creativity by empowering everyone, independent of their background, to develop their talent and pursue their dreams as performing artists.”
There’s no previous drama experience necessary to enter, with the aim of the partnership and the TikTok for Good initiative being to encourage and inspire users to have a positive impact on the TikTok community.
Speaking about the partnership and this potential impact, Paul Roseby, CEO and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre, said, “I’m looking forward to working with our talent to create platform-native, topical new micro-dramas for TikTok about wellbeing and online safety that will inspire, entertain and educate. Given the damaging decline of arts education in schools, providing young people with access to high-quality arts opportunities is more important than ever. Through this new digital partnership, we want to reach beyond those already enjoying the huge benefits of exposure to theatre at an early age and reach talented creative young people where they’re at, on platforms like TikTok.”
Those wishing to learn more about the bursary place can do so by visiting the official National Youth Theatre website.
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