There are still a few places left for this years Festival so do register online now.

The Shakespeare Schools Festival is an arts-education initiative open to students from all backgrounds. Since 2000 we've put 65,000 11-16 year olds from 3,075 secondary schools on the stage in 203 professional theatres.

In October 2009, the Shakespeare Schools Festival for 11-16 year olds will be held in theatres across the UK. Each Teacher Director involved receives a full-day Directors workshop, run for the first time this year by the National Theatre Discover Program. Each Cast also receives a workshop, run by the National Youth Theatres of Great Britain. Please follow the link for more information.

This year, building on the success of the Shakespeare Youth Festival pilot, we are also allowing "Student Directed Plays". Only years 12 & 13 (16-19 year olds) may direct and perform. For more information on this please call us on 0207 785 6497.

To view a film about the Shakespeare Schools Festival please click below.

In March 2008 the Shakespeare Youth Festival enabled 16-21 year olds to form their own theatre companies. Many went on to stage their productions in July in Shakespeare in the City, as part of the Liverpool European Capital of Culture 08 celebrations.

On April 23rd, Shakespeare’s birthday, 35 countries participated in Shakespeare 24 - a unique, international day in which productions were performed at 7pm local time in all 24 time zones.

Shakespeare Schools Festival is partnered by: