In autumn 2008 West Yorkshire Playhouse will open a brand new arts space in Leeds designated just for young people (12yrs+). Facilities will include large visual and performing arts studios and the centre will be open during the school day and during evenings, weekends and school holidays. Activities there will encourage young people to discover new talents, develop new interests and learn new skills. First Floor will also provide practical support and opportunities for gaining qualifications and careers guidance.

Our Latest News...

The First Floor centre will be a focal point for young people from many communities across Leeds, targeting particularly those who are not successfully engaged in mainstream education or other positive activities, and are at risk of social exclusion. Many young people have limited or no access to cultural activity and yet would benefit greatly from what the arts can offer. First Floor will be accessible to all young people, including those with physical or mental disabilities, and will offer an extensive menu of activities – including opportunities to gain qualifications – in an informal setting.

Young people have been involved in planning the project from the very beginning, and a Young People’s Panel has now been officially established. Members meet monthly to advise on planning, support fundraising efforts and try out new activities.

The premises
The Playhouse already owns the premises for conversion, namely the first floor of St Peter’s Building, which is adjacent to the theatre and home to one or our rehearsal rooms, our Costume Hire department and The Wardrobe bar and nightclub. St Peter’s is a c1890 former textile factory, which was purchased by Leeds Theatre Trust in the 1980s. The first floor was for many years used for props storage but it has now been cleared to make way for the new First Floor centre.

The space is 1,340m² and as well as the brand new visual and performing arts studios, facilities at First Floor will include a large welcome/meeting area, a ‘hang out’ or Green Room, office space, an interview room and a creative writing/breakout area.

View floor plan (1Mb PDF document)

WHAT WILL IT OFFER?
Activities at First Floor will include a wide range of visual and performing arts, from one-off tasters to regular weekly drop in classes and from accredited courses to holiday activities. All these will be delivered at First Floor by a team of specially recruited and trained staff and with input from other arts organisations and agencies in Leeds.

During the school day we will be able to offer opportunities to statutory groups of young people (eg through schools or Education Leeds, the Youth Offending Service and Positive Activities for Young People) and during evenings, weekends and school holidays to individuals attending independently or through other agencies or community groups.

Many activities will be accredited, enabling participants to gain awards and qualifications such as Arts Council England’s Arts Awards and Open College Network credits. Support staff will work with young people to help enable them to make the most of the opportunities on offer. There will be lots of opportunities to find out about the wide range of training and career possibilities within the arts industry – often directly from arts professionals - and staff will assist young people in accessing further participatory, placement, apprenticeship, training and employment opportunities.

Donors and Supporters
The Playhouse is enormously grateful to the following funding bodies who - along with many individulas making private donations - have contributed to the campaign so far:

Arts Council England
The Audrey & Stanley Burton Charitable Trust
The Clothworkers’ Foundation
Friends of the West Yorkshire Playhouse
The David Morgan Rees Charitable Trust
The Garfield Weston Foundation
The Kenneth Hargreaves Trust
The Linbury Trust
Yorkshire Forward

These and all major donors will be listed on the First Floor Roll of Honour, a permanent record of all our founding supporters, which will be sited at First Floor.

Thanks also to our First Floor Patrons for their ongoing, energetic support :
Hilary Benn MP
Christopher Eccleston
Jack Shepherd

how can you help?
We still need your support to help us reach the £578,000 needed to convert the premises for First Floor and get the centre ready for the first groups of young people in the autumn. There are several different ways to contribute to First Floor:

Donations
You can make a donation to the First Floor money box in the Playhouse foyer, send us a cheque, or round up the cost of your tickets when booking with the Box Office or online or send your donation to: First Floor Fundraising Campaign, Arts Development, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Leeds LS2 7UP.

Don't forget that if you are a UK tax payer you can increase the value of your donation by 28% by completing a Gift Aid declaration. These are available from Box Office, Reception or can be completed online.

Download the donations form...

Make an online donation here...

Sponsorship
We would be delighted to hear from businesses or individuals who would like to sponsor a particular element of the refurbishment. Tailor-made sponsorship packages can be negotiated with corporate sponsors, to include PR opportunities and ways of getting staff involved as well as tickets and hospitality at the Playhouse.

adopt a step
For a minimum donation of £1,000 (+VAT) individuals or businesses are invited to “adopt” one of the 20 steps between the ground floor entrance to St Peter’s and the entrance to the new First Floor facility. By way of a “thank you” for  your donation:

• your name/company will be painted onto ‘your’ step (2 years)
• your name/company will be listed in programmes for all Playhouse productions (2 years)
• your name/company will be listed in the First Floor Roll of Honour, a permanent record of all founding supporters
• you will receive an invitation to the Grand Opening of First Floor

In-kind support
If you or the company you work for can offer an in-kind donation to the development of the First Floor centre – be it the supply of furniture, signage or paint – we would be delighted to hear from you.

If you would like to discuss your ideas for supporting First Floor please contact Sam Perkins, Director of Arts Development on 0113 213 7289 or sam.perkins@wyp.org.uk