Children and young people across the country are now back to school after the summer break.
Although it has been a while since I have been at school, I can distinctly remember the feeling of nervousness and excitement of what the new school year would bring.
After having a week off and heading back to work recently, I can certainly say you never truly lose that back-to-school feeling.
However, it is less about new pencil cases and more about hitting the ground running.
For some pupils across Norfolk, the start of the school term saw them treated to a world-class performance from Matthew Bourne's New Adventures dance company, which has been touring their Doorstep Duets across the UK. The tour stopped at seven schools in Norwich and Wells-Next-The-Sea.
The pupils saw a performance of Hum, which explores how one small gesture of kindness to a stranger ripples out to create a community for those who need it most.
All of this was thanks to a partnership Norwich Theatre has with New Adventures and these kind of partnerships are really important to us and, we know, an important part of how we support the education of children and young people in our county.
We believe that every young person, regardless of where they live or their background, should have the opportunity to see live theatre.
It makes me so proud that we are able to collaborate with Matthew Bourne and others, including Royal Shakespeare Company and English Touring Opera, to bring incredible theatre to young people who would not normally experience it.
Inspiring young people should be in the DNA of any major arts organisation, whether they experience it in their classrooms, playgrounds, or in auditoria.
Our recent Wise About Words project with The Wensum Trust gave teachers the skills to confidently tell stories in the classroom and bring them to life using drama-based activities. It had a significant, positive impact in engaging children in the love of stories.
I believe providing creative experiences for young people is some of the most important work we do.
It inspires future actors, practitioners, and creatives, and it creates the next generation of theatre lovers.
More importantly, seeing live performance benefits young people’s wellbeing and educational attainment, as well as brings us together in shared joy.
These experiences can be life-affirming and life-altering, and I do not use those terms lightly.
My first experience of theatre and classical music was a visit from Welsh National Opera to my school when I was about eight years old.
I can remember the wow factor of hearing those sounds and witnessing the sheer spectacle of a fully staged performance.
Going to the theatre was not something we did as a family or could afford to do so, if that company hadn't come to my school, my life could have been very different.
Their visit changed my life, set me on this career path and I am grateful for it.
However currently, children from low-income families are often missing out the most, because they are less likely to have access to cultural experiences outside of school.
Statistics from the Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre also show that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has also led to teachers and parents reporting a reduction in school trips of up to 68% compared to the previous year, which includes theatre visits.
We need to ensure that every child gets creative experiences as part of their education.
I call on the new government – which is going "back to school" itself at the beginning of a new parliamentary term – to do just that.
*Stephen Crocker is Norwich Theatre chief executive and creative director.
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