No drama – LCC supports Waterloo Community Theatre

How staff and students from London College of Communication helped a local youth theatre tell its story.

Waterloo Community Theatre (WCT) is an organisation that can feel the pain of youth funding cuts – especially those in the creative arts.

The youth theatre was launched in 2015 by Anna Glarin and Mark Johnson, and has been delivering sessions since 2016 to an increasing number of age groups. WCT relies mainly on the goodwill of volunteers, and resources for marketing and promotional materials are limited. 

To help solve this issue, and get its message out to the local community, WCT partnered with London College of Communication’s Talent Works initiative which seeks to empower social enterprises, charities and community groups by giving them access to the creativity and drive of LCC’s students.

Those students get ‘real-world’ experience of working with external clients, and the groups and organisations with which they team up see their profiles enhanced through imaginative digital content and print materials.

“Nearly a third of local councils have planned cuts that would see their spending on youth services decline by 80 per cent since 2010-11”

artscouncil.org.uk

Anna Glarin, a theatre professional with upwards of 25 years experience behind her, first came across Talent Works whilst working at Coin Street Community Builders, where she also works with young people. Through colleagues there, she was introduced to the idea of collaboration with LCC and she felt WCT could benefit from the support that Talent Works was offering. 

Since making initial contact, the theatre has worked with LCC on three projects which have covered the creation of content including a website, leaflets and a promotional video.

Before partnering with Talent Works, Anna had created the WCT’s original site with very limited web design experience and virtually no money. She said: “The impact made by LCC’s student was huge. They helped to make our website look professional and get our key messages across more effectively.” 

The website created by LCC students sought to embody the ethos of WCT which states: ‘We work from a fundamental belief that the arts contribute to people’s wellbeing and develops confidence, curiosity and imagination, alongside many other transferable skills.’

Initially, WCT had nowhere to hold their collaborative sessions with LCC, but Anna and her team then found a temporary space on The Cut in SE1 before eventually moving on to their current premises on Lambeth Walk.

The next step for the theatre, says Anna, is “to get a home of our own not a shared space” – but this will only happen if more sources of funding can be found.

She added that collaborations such as the one with Talent Works, allows community organisations like WCT to build the profile they need when it comes to gaining access to grants, sponsorship and other income streams.

The hope at WCT is that as young people move up through its age groups, they will want to stay involved and mentor children who are joining its classes. Staff at WCT want them to know there are pathways into the creative industries – something which, again, LCC is well-placed to support.

Anna was particularly pleased with short film made for WCT by Talent Works students which is now a highlight of its website. It features some of the young people involved with the theatre and stresses its importance to the local community. “The film is amazing, I was quite surprised,” she admitted.

She takes special pride in the video as it shows how the young people that come along to WCT gain in confidence and life skills, thriving within a safe and welcoming community space they can call their own.

WCT’s own promotional material includes a newsletter written by Anna when there is “something to shout about” – usually linked to WCT’s latest production. In June 2019, its young performers staged There Are Lots Of Rooms Inside My Head as part of the Waterloo Festival. This show was supported by the National Lottery’s Community Fund, demonstrating its profile and reputation are rising.

Anna sees the next step in WCT’s communication evolution as happening through social media platforms – hopefully with further help from LCC and Talent Works.

“I’m not that social media savvy myself, so I don’t know what the next thing would be but there’s scope to do so much,” she added.