Brief Description

At Mousetrap Theatre Projects we believe passionately in the power of theatre to transform young lives. Each year we take thousands of children and young people who are disadvantaged or have special needs to see London’s top theatre. We open the doors to this magical world to those who would otherwise find them closed.  

Theatre trips are just the beginning. We run an extensive range of theatre education projects in schools and youth clubs across London, designed to encourage creativity, teach new skills, develop self-esteem, self-confidence and raise aspirations.

Vision & Mission

Our mission is to provide inspiring theatre experiences to children and young people, especially those who are disadvantaged or have special needs and disabilities.  

Through a range of theatregoing and theatre education projects,  we broaden their horizons, opportunities and life experiences, build aspirations and equip them with skills, in order that they have happy, fulfilling childhoods and can become successful young adults.

Aims & Activities

Each year we take about 13,000 children and young people to see London’s world-class theatre who would never think this was something open to them.  In doing so we offer new possibilities and expose them to new ideas and views of the world.   

We champion the arts in schools, with theatre education projects that develop creativity and can put students on the path to an arts career.  Working in schools and youth clubs all over London, we use drama to teach personal and social skills that are transferable to every walk of life . 

Through specially adapted performances and subsidised tickets, we open up the exciting world of London theatre to families facing the daily challenges of having a child with special needs and disabilities or living on a low-income.    
   
In short, we help children and young people live happy, fulfilling childhoods and put them on the path to becoming successful young adults.  And it all starts with a magical trip to the theatre.

Facts & Figures

                            We run 20 varied programmes across 4 core areas: 
Opening Doors - to young people who have never been to the theatre before, specifically those with limited resources, support or a disability; 

Creative Learning - using theatre as an educational resource in and out of the classroom to stimulate creative work and develop personal and theatre-related skills; 

Inspiring Future Theatregoers - enhancing young audiences’ knowledge and appreciation of theatre and helping them make theatre-going an enduring, inspiring part of their lives. 

Training - creating the next generation of theatre-makers and administrators through leadership training and careers events, plus up-skilling arts, education and youth-work professionals.
                            

                            Our focus is on children and young people who are disadvantaged - that might be economically or because they are living in a challenging circumstance, like being in care or excluded from school.  We also run a wide range of projects for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.  We reach about 13,000 children and young people every year, mainly from the Greater London area, but also beyond.  

We also serve teachers and youth workers, providing training opportunities that help them deliver theatre activities in their respective settings.
                            

Awards

Sandford Award for outstanding contribution to heritage education and learning by Heritage Education Trust & Bishop Grosseteste University Lincoln in 2018

Outstanding Contribution to the community, culture by City of Westminster in 2019