Early morning wake ups and international teaching with St Andrews High School, Thailand
13th October 2023
Mark delves into our recent online, international workshop. Exploring the power of connectivity as we led students over in Thailand in our approach to physical theatre... with a 4am start!
For 2023 we feel very lucky to have welcomed 2 brilliant new members to our Board of Trustees. Today we are meeting Ros Adams. Ros is the Director of Funding and Partnerships for Geese Theatre Company, and also a very proud Sprung Youth parent!
United through the arts: Highly Sprung’s residency in Terezin
19th May 2023
In March this year, Highly Sprung spent an emotional 2 weeks at the former Theresienstadt Ghetto for a residency with ISTA - the International Student Theatre Association. Mark takes us through what was an incredibly moving experience.
Family, train travel and community with A Day Like This
15th February 2023
Sarah looks back at A Day Like This - a very special project delivered with the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre and wonderful families from across the city. In September last year we ventured out on a day trip, and made memories that will last lifetime.
Meet our Chair of Trustees: 5 minutes with Amanda Campbell
15th January 2023
As Highly Sprung looks ahead to an exciting future, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Amanda Campbell as the new Chair of our Board of Trustees. We sat down to catch up, hear more about her work and her visions for the charity.
We can’t believe it’s already December! With 2022 nearly at an end, we asked our Highly Sprung family for their favourite moments from across the year. From touring our final shows of Urban Astronaut, to featuring on Sky Arts, to dancing with some very unruly corgis in Central London, we've covered a lot of ground! We hope you enjoy reliving some of the special memories.
Following the delay to NPO announcements, Mark reflects on our current tour of Storm. How we can move forward as a sector and integrate the arts in our young people's lives?
Introducing the Highly Sprung Youth Advisory Board
4th October 2022
Following our recruitment over the Summer, we now have 10 fantastic young people on our first cohort of our Youth Advisory Board (YAB) for 2022 - 2023. Today the wonderful Zoe takes us behind the scenes and shares some exciting plans from our first ever meeting.
Theatre and Professional Practice at Coventry University: Highly Sprung’s return
29th September 2022
This week marks 25 years since a teenage Sarah and a gawky teenage Mark arrived at Coventry University for the first time. 22 years on, we are doing exactly what our training lead us towards. So... you can only imagine our excitement when this year we were approached by the university to see if we would work with their Theatre and Professional Practice students on their final year project.
The body as our canvas: creating work the Highly Sprung way
31st August 2022
For us to deliver our creative performances and interventions at Highly Sprung, we use an embodied approach. I'm going to try and explain here a little of how this works in practice, and share a few of the principles that inform our methodology.
Centring youth voice at the CCEP conference: a blog from Kian
22nd July 2022
"As a teenager, I constantly feel like the world does not want to listen to what I have to say. Like my opinion doesn’t matter. At CCEP, for the first time, I was in a room full of people who were dedicated to making sure that youth voice is appreciated, especially with regards to the cultural opportunities that are presented to us."
Guest blog: A day in the life at Changing Climates 2022
16th June 2022
In June 2022, I went with North Leamington School to the Belgrade Theatre for Highly Sprung’s ‘Changing Climates’ festival. In my blog I take you behind the scenes of the incredible workshops and performances we experienced.
Guest Blog from Abi: My work experience has been an amazing experience and has definitely helped me understand what it takes to run a theatre company, and open my eyes to different jobs in the performing arts.
Throughout the development of new dance film Out Out, which I have had the pleasure to work with Highly Sprung on, I have found some key themes that represent the intention and atmosphere of this LGBTQ+ centred performance.
A new venture for Highly Sprung at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
15th December 2021
Earlier this year we were approached by the fantastic lecturing team at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s Stage Management course, to ask whether we would consider working with their third years on their final creative project. Sarah delves into the process and our experiencing lecturing their cohort of Stage Management students.
Guest blog: how can theatre impact issues of climate change?
16th September 2021
I believe that theatre is an effective way of exploring major problems like climate change. Seeing the next generation stand for change and actively wanting to protect the future has the power to change the ways of the world, by allowing audiences to pause, watch and listen.
This guest blog is from Eve, a part of the Coventry Young Producers Collective. Eve looks at the climate crisis, how the Changing Climates Festival from Highly Sprung is making a difference, and what simple steps we could all take to work towards change.
A look back at the Physical Fellowship: Unlocked 2020
13th May 2021
It's nearly a year since our online festival the Physical Fellowship: Unlocked, but you can still relive the performances, creative responses and workshops right here.