Scene & Heard Information

Scene & Heard is a unique mentoring charity partnering the inner-city children of Somers Town, London with volunteer theatre professionals. We give children intensive, one-to-one adult attention, enabling them to write plays which are then performed by professional actors. Our performances give children immediate, public experiences of success, raising aspirations and boosting self-esteem. We are committed to producing the highest quality theatre with and for the Somers Town community. Our work improves literacy skills and attitudes towards education and develops communication and social skills. In order to have a real, lasting impact we offer more than a one-off experience; working with our young people again and again over several years. Since 1999 we have gained a reputation for community engagement at its best, our unique style of mentoring, and our ability to access hard to reach children and families. We create unique volunteering experiences for theatre professionals, valuing their skills and creativity. Our hilarious, moving and powerful productions bring child playwrights and professionals together to create unforgettable theatre. We have proven, over many years, how effective our methods are and the long-term difference they make. Our experience has given us valuable insight, allowing us to define best practice and to achieve the best outcomes for everyone we work with. Underpinning our core work is a professional charity with well honed policies and procedures. Our active, diverse board of trustees oversee our governance, finances and fundraising, ensuring that we are sustainable and well managed. As a Centre of Excellence we share our knowledge, inviting anyone who wants to improve what they do to learn from our experience and expertise. We work in education and the arts, with charities and practitioners, to help them get better at what they do. We seek to help shape policy and opinion in the arts, education and charity sectors and beyond.