Truth About Youth Festival debuts at Royal Exchange, 16 July

Local teenagers take over the Royal Exchange Theatre for two weeks next month when the Truth About Youth Festival arrives at the Manchester venue.

TaY: The Festival is the culmination of Truth About Youth – The Co-operative Foundation’s £280,000 programme in Manchester, in partnership with the Royal Exchange Theatre, which aims to challenge and change the widespread negative perceptions of young people.

The festival will be happening in locations all over the Exchange – including The Studio, the Theatre and Great Hall. Taking place throughout the day and every evening, events are open to everyone and many are free.

Twelve young leaders have been involved in the creation of the Festival which will see young people taking on roles ranging from front of house to performance; stage management to marketing and costume design to catering.

Highlights of the festival will include:

My Young and Foolish Heart – a new theatre piece about being young and being old featuring teenagers and grandparents.

Between Us We Know Everything – new new project led by the theatre group – Quarantine.

and Are You Having a Laugh? – this sees young people trying out their skills in stand up comedy with the help of comedian and Royal Exchange regular – Justin Moorhouse.

The Truth About Youth programme inspires young people across Britain to undergo their own revolutions to change their world for the better. Through a programme of grants, The Co-operative Foundation funds charitable projects that enable young people to challenge and change negative perceptions about their age group. The Foundation wants to help bring about a cultural shift in the way that young people are viewed and treated in this country.

The festival runs at the Exchange from 16 – 29 July.