60,000 regional school students to have best seat in the house 

The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) is launching ATYP On Demand, a theatre streaming platform to give remote and low SES students free access to theatre made by young people, for young people.

ATYP is Australia’s national youth theatre and has been empowering children and teens to unleash their creative potential for over 50 years. ATYP On Demand will allow primary schools, secondary schools and children’s hospitals to access a range of productions, year-round.  
 
“Whether it’s distance or cost, many young Australians don’t get the chance to experience theatre and the positive impact youth theatre can have," Fraser Corfield, Artistic Director said.
 
“An involvement in the creative arts at a young age can improve cognitive abilities across all areas of learning, it sees young people more likely to volunteer, vote and connect with their communities. All Australians should have access to the arts regardless of their geographic or economic situation,”
 
ATYP On Demand will allow access to theatre at any time; the platform also provides real time streaming of new productions, so students can experience live theatre from the classroom. Teachers will also have access to interactive learning resources including curriculum linked lesson plans and behind the scenes interviews to deepen student engagement. 
 
Corfield says: “Research has found that youth theatre can positively impact mental wellbeing, reduce anxiety, build resilience and skills which benefit STEM learning, whether a young person aspires a vocational, technical, academic or artistic career.
 
“ATYP On Demand will provide students with an opportunity to engage with youth theatre and develop storytelling skills, improvising, technical skills and writing skills; all immediate outcomes of engaging in youth theatre.” 
 
Small rural school, Tocumwal Public School is situated eight hours west of Sydney is one of the many schools signing up to use ATYP On Demand.
 
“Our opportunities to reach large centres for performances are limited due to travel and costs affiliated with travel or simply not having access to performances within our district," teacher Laura Keech said.
 
“We look forward to utilising ATYP On Demand to support and extend our students learning,” 
 
ATYP On Demand is free and available for all teachers in Australia. For more information, visit the ATYP website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.