Shortlisted for A&B Young People Award, 2009
The opportunity
The creation of new scripts by established playwrights provided a powerful means to motivate and inspire young people in schools and youth theatres throughout the UK and Ireland. The National Theatre’s New Connections project was an attractive partnership opportunity for the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, given the importance placed by the company on providing local communities - and particularly young people - access to the arts.
In addition to financial support, the partnership with Bank of America Merrill Lynch has helped The National Theatre broaden the programme's reach to include at risk groups. This has been made possible through the bank's existing relationships with Fairbridge, Barnado's and The Prince's Trust.
The impact
Over a two year period, New Connections has reached 6,216 young participants through its 189 productions in 181 organisations across the UK and Ireland. 10 new plays were produced by professional writers, and young people from Bank of America Merrill's Lynch's partner charities created short plays inspired by their own personal stories, which were performed at the National Theatre in July 2008. A Faber & Faber anthology of the plays was sent to 6,700 schools and sold in bookshops.
"Bank of America Merrill Lynch is committed to bringing the power of theatre to young people regardless of their circumstances. What makes this programme particularly interesting to us is its geographic reach and focus on young people who are at risk. This partnership has allowed our company to showcase its strong commitment to supporting the cultural and economic vitality of the communities we serve and we have been delighted to be involved." Rena DeSisto, EMEA head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, and Global Arts & Heritage Executive, Bank of America Merrill Lynch