NYMT launches groundbreaking Birmingham festival and outdoor theatre finale for 2025 season

Hosted at City Academy, this inaugural festival will offer free creative workshops, co-designed with some of Birmingham’s leading arts institutions and schools. Central to the vision is accessibility: providing tailored, high-quality opportunities that reflect the rich diversity of the city. Among the participants will be children newly arrived in the UK, supported by CORE Hello—an inspiring education programme that helps young people from across the globe find their feet in Birmingham’s classrooms and communities.

The FairGround programme features four fully funded workshops, giving young people hands-on experience within a professional theatre setting. Each session is designed and delivered in collaboration with trusted partners who are committed to breaking down barriers in the arts. Highlights include:

• Birmingham Hippodrome, offering sessions inspired by its SEN Youth Theatre;
• BOA Trust, leading on technical theatre training;
• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, delivering music workshops that extend their pioneering outreach at SoundLab.

All of this leads to a spectacular finale—an outdoor site-specific production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, uniquely staged on a working carousel at Birmingham City Academy. Performed by some of the UK’s most talented young music theatre artists, the production serves as a vibrant showcase of what happens when creativity, opportunity, and community come together.

Championing Birmingham’s Young Voices

With its roots firmly planted in youth-led engagement, FairGround places young voices at the centre of its mission. NYMT’s approach celebrates collaboration, not only with emerging talent but also with Birmingham’s regional cultural powerhouses. The festival marks a wider commitment to opening new pathways in the performing arts for young people of all backgrounds—making quality training and meaningful artistic experience a reality, not a privilege.

Speaking about the project, Adrian Packer CBE, CEO of NYMT, said:

"Launching our first FairGround in Birmingham—one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe—is both a privilege and a powerful statement. We’re creating a creative, dynamic, and safe space where all young people can access the life-changing power of the arts.”

Rebecca Bakewell, Headteacher at City Academy, added:

“FairGround embodies everything CORE stands for: creativity, opportunity, and inclusion. We’re thrilled that our CORE Hello students will be part of something so unique. It proves that the arts should be central to how we learn, grow, and connect as a community.”

Chris Cuming, NYMT Artistic Director, commented:

“FairGround is a brilliant example of how collaboration within our sector can have real, lasting impact. By working with organisations already rooted in Birmingham’s cultural scene, we can ignite young imaginations and open the door to a wide range of creative careers.”

Funding from The Garek Trust, alongside vital support from local partners, has made this initiative possible. As the Trust notes:

“We aim to increase exposure to the performing arts for as many young people as possible. FairGround is a shining example of how the arts can reach into communities and truly transform lives.”

A 2025 Season with National Ambition

FairGround is one part of a much wider and ambitious NYMT Summer Season, with Birmingham as its beating heart. The season also includes three full-scale productions at Birmingham Hippodrome:

• Fame: The Musical (7–9 August) – following students at NYC’s High School for the Performing Arts.
• Tuck Everlasting (14–16 August) – the UK premiere of this moving musical about life, time, and immortality.
• Lightning Boy (21–23 August) – a fantastical new musical set on Mount Olympus.

The season concludes with Carousel (28–30 August), a unique outdoor production that brings together community, innovation, and artistic excellence.

NYMT has also announced an expanded slate of workshops and new musical development throughout the year, including FLIP, Every Day, Windsong, The Great Moon Hoax, Carmilla, Stagshaw Fayre, Mini – The Boy Who Played With Fire, and The Unstoppable Letty Pegg.

A Legacy of Talent and Opportunity

Founded in 1976, the National Youth Music Theatre has become a beacon for young creative talent across the UK. Its alumni include household names such as Idris Elba, Amara Okereke, Mike Jibson, and Rosy Church, with recent patrons including Kerry Ellis, Matt Lucas, and Callum Scott Howells.

In 2025, a record-breaking 1,200 young people auditioned to join NYMT’s programmes—an inspiring testament to the hunger for high-quality music theatre training and the organisation’s growing national influence.

Through year-round masterclasses, residential courses, and technical and creative training, NYMT continues to offer outstanding development opportunities for performers, technicians, and creatives alike. With nearly £50,000 in bursaries offered this year, NYMT remains deeply committed to ensuring no young person is left behind.

To Learn More:

🌐 www.nymt.org.uk

📱 @NYMTuk @brumhippodrome | #InTuneWithYou

2025 Performance Dates – Birmingham Hippodrome

🎭 Fame: The Musical – 7–9 August

🎭 Tuck Everlasting – 14–16 August

🎭 Lightning Boy – 21–23 August

🎠 Carousel – 28–30 August @ City Academy

Book tickets via Birmingham Hippodrome and Eventbrite