The Egg At Theatre Royal Bath Launches Youth Council

The Egg, in partnership with Theatre Royal Bath's Engagement Department, has launched the TRB Youth Council, a bold new initiative designed to amplify youth voices across the organisation and wider city. This development reflects The Egg's long-standing commitment to championing new and underrepresented voices in theatre and represents a growing effort to create opportunities for young people—from age 5 to early-career artists—who may not have previously had access to the industry. The TRB Youth Council currently consists of 16 members between the ages of 10 and 18, with the aims to increase numbers to specifically include members from outreach youth organisations.

The Youth Council, which met for the first time this month and will be meeting every two months, they will play an active role in shaping policy, governance, and programming at Theatre Royal Bath. The first session sparked thoughtful conversations about identity, inclusion, and the role young people want to play in shaping a more representative and community-driven theatre. Guided by three Young Board Associates (YBAs) who sit on the TRB board as associate honorary members, the Council was co-developed with the Engagement Department to ensure young voices are embedded across the organisation. Members currently include participants from The Egg's Theatre School and Theatre Academy, who positively responded to an open call. This initiative is part of New Voices, a broader strategic commitment that aims to diversify The Egg's participants and workforce by 20% by 2026. As part of this strategy, the Youth Council is already collaborating with local community-based groups such as Young Carers and the Black Families Education Support Group, ensuring a wide range of perspectives are represented.

The New Voices programme also includes hands-on training and development pathways, such as the Bath Theatre Academy—a two-year Level 3 qualification in Performing and Production Arts run in partnership with Bath college. In addition, The Egg has introduced two early-career trainee roles— Egg Trainee Creative and Participation Assistant—to provide practical theatre experience and support career development for emerging artists from underrepresented backgrounds. These positions are recruited through equitable practices, including the Positive Action clause of Employment Law (159) and the Rooney Rule, to promote diversity and inclusion across the organisation. 

Head of Engagement Janine Solomon-Gardner said, “I have been keen to develop a youth council since I started here at the Egg, having run similar initiatives before. Youth voice is an integral part of youth engagement, and having them as part of the Theatre Royal Bath's story allows for wider representation. We also thrive on being able to support early career creatives who may not have had opportunities in the industry before. We see it as a privilege to be able to watch them thrive as they develop skills to support their professional careers “