Free Production Skills Course ?

Looking to improve your chances of being employed? Adults can apply to join a unique one-week employability course combining technical, craft, marketing and customer service work experience that will extend their skills and boost confidence.

This full-time programme offers participants who are actively seeking employment practical, hands-on experience of a range of transferable skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication whilst also providing on-going support in tackling gaps in numeracy skills.

This course runs from Monday 16th to Friday 20th October, 10am – 4pm and is free for adults without a level 2 maths qualification.

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Bognor Institute of Laughter, hiring! ?

We’re currently reviving the Bognor Institute of Laughter thanks to funding from Comic Relief and are currently seeking a workshop leader.

The Institute of Laughter project gives its members a voice and supports new social connections while developing a range of creative skills.  We work to create comedy from stand up to sketch comedy as well as giving new and established comedians a platform. If you’d like to get involved, check out our website.

About the Workshop Leader role

This is a part-time, temporary contract to run for 12 months from the beginning of June. It may be extended, subject to future funding. We are looking for someone with ideas and enthusiasm who will support the enterprise in the following ways:

  • Lead fortnightly practical workshops to enable members of the Institute to develop and improve their skills.
  • Contribute to the programming of the public events by selecting and rehearsing items created by members, and hiring external comics.
  • Working in partnership with the Project Manager, encourage participants to get involved in the marketing/communication process and support the development of the Steering Group.
  • Help organise events, open-mic sessions and performances.

An interest in all things comedy (stand-up, sketches, songs, visual comedy) and a background in applied theatre, performance art or related areas, is important.

Hours/Pay

£30 per session for a 90 minute workshop, twice a month. Additional hours may be required in the run-up to public events.

To apply, send your CV with a covering letter that includes brief answers to these questions:
Why are you interested in this post?
What can you bring to the role?
What do you find funny?

Email to: Hilary Strong (Director), hilary@makingtheatre.co.uk

A full job description can be downloaded below.

New courses starting soon! ?

New courses are starting soon at our home in the Bognor Makerspace, including carpentry, cooking, diy and more. Interested in learning cooking skills from an experienced chef, or in sewing or upcycling clothes that no longer fit? Then these courses might be perfect for you!

Funded by Multiply, these courses are free for adults and integrate basic numeracy skills and may allow you to benefit from follow-on maths tuition or further study and volunteering opportunities.

To find out more and book a space, please visit the Bognor Makerspace website.

Open Day at the Makerspace!

On Tuesday 7th February from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, we’re hosting an open taster day at the Bognor Makerspace! Come and try taster sessions of all our three practical courses:

  • Cookery
  • Fabric workshop
  • DIY/Carpentry

No need to book, just turn up and have a go. Free of charge and open to adults of all ages.  Full weekly courses start at the end of February.

For more information contact learn@makingtheatre.co.uk
or call 01243 345239 (answerphone)

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Puppetry Skills Workshop ?️

Monday 21st – Friday 25th November 10am – 4pm
The Bognor Makerspace, 58-60 Longford Road, Bognor Regis PO21 1AG

Adults currently not working can apply to join a free creative skills course taking place in Bognor Regis in November. Led by professional theatre and puppetry practitioners, this friendly training programme offers unique hands-on experience of a range of practical but transferable skills that can improve your employment prospects and boost your confidence.

Over the course of the week, the team will work together on the making of a short animated film using team-work, problem-solving and creative skills. They will make the puppets and background, learn how to storyboard and create sound effects. Participants will also benefit from on-going support in their search for employment and achieve a useful Health and Safety qualification. The edited film will be uploaded to the MTGS YouTube channel.

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Arts & Craft Course September 2021 ?

If you’re a young person aged around 18 – 24 receiving certain benefits you can apply to join our technical and craft work experience programme taking place in Bognor Regis next month.

Led by professional theatre technicians, this intensive but friendly training course offers unique hands-on experience of a range of practical but transferable skills that can improve your employment prospects and boost your confidence.

The course is free of charge but only available to benefit claimants (Universal Credit, ESA, IncomeSupport, JSA).

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Join our Festival Training Course!

Benefit claimants aged 16 – 24 (ESA or Universal Credit) can apply to join a festival work experience programme taking place in our new Makerspace in May. Led by professional theatre technicians, this busy but friendly training programme offers unique hands-on experience of a range of practical but transferable skills that can improve your employment prospects and boost your confidence. 

The course is free of charge but only available to young people aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit.

This 7 day course (running 28th May – 4th June) is aimed to provide participants with practical work experience of running a festival. Linked to the upcoming Bognor Puppet Festival, the group will gain skills in backstage crewing, front-of-house operation, stewarding, health and safety and café operation.

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Check out our two new videos! ?

Our most recent one-week course finished on 22nd March and the eight participants produced an amazing short puppet play called What’s Going on in the Garden?. Aimed at primary age children, the play described some of the wildlife that emerges at the start of spring and the team made ingenious 2D puppets including a hedgehog, owl, frog and even chicks being hatched!

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Toilet target reached! ?

We’re delighted to report that the Bognor Makerspace crowdfunding appeal has reached its target thanks to the many donations from individuals, charity groups and local councils. Work has started today on installing two super accessible toilets and we hope that they will be ready for use by the end of February.

The Makerspace has also been awarded a grant of £8,650 from the National Communities lottery which will enable the installation of a kitchen and cafe area. These important developments mean we can start making the groundfloor space available for other community users as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Making Theatre Gaining Skills moves into a new, permanent home! ?

Since Making Theatre Gaining Skills started back in 2011 we have spent many years moving between temporary venues of varying degrees of comfort and always searching for a permanent home. We are delighted to announce that we have found a wonderful building in Bognor Regis and moved in at the beginning of October.

It is a large industrial building very conveniently located just two minutes’ walk from Bognor railway station on Longford Road. Owned by Reynolds Furniture, it was until recently used as a furniture showroom. We have taken a lease on the building in partnership with the Aldingbourne Trust and the building will be named The Bognor Makerspace.

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