Chol Theatre
We are Chol. A dynamic and socially conscious theatre company and registered charity based in Yorkshire since its founding in 1989. We work with children and young people from early years to early career across Yorkshire and the North, prioritising work in Kirklees, Barnsley and Sheffield. Our approach is entirely collaborative, working in everyday community and educational settings to co-create stories that are rooted in communities and local heritage. We are committed to nurturing the next generation of creative change makers, supporting children and young people to know and understand that they can be active in making positive change happen in their own lives and in their communities.
The cornerstones of Chol’s work:
Education: We advocate for care and creativity at the heart of schools to ensure all children and young people have the opportunity to take part in arts-based learning and new experiences.
Community connection: Inspired and contextualised by the intercultural community we’re part of, we devise projects that tackle inequity. We are dedicated to making the arts accessible to everyone. The Cholavan, our mobile creative vehicle, supports us to reach more people in everyday spaces.
Partnerships: Collaboration is key to our mission. We seek out and nurture relationships with libraries, museums, schools, arts organisations, community spaces, universities, and Local Cultural Education Partnerships.
Innovation & Sector development: We offer alternative pathways to careers in the arts, with a long-term goal of increasing diversity in the sector. We work as national consultants & regional leaders in arts based training for teachers and artists to share quality practice through evaluation and research.
Our Caring and Creative 10 year strategy aims to put Yorkshire on the map (nationally and internationally) by 2030 for its bold and innovative reimagining of education through creativity and care. We will ensure that the highest quality arts education practices are shared across the region so that more professionals have a deeper understanding and awareness about educational inequity and how to remove barriers to learning. More creatives and educators will remain or come to Yorkshire to work in this field and join the caring and creative revolution.