Stage Goat Theatre Company CIC

During the reporting period, Stage Goat Theatre Company CIC continued to grow as a youth-led participatory arts organisation, delivering inclusive and empowering creative programmes for young people across Ceredigion and West Wales. Our activities focused on increasing opportunities for creative participation, skills development, wellbeing and community cohesion. Youth Theatre Our Youth Theatre programme engaged more than 85 young people in theatre-making activities throughout the year. Participants were involved in all aspects of production, including scriptwriting, acting, costume creation, set design and technical theatre. This approach enabled young people to develop creative, practical and teamwork skills while building confidence and self-expression. The programme culminated in three community performances, providing opportunities for young people to showcase their work and engage local audiences. Our most recent youth-led theatre project ran from September 2024 to June 2025 and concluded with a successful public performance. Inclusion and accessibility remained central to the programme, ensuring that all young people could participate regardless of background or experience. Arts Accreditation We delivered weekly Arts Award sessions for young people who were not in education, employment or training (NEET). Through these sessions, participants developed creative skills, leadership abilities and confidence while working towards nationally recognised qualifications. Six young people completed, or were on track to complete, Arts Award qualifications, improving their future education, training and employment opportunities. Youth Café With support from the National Lottery Cost of Living Fund and in partnership with Area 43, we launched a new Youth Café which became a valued community hub for young people. The café provided a safe and welcoming environment where young people could access creative opportunities, social connection and early intervention support. The café hosted a range of arts and wellbeing activities, including arts and crafts workshops and mindfulness activities. The space helped reduce social isolation, improve wellbeing and strengthen community connections among local young people. Youth Events Through funding from the Young Game Changers programme, we delivered a diverse programme of free youth events designed and led by young people. Activities included DJ nights, community cinema screenings, red-carpet events, arts workshops, discos and seasonal community celebrations. These activities provided accessible opportunities for young people to participate in cultural activities, develop leadership skills and contribute positively to their communities. Young Game Changers Following a successful pilot programme, the Young Game Changers youth panel secured funding to continue delivering activities under a youth governance model. Young people took responsibility for planning, organising and delivering projects that benefited their community. Achievements during the reporting period included establishing a community cinema, hosting pop-up art cafés, delivering a community Christmas Grotto, organising discos and running a community Halloween event. The programme empowered young people to develop leadership, decision-making, budgeting and project management skills while directly improving opportunities within their local area. The Young Game Changers panel also continued development of a youth art exhibition featuring young artists from across Ceredigion. Originally planned for an earlier delivery date, the exhibition was rescheduled and is now due to take place in 2026. Organisational Development During the reporting period, Stage Goat Theatre Company CIC secured three years of funding from Children in Need to employ an Operations Manager and Bookkeeper. This investment significantly increased organisational capacity, strengthened governance and financial management, and improved our ability to deliver sustainable, high-quality services for young people. During the reporting period, Stage Goat Theatre Company CIC was also featured as part of a BBC Children in Need fundraising programme. The BBC production team spent two days filming our work with young people, capturing the impact of our creative programmes and the role they played in supporting confidence, wellbeing and community participation. The programme provided a valuable opportunity to showcase the achievements of the young people involved and raise awareness of the importance of accessible, youth-led arts provision in rural West Wales. The feature also highlighted the positive impact of Children in Need funding in helping us build organisational capacity and expand opportunities for young people. Community Benefit Through all of our activities, Stage Goat Theatre Company CIC continued to provide accessible creative opportunities that improved confidence, wellbeing, employability, social connection and community participation among young people. Our programmes particularly supported those facing barriers to engagement and helped create a more inclusive, connected and resilient community across Ceredigion and West Wales.