Cultural Citizens Programme visits Royal Opera House

3 April 2017

On Tuesday 21 March, young people from Barking and Dagenham schools visited the Royal Opera House for a tailor-made day of tours, talks and workshops, and the premiere of choreographer Crystal Pite’s stunning work ‘Flight Pattern’.

The visit was part of the Cultural Citizens programme - an initiative funded by Arts Council England with support from The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS). It’s a pilot project that will give young people in areas of low cultural engagement across England increased access to arts and culture. The pilot is being delivered by Studio 3 Arts and Creative Barking and Dagenham, in partnership with the Barking and Dagenham Cultural Education Partnership and commissioned by A New Direction.

This trip to the Royal Opera House, the first of the programme, was an eye-opener for many students, some of whom had not travelled outside of the borough before. They left feeling inspired by the pieces and ready to try more new things.

Watch a short highlights video compiled by DCMS:

The next trips are currently being chosen by students and will include street art tours, interactive theatre experiences and exhibitions.