Port Talbot Youth Theatre

National Youth Arts Trust

The Graduate Market 2021 study shows that there has been a 15% decline in graduate employment in the UK since COVID. The most affected amongst all was the creative industry with an approx. 12% year-on-year decline in filled jobs. (UK govt Economic Estimates 2022-23) Funding cuts, lack of professional employment opportunities, rising cost of living crisis, limited mentorship opportunities and post COVID recession in the creative industry has made it significantly more difficult for young arts graduates to carve a career for themselves in the creative industry. The whole situation gets even more difficult for young people coming socio-economically underprivileged backgrounds. NYAT has been running a flagship bursary scheme since 2013 for performing arts students in the UK. We have awarded 469 bursaries of up to £1000/- till May 2024. All our bursary holders come from socio-economically difficult backgrounds and continue to face challenges finding a career in the industry. Practical Pillars Mentorship Project has been designed to help our ex and current bursary holders and recent arts graduates who are facing difficulties to network with the experts from the industry and create a career for themselves in the arts industry.