Our programmes are strategic initiatives through which we develop & deliver our mission

Programmes are the long-term strategic initiatives through which C&T develops new ideas, builds partnerships and creates lasting impact. They bring together our Story Systems methodology, artistic practice and digital infrastructure to address some of the most important opportunities and challenges facing communities today.

ACTSmart is C&T's long-term programme exploring how creativity, storytelling and digital technology can help young people develop the confidence, skills and agency needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Developed in response to growing concerns around youth engagement, digital exclusion and future employability, ACTSmart combines creative practice with hands-on technology, collaborative problem-solving and real-world projects. Through workshops, learning programmes and partnerships, young people develop creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking and digital confidence: skills increasingly recognised as essential for future education, employment and civic participation.

The programme builds on C&T's extensive experience working with schools, communities and young people, including our recent Digital Inclusion initiatives. Evaluation of the Power Up programme demonstrated significant increases in digital confidence, participation and feelings of inclusion, with 95% of participants reporting greater digital inclusion and 93% recommending the programme to others. Participants consistently highlighted the value of combining technology with creative and drama-based activities, creating engaging pathways into digital learning.
ACTSmart brings these insights together into a scalable programme that uses participation, creativity and technology to help young people develop the future skills needed to shape their own lives, careers and communities.

Smart Plays are C&T's approach to creating participatory performances and installations that combine theatre, storytelling and digital technology. Built using our Story Systems methodology, they transform audiences from passive spectators into active participants, inviting them to explore, contribute, respond and shape their own experience.

Designed to be flexible and adaptable, Smart Plays can be delivered in theatres, museums, heritage sites, schools, community settings and public spaces. Digital elements delivered through Prospero allow stories, audience interactions, interpretation and creative responses to travel alongside the live experience, creating opportunities for engagement before, during and after an event.

This approach enables productions to scale beyond a single venue or audience, supporting touring, replication and local adaptation while retaining artistic integrity. Each presentation can respond to its location, community and context, creating experiences that are simultaneously consistent in structure and unique in delivery. Smart Plays offer a model for participatory cultural experiences that are imaginative, accessible and designed to travel.

Prospero Commons is C&T's emerging vision for a shared participation infrastructure: a space where communities, educators, artists, researchers and cultural organisations can create, learn and collaborate together.

At a time when many digital platforms are designed to capture attention, extract value or separate people into increasingly narrow communities, Prospero Commons explores a different possibility. It asks how digital technology might be used to strengthen participation, support creativity and connect people across geographical, social and cultural boundaries.

Drawing on C&T's experience in storytelling, education, community engagement and digital innovation, the Commons seeks to create opportunities for knowledge sharing, collaboration and collective creativity. It imagines a future where a school in Worcestershire might collaborate with a community group in Nairobi, where artists and researchers can exchange ideas across continents, and where local stories can contribute to global conversations.

Still in development, Prospero Commons represents a long-term commitment to building more connected, inclusive and participatory futures. It is not simply a technology project, but an exploration of how creativity, community and digital infrastructure can work together to support learning, cultural exchange and civic participation at scale.

Alongside our strategic programmes, C&T continues to develop bespoke projects and partnerships that respond to emerging opportunities, ideas and community needs.

Many of our most innovative approaches have begun as one-off collaborations, research and development projects or creative commissions. These projects allow us to test new ideas, explore new technologies, work with new partners and respond flexibly to social, cultural and educational challenges as they arise.

We see research and development as an essential part of our practice. It enables us to learn, experiment and continually evolve our Story Systems, artistic methodologies and digital infrastructure. Some projects remain unique collaborations; others grow into larger programmes that shape the future direction of the organisation.

We are always interested in conversations with schools, universities, cultural organisations, charities, community groups, researchers and public bodies who share our commitment to creativity, participation and innovation.

Sometimes the most significant ideas begin with a single conversation.

Research and development is central to C&T's identity. For more than two decades, we have combined artistic practice, education, participation and digital innovation to explore new ways of engaging people in creativity, learning and cultural life.

Our R&D activity takes many forms. We develop and test new Story Systems, pilot emerging approaches to participation, and continually evolve the Prospero platform through collaboration with educators, artists, researchers and communities. Recent developments include new tools for participatory research, Theory of Change evaluation, digital storytelling, audience engagement and creative learning, helping organisations better understand participation, impact and change.

We are equally committed to sharing what we learn. C&T has an established international reputation for research-informed practice, contributing to conferences, journals, books and academic partnerships across the fields of applied theatre, drama education, digital learning and participatory arts. Our team regularly collaborates with universities and research institutions, ensuring that practical innovation is informed by scholarship and that research remains connected to real-world practice.

For us, research is not a separate activity. It is how we learn, improve, share knowledge and continue developing new possibilities for participation, creativity and social change.