Hello friends of Vancouver Youth Theatre:

As 2011 begins, we are grateful for extraordinary friends, families, actors, staff, alumni, partners such as Kim Cattrall and CAFAmerica, Pacific Community Resources Society, the BLG Foundation, and the CBC, as well as outstanding colleagues representing overlapping communities – in the arts, as well as in education– across elementary, secondary, and post-secondary communities, multicultural communities and communities of business. All of these have offered spirit, support and hope to Vancouver Youth Theatre over the last year. With courage and tenacity, we have survived serious provincial arts-funding cuts, an unexpected move of offices and storage, in addition to significant staff, board and venue transitions. In 2010, VYT performed at festivals, theatres, schools, and in-house for families and friends. Many of our youth have found success in the TV/film industry, in secondary school productions and in post-secondary and career streams. Still others have found friendship, support and self-esteem in VYT’s exciting collaborations within a unique mandate around socially conscious, original youth-generated plays.

Vancouver Youth Theatre is a Registered Charity and your tax-deductible donation will help us continue the highest quality arts programming for youth from a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds. We want to be able to continue to offer bursaries and scholarships to young deserving actors from low-income families who would not otherwise be able to participate. Please donate in 2011. It is not too late. You can use the buttons on the left Canada Helps (for Canadians) or CAFAmerica (for Americans), or you can mail a cheque to:

Vancouver Youth Theatre, Suite 476 – 6362 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC V5W OA1

May peace, joy and love of the arts be with you in the New Year!

Heather Duff
Artistic Director

Mission Statement, Brief History, and Activities of Vancouver Youth Theatre

Established in 1983, Vancouver Youth Theatre is a non-profit society dedicated to the inspiration and education of young actors aged 5 -18. VYT provides a voice for youth and allows them to explore topics relevant to their lives through Playbuilding programs and collaboration with professional directors. Vancouver Youth Theatre aims to increase public awareness of issues facing young people through acting programs, school outreach programs, workshops, tours, and public performances.

Vancouver Youth Theatre is theatre for, by, and about young people. We provide an environment where young people are free to express their ideas without risk of censorship. Our productions foster a positive attitude towards the diversity of all people, promoting equality of gender and race. At VYT, young people learn about acting as they build their confidence and self esteem. Through collaborative projects, we encourage the development of important life skills such as team-work, decision making, leadership, critical thinking, and taking direction. VYT supports and values peer based teaching practices in its school outreach programs to promote positive attitudes and behaviours in youth culture.

Vancouver Youth Theatre has an established tradition as a pro-active force in the community through theatrical education. Since 1983, we have created over 10 original touring plays and musicals, close to 50 original plays in theatres for the general public, and hundreds of in-house performances as culmination of our regular programs, and reached audiences of over 300,000 young people, teachers, and families. We provide fee waivers, bursaries, and scholarships in order to provide opportunities for families from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The geographic range of our regular programs is Vancouver, Point Grey, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver. Touring productions have traveled locally and internationally, and most recently, in the Lower Mainland (i.e.Burnaby, Richmond, Delta, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, and Mission).

Vancouver Youth Theatre has received numerous awards including the Excellence in Race Relations Award from the Minister of State and Multiculturalism in 1991, and the BC Eliminates Racism Together Award from the Ministry of Multiculturalism in 1998.