£10 Theatre Tickets and School Tours: National Theatre Scheme to Reach 100,000 Young People

Updated 13 Nov 2026, 09:14 · First published 13 Nov 2026

More than 100,000 young people across England are to get the chance to see live theatre, many for the first time, under a new four-year National Theatre scheme announced today. National Theatre Nationwide will bring touring shows, school performances and workshops to every English region, with thousands of subsidised £10 tickets on offer.

What is National Theatre Nationwide?

The scheme, announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy at the National Theatre in London, is a partnership between the NT and theatres in every English region. It will bring NT touring productions to each area, alongside acting, directing, playwriting and backstage workshops for young people. Productions made especially for young audiences will also tour to 400 schools.

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There will also be a music theatre programme for community productions, a “Skills Roadshow” for places without a theatre, and a Nationwide Youth Council to give young people a say.

Which theatres are taking part?

The 12 partner theatres are the Lowry in Salford, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Sheffield Theatres, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Curve in Leicester, Birmingham Hippodrome, the Belgrade in Coventry, Norwich Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, the Mayflower in Southampton and the Marlowe in Canterbury.

How do I get £10 tickets?

The partner theatres will offer thousands of subsidised £10 tickets, but details of who is eligible, which shows are included and how to book have not yet been announced. We will update this article when they are.

Where is the money coming from?

The National Theatre will receive up to £15 million from Every Child Can, a programme run with The National Lottery Community Fund. The government has added £106 million to it from the Dormant Assets Scheme, taking it to £238.5 million, with the remaining £173 million opening to other organisations across England in 2027.

Lisa Nandy said: “Experiencing the joy of theatre shouldn’t be restricted to only those who can afford it or who were born in the right postcode.” Sir Ian McKellen welcomed the scheme: “If this means that theatre-going becomes a habit rather than an occasional adventure, hurrah!”

Source: Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Photo: Robert Lamb / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).