Guildhall Young Artists: Guildhall School's network of centres that provides performing and production arts training for children and young people.

Students at GYA Norwich (Photo: Phil Barnes Photography)

The Guildhall School for Music and Drama has expanded its provision for training children and young people with the introduction of Guildhall Young Artists (GYA), a network of six centres that provides performing and production arts training for children and young people. Guildhall Young Artists is formed of six centres, Centre for Young Musicians based in Waterloo, London, Junior Guildhall based at Guildhall School’s Barbican site in London, Guildhall Young Artists King’s Cross, the newest GYA centre, Guildhall Young Artists Norwich, Guildhall Young Artists Taunton and Guildhall Young Artists Online for those who wish to join at GYA anywhere.

Each GYA centre is run and overseen by Guildhall School, in partnership with arts venues and local providers of education, including schools, local authorities and Music Hubs. Over 1500 students currently participate in GYA centre activities, including weekly Saturday courses and orchestras. Bursary support is offered to nearly 20% of participants across all GYA centres and almost 40% of participants are from the global majority. Students come from over 700 schools nationally, and from 23 counties, to attend each week. Taster sessions are offered at Guildhall Young Artists Norwich, Taunton and King’s Cross to give participants a better feel for the classes that they would like to take part in.

Regardless of their ultimate career direction, the professional artistic environment of Guildhall Young Artists provides students with valuable life skills and the means to develop their individual talents to the full. Many students go on to study their chosen discipline full-time at undergraduate level, with 132 students aged 16-18 from the network going on to study music or drama at higher education in the last three years. 

Full details from the Guildhall School website.