We believe that having the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts helps to build young people who become confident, creative, curious and capable citizens, playing an active and positive role in our society.
The arts has the power to broaden horizons and transform lives. We believe every student has a fundamental right to access these opportunities. Every student within the trust is encouraged to engage with the arts throughout their time at one of our schools and after they leave.
As well as being embedded within school life, we celebrate and elevate the arts by participating in high profile projects such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the English National Opera’s OperaSquad programme and staging a Community Opera.
Mulberry has developed close relationships with a wide number of internationally renowned artists such as David Lan, Fin Kennedy and Phyllida Lloyd and is fortunate to count prestigious arts organisations as its partners, including:
- National Theatre
- BFI
- Southbank Centre
- Donmar Warehouse
- ENO
Collaborations with artists such as these allows us to ensure that the arts opportunities offered to Mulberry students are both of the highest quality and reflect the realities of the creative industries at large.
To further support the Arts Education provision, the Mulberry Schools Trust owns and manages two fully equipped theatre spaces designed by leading theatre consultants Theatreplan and Charcoalblue. These provide professional performance spaces not only for students but also for the benefit and engagement of the wider community.
Mulberry students have performed as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 5 occasions over the past decade, becoming the first state school to be awarded a Fringe First award. Most recently, in 2018 we created Cry God for Harry, England and St George, a play inspired by Shakespeare’s Henry V, which was performed both in Edinburgh and the West End.
In 2018/19, all three schools in Mulberry Schools Trust worked with the English National Opera as part of their OperaSquad programme. Mulberry students took part in numerous opportunities to experience opera, learn performance skills, and work with professional musicians over the course of the year.
Rightful Place Theatre Company
Established in 2014, Rightful Place Theatre (RPT) provides a creative space for minority ethnic women in Tower Hamlets. The all-female intergenerational group is led and driven by Mulberry Alumni, staff, parents and adult learners. The company aims to continue providing more opportunities for women in the local community to develop and showcase new work. Mano’s premiered in 2018 and was the company’s third production.
