Big Imaginations

Big Imaginations Big Imaginations is a region-wide group of venues and promoters dedicated to bringing brilliant children’s theatre to the North West.

We are a region-wide group of venues and promoters dedicated to bringing brilliant children’s theatre to the North West. From grand auditoriums to rural village halls and everything in between, our mission is to spark the imagination of children aged 0-12 with the wonder of theatre. Big Imaginations has brought together 15 venues to make the North West’s children’s theatre offer bigger, better and more affordable.

🚨Participation and Performance: Exploring the craft of early years theatre with Turned On Its Head 🚨Join Liz Clark, Arti...
22/09/2026

🚨Participation and Performance: Exploring the craft of early years theatre with Turned On Its Head 🚨

Join Liz Clark, Artistic Director of Turned On Its Head for a practical, theoretical and celebratory day of early years theatre and dance making.

As a participant you will:

⋅ See a performance of “Shiny Christmas” – Turned On Its Head’s new re-imagining of the 2013-2014 touring phenomenon “Shiny”, which toured extensively from 2013-2016 including Dance Umbrella Festival.

⋅ Understand the show structurally, artistically and within the context of early years pedagogy and explore how to apply these to your own practice.

⋅ Find out how the company have worked with their “Cultural Equity Advisory Group” to re-imagine the show with a more global welcome.

⋅ Delve into co-creative dance and theatre making practice that aims to celebrate children’s creativity and centre their voices.

Workshop Information:

Date: Thursday 17th December 2026

Time: 9:00am – 4:45pm

Target Age: Artists over the age of 18

Cost: £50 per person*
*Bursary places are available. If you wish to have a bursary place, please can you email Zoe Pickering - Co-Creative Director - ([email protected]) requesting a bursary and answering the following question: “Why is attending the workshop important to your practice?”

https://www.z-arts.org/events/z-arts-artist-workshops/

🍂 Meet the Producers 🍂Kickstart your Autumn with an inspiring evening of connection and collaboration! Over the past 6 m...
07/09/2026

🍂 Meet the Producers 🍂

Kickstart your Autumn with an inspiring evening of connection and collaboration!

Over the past 6 months, a group of early-career producers have been honing their skills and expanding their networks through a specialised training programme run by HOME, Lowry, Company Chameleon and Z-arts. Now, they’re ready to meet YOU - the wonderful theatre, dance and performance makers of Greater Manchester.

📅 Date: Friday 11th September 2026

🕕 Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm

📍 Location: Z-arts, Artist Studio

Whether you’re a producer yourself, a theatre maker, performance artist, dancer, director, or creative professional looking to collaborate with talented producers, this is the perfect chance to forge new connections and spark exciting projects.

Information form this form will be taken to create an artist directory document to be shared with everyone before and at the event, so people have an easy read document to get to know you, your practice and your previous work. You do no have to consent to your information being in the artist directory, but we have found it’s a great way to share information and get conversations flowing at the social.

🎟️ Spaces are limited, so be sure to register, via this form, as soon as possible. Don’t miss out!

If you have any questions, problems or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Isah-Levi Roach (Z-arts) on [email protected].

Spaces are limited so if you can no longer make it, please inform Isah-Levi Roach ASAP, so we can give your place to someone else.

We can’t wait to see you there.

🚨 Performer Call Out 🚨The Missing Piece is a children’s story written by Jordan Stephens, with illustrations by BethSuza...
07/09/2026

🚨 Performer Call Out 🚨

The Missing Piece is a children’s story written by Jordan Stephens, with illustrations by Beth
Suzanna.

Our stage adaptation is about finding your confidence, building friendships, exploring
nature and the power of words. The piece is highly physical and features dance and original rap
music.

We are interested in Manchester-based actors who are confident with singing, movement,
dance, and who are excited by the opportunity to help shape a new piece of work.

The Missing Piece has already been through an initial R&D process. During this next stage, we
will continue developing the work. At the end of the process, we will share the work with a group
of primary school children and industry professionals.

We’re looking for curious and collaborative actors who enjoy creating work together and are
open to experimenting with form.

There are 4 different roles we’re casting for:
- SUNNY - Lead, Female, Early-Mid 20s | Black/Mixed Race
- GABRIEL / MAN WITH WATERING CAN / as cast - Male, Early-Mid 20s | Black/Mixed Race
- VIOLET - Female, Early-Mid 20s | White
- GRAN / RAVI - Male or Female, 20s or 30s | Black/Mixed Race/South Asian

How to Apply:
Please send a CV and photo, or Spotlight link, and any showreel material you may have.
Feel free to include a short paragraph or voice note about yourself, highlighting any relevant
experience you may have and why you are interested in this project. Please highlight if you play
a musical instrument.

Please send your application to [email protected] by Thursday 17 September.
Auditions will take place on Monday 21st and Thursday 24th September at Z-arts, 335
Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5ZA.

If you have any questions about the project, role, or application process, please feel free to
email.
Contact email: [email protected]

More information can be found in our Link Tree.
Z-arts Wonder Arts

🚨 Performer Call Out 🚨

The Missing Piece is a children’s story written by Jordan Stephens, with illustrations by Beth
Suzanna.

Our stage adaptation is about finding your confidence, building friendships, exploring
nature and the power of words. The piece is highly physic

Theatre Porto’s Topsy Turvy Returns for 2026 with a Free Weekend of Family Festival FunThree-day outdoor celebration mar...
29/07/2026

Theatre Porto’s Topsy Turvy Returns for 2026 with a Free Weekend of Family Festival Fun
Three-day outdoor celebration marks the start of Theatre Porto’s 40th birthday year


Families are invited to celebrate the joy of creativity, imagination and play this summer as Topsy Turvy returns to Whitby Park, Ellesmere Port from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2026.

Theatre Porto

Last week the Big Imaginations Network, brave the hot weather to come together in Sheffield at for our 3rd core meeting...
29/06/2026

Last week the Big Imaginations Network, brave the hot weather to come together in Sheffield at for our 3rd core meeting of 2026.

It was a great day with our amazing network members, exploring questions about quality, when it comes to supporting artists to make new shows and tour existing work.

A huge thank you to for hosting us in their wonderful building. Their staff were lovely and friendly, the food was incredible and the experience of watching a show was beautiful.

What a day it was, thank you for our all network members for being there!







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15/06/2026

🚨 ARTIST IMAGINATION FUND 🚨

15 days left to apply for this amazing opportunity to get some funding to play, explore, research, develop or create a new piece of performance work for children and families.

So if you have:
🎭 An idea you need to get out your head, play with and explore?
🎭 A project that needs some space and timet research and develop it?
🎭 A show that’s ready to be made and you need match funding?
🎭 Or something a little bit in between these!

The we want to hear from you!

Deadline: Thursday 30th June 2026, 10:00am

Application in LinkTree in bio.









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3 week and 4 days until the deadline of the 2026/27 round of Artist Imagination Fund funding!So if you have an idea for ...
04/06/2026

3 week and 4 days until the deadline of the 2026/27 round of Artist Imagination Fund funding!

So if you have an idea for a new piece of children’s and family performance work, then this is the fund for you! Don’t delay, apply today!









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Another amazing performance of ‘The Jewellers Daughter’ by at Market, supported by !We’ll be seeing it again through s...
27/05/2026

Another amazing performance of ‘The Jewellers Daughter’ by at Market, supported by !

We’ll be seeing it again through summer 2026 and int 2027!

See , , & .nw for the next shows!

Artist Imagination Fund!On the 13th may we hosted an amazing AIF coffee morning style event online via ZOOM for theatre ...
26/05/2026

Artist Imagination Fund!

On the 13th may we hosted an amazing AIF coffee morning style event online via ZOOM for theatre makers to come and meet the network, hear from us about the fund and ask any questions.

We’re aware that not everyone was able to make it to this coffee morning event. With this in mind, we have published an FAQ’s page to hopefully address any immediate questions artists may have about the Artist Imagination Fund.

Link in our bio.









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🚨ARTIST IMAGINATION FUND🚨The Big Imaginations Artist Imagination Fund is still open! Deadline for application is Thursda...
19/05/2026

🚨ARTIST IMAGINATION FUND🚨

The Big Imaginations Artist Imagination Fund is still open! Deadline for application is Thursday 30th June 2026.

So, what’s are you waiting for? If you’ve got an idea for a piece of new and exciting children and family performance work, we want to hear from you! Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to have your work and its development supported by our network of 22 incredible arts organisations.

We hope to see your application by the 39th June 2026.









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Address

Manchester
M155ZA

Telephone

+441612261912

Website

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