The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has launched a £10 (€11.86/$13.53) ticket scheme for young people alongside entertainment platform TikTok.
TikTok Tickets will allow full-time students and young people to attend RSC shows, with the initiative aiming to increase access to theatre for those that live in areas of structural disadvantage.
The scheme will also provide subsidised travel, information and support.
Starting in March, young people aged between 14 and 25 and full-time students can access TikTok Tickets and see an RSC show in Stratford-upon-Avon or London for just £10, and £5 for reduced-price previews.
State schools will also be able to book £10 TikTok Tickets for group visits in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is a £2.50 reduction on the RSC’s current price for school trips.
Rich Waterworth, general manager, UK & EU, at TikTok, said: “Creativity and the arts have always been at the heart of our community on TikTok. Every day, we are the stage to theatre renditions, comedy performances or modern-day plays, performed and imagined by creators from every part of the UK.
“By partnering with the Royal Shakespeare Company to provide greater access to the work they do, we hope to inspire more young people to enjoy, experience and participate in theatre and the arts in all its forms.”
RSC Youth Advisory Board member Ashton Griffiths said: “I’m so excited to have TikTok on board to help spread the word about our ticket scheme. I believe this is a really important step in making theatre more inclusive, more affordable and available to a wider range of young people.
“It came about through a conversation I had with the RSC’s chair in one of our regular Youth Advisory Board meetings about the role of social media in reaching young people and it is a great opportunity to get our message across.”
The RSC and TikTok will also work together to create educational experiences and inspire more participation in the arts, through regular TikTok takeovers, behind-the-scenes access and special events. RSC will also provide regular content through its own TikTok account.
Jacqui O’Hanlon, director of learning and national partnerships at the RSC, added: “Seeing high quality live theatre is something that every young person should have access to. It’s an example of the kind of arts-rich education we believe all children and young people need.
“TikTok Tickets mean that thousands more young people will be able to enjoy the RSC’s work. Theatre visits, like studying the arts in schools, are important, life-enhancing experiences that can start a life-long relationship with theatre and the arts.”
Images:The Royal Shakespeare Company