Launching C3 Festivals 2025: a new Celebration of creative projects co-created by Islington teenagers
Design by George Haverson
We are excited to announce the launch of C3 Festivals, a new annual event celebrating creative projects co-created by local teenagers in Islington.
C3 Festivals will provide a platform for the voices, art and ideas that matter most to the next generation. Over two weeks in April, we will present 17 new works co-created by Islington teenagers, across theatre, podcasts and films.
Under the artistic leadership of Nuna Sandy, we are reimagining what was previously known as Assembly - a public sharing of first draft plays - to include a broader range of artforms, ideas and work from more local teenagers.
The new festival will feature a variety of creative works, including six first-draft plays made with their core company. These plays reflect the broad interests of local teenagers, exploring dreams, relationships, loss and joy exploring their navigation through teenagehood and increasingly uncertain future - all white fighting for joy and dreams that transcend societal expectations and limitations.
“I’m really excited to perform the work we’ve been creating together. These shows are a glimpse into our thoughts, feelings, and ideas, and I can’t wait to share them. People should come watch because it’s not just a performance; it’s an experiences that connects us all through creativity and emotion.
Shayma, a young member of Company Three
Alongside the live performances, we will be screening various co-created short films. These include: #BlackIs - two short films which stemmed from an Affinity Group for Black young people, exploring identity, Colourism and stereotypes; Aunty, unpicking what ‘Aunty’ really means; and CK All Around, a ghost story from Beacon High school.
There will also be podcasts born from Company Three’s Happiness and Black Girl Magic projects in local schools, giving insight into what makes young people happy, frustrated and proud of who they are. Members of the Core Company speak directly to the Prime Minister through a podcast series called Dear Prime Minister and If I was in the Government sharing their thoughts directly with our nation’s leaders.
We will also host online and in-person sessions for youth theatre practitioners through our Exchange programme, sharing their co-creation expertise and methodology, tips on how to build meaningful relationships with schools, and planning your first workshop for a community group. These events will provide an opportunity for participants to explore the process behind the work and learn more about how young people collaborate with professional theatre-makers to produce powerful, transformative art.
And for any young people wanting to learn more, C3 will invite Year 6 and 7 students from local schools to join a Taster Workshop, to offer a glimpse at the work that takes place year-round at the company and to create a play in a day.
“Be Brave is our third rule at C3 and our amazing young people have really demonstrated this in their work this year. Questioning joy, relationships, loss, and their future, they are bravely asking questions of themselves, us and the world around them.