MA/MFA Performance students collaborate with professional theatre companies on Artist-Led project
20 May 2025
Over the past four years, students from MA/MFA Performance have had the chance to collaborate with acclaimed professional theatre companies, expanding their theatre-making skills.
Students have had the chance of working together with theatre companies Babel Theatre, RashDash, Quarantine and, most recently, YESYESNONO on the MA/MFA Performance Artist-led project.
YESYESNONO is an award-winning theatre company based in the UK. They have been shortlisted for the OffWestEnd Award for Best Production and shortlisted for the Total Theatre Award for Innovation. They’ve toured work nationwide and in 2023 they debuted in New York City. Known for their innovative approach to theatre, they brought their unique theatre-making techniques to Manchester School of Theatre this year to work alongside the students and create exclusive performances.
Over the past four years, many students who have taken part in the Artist-Led project have used the process as a springboard to connect themselves with the real world of professional theatre and get involved in further exciting projects.
Silvana Zuluaga, a student who took part in the Artist-Led project said: “Since I started the course I have been able to expand my training by using the theatre studios almost daily! I attended multiple workshops, talks and symposiums provided by the programme: contemporary dance workshops, workshops that have introduced me to new notions of theatre-making, workshops that have taken me back to improv, theatre games and talks about how to make an artistic practice sustainable in the tricky neo-liberal dynamics of today. I have also collaborated with an art student in the making of a showcase in which we could explore the relationship between her ceramic pieces and performance, and most importantly, I have met some amazing people here at the programme from a wide range of nationalities, disciplines and backgrounds that have inspired me and made me feel less lonely in my artistic journey”.
Another student who took part, Tolulope Ami-Williams, also added: “I feel truly privileged to be learning from professionals who are not just academics but also active artists. Their real-time expertise in the industry has made this course invaluable. The course has trained me to think professionally, setting high standards for creating work and collaborating with others. Working closely with technicians, designers, colleagues, dramaturgs, and tutors has been instrumental in collaboration and sharing knowledge across various skills and levels. Outside the classroom, the opportunities I have benefited from in Manchester’s arts scene have been largely thanks to my lecturers, who are deeply committed to our success. They actively share opportunities that allow us to apply what we’ve learned in real-world contexts, aligning my academic experience with my career aspirations”.
Find out more about studying MA/MFA Performance at Manchester Met.
