Catch them young

Sam Sampson's remit is to make learning an integral part of the Corn Exchange progamme

Sam Sampson has been at the Corn Exchange learning manager for just over two years. Every good arts venue with a concern for its development should have one – they come in different shapes and sizes; education officer, outreach director, learning development... Education/outreach is integral to the programme, significant development work at its core. How else are you going to cultivate the audiences of tomorrow, recruit the next generation of performers, backstage crew, technicians, if you don't catch them young?

Learning and participation are at the heart of the Corn Exchange's engagement with the community, working with schools, young people and community groups, through workshops, post show discussions and other projects, people can get involved in the programme more fully.

Take this week's touring production of Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful, and the upcoming Pilot Theatre's Romeo and Juliet and Scottish Dance Theatre – all offer workshops alongside their performances. Sam spends considerable time building relationships with interested members of staff in local schools, developing trust in the Corn Exchange to bring in the best practitioners to share their skills with them, whether it is by artists visiting the classroom or by pupils taking part in company workshops at the Corn Exchange or New Greenham Arts, prior to their professional performance.

Two youth theatres are resident within the Corn Exchange, SLY (formerly Shining Lights) and Newbury Youth Theatre – the latter currently involved in a collaboration arranged by the venue with Turtle Key Arts, London-based producers who manage and devise original and groundbreaking performance arts projects. Next month the award-winning Red Cape theatre will perform From Newbury With Love, using professional actors, backed by the youth theatre ‘chorus'. This true story of Cold War friendship across the Iron Curtain instigated by a Cold Ash bookseller, was devised as a theatre piece following the youth theatre's visit to Moldova and a reciprocal exchange for the performance by Moldovan students. NYT will later take a piece grown out of the project up to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Then there's Young Corn Exchange – last year involved in the venue's Take Over – young people taking the reins, programming and organising their own festival weekend. Sam wants to expand on its success, the first step being a YCE membership, which anyone under 25 can join and get free tickets, access to special events, training, and monthly get-togethers.

Sam is also involved with the national young film-makers network Cineclub, working with primary and secondary schools across West Berkshire, offering training in digital film-making as well as ongoing support and advice. Three times a year, the members gather at the Corn Exchange to view the films that they have made on the big screen.

The Corn Exchange also provides a link with creative arts professionals for young people aged between 11 and 25 for their national Arts Award courses at bronze, silver and gold level. Sam says it is particularly rewarding when the young people involved in all these support projects start to realise that it is possible to earn a living in the visual and performing arts. It isn't just about involvement on stage or exhibitions – there's the technical side, the management and the marketing.

Wherever he sees an opportunity, Sam will ensure that young people can ‘scratch below the surface' and gain a richer experience of the arts, in the hope that one day they will walk through the doors independently, not just as part of a school trip.