GIVE PLAY, THEATRE AND JOY TO CHILDREN IN HULL

ABOUT THE HERD

The Herd Theatre are a Hull based Charity that bring children and families together in playful spaces to share exceptional experiences. We play alongside children to create shows, installations and experiences that celebrate, interrogate and nurture the joy of childhood. Since forming in 2016 our shows and projects have reached a live audience of over 78,000 people.

We are a company deeply invested in our home city of Hull, with a growing, nationally significant, output. As well as touring nationally, all our shows play in community centres, libraries and schools locally. We are passionate about reaching children and families who are excluded from the arts, with a focus on working class people and disabled people.

Due to the poverty facing families in our city - worsened by the pandemic and cost of living crisis - only 49.7% of 2 year olds in Hull are demonstrating the skills that  are considered developmentally age appropriate. We create opportunities for families and children to develop together through story, music and play.

‘The opportunity to work with drama, music and movement will support not just the communication of our youngest children but also the confidence, self-esteem and positivity of both the child and parent.'

Helen Tan, Early years Lead, Hull City Council. 

As well as making shows, The Herd have a successful programme of Playwork. We create spaces where children and families can creatively play together - building, imagining, collaborating. We run play sessions in schools, community centres and outdoors. In 2023 we made a Time Out recommended Play Installation for The Southbank Centre, which sold out over its three month run and reached an audience of over 15,000 people.

‘REPLAY at The Southbank is one of the best things we’ve done in ages’

Bablands

The Herd deliver a rapidly growing schools programme annually, working with over 1,500 children in Hull and East Yorkshire each year. Our One Day Play workshop boosts children’s confidence and raises aspirations through a playful introduction to the theatre making process. Our Whale Song schools project gives children the language and space to explore grief and big feelings through performance and story. By working closely with Primary Schools we are able to reach children who are often excluded from the arts.

Our critically acclaimed early years theatre shows include Slime (UK Tour 2018-2022, The Southbank Centre, The Albany, Northern Stage), How to Fly (Hull Truck), The Last Dinosaur (Arc, The Civic), Ducklings (Hull Truck, Royal Exchange) and Snowmen (Cast, Half Moon, The Lowry). Our shows often use limited verbal language, integrated British Sign Language, and immersive tactile design to welcome in a wide range of audiences.

‘A microscopic world of epic adventure… a howling delight.’

The Guardian

Working with children, toddlers, families and teenagers, The Herd have also produced two Audio Adventures, two Picture Books and a playful App.

We are a proud associate company of Hull Libraries, Freedom Festival and Back To Ours. 

WHY WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

The Herd has recently become a registered charity, which means we are set to reach more children and families than ever. But we need your support to do this. Every year we have to raise 80% of our income through grants and donations. 

Your support will make it possible for:

• 1000s of children and families to see exceptional, affordable theatre, made in Hull, performed in Hull. 
• 600 children living in Hull to take part in our introduction to theatre making programme, boosting confidence and raising aspirations.
• Our Artists to create groundbreaking family play experiences in Hull and beyond. 
• Us to continue to innovate what live art can be for children, working with over 50 exceptional artists each year to do this.
• 900 children to experience our Whale Song bereavement project to help nurture their rich emotional lives
• Us to reach children and families who often miss out on the arts. 

We want children & the adults in their lives to be able to play, imagine, create, pretend, build & share stories together. We know how important this is to children’s social, emotional and intellectual development. We know how important this is for a nourishing family life. And we know that the tough times families are currently living through mean these experiences are under threat. Help us change this.