On Wednesday 12 February, for the first time during Rachel Bagshaw’s tenure as Artistic Director, we welcomed Royal Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, to celebrate our Creative Hub, highlighting how we collaborate with young people to develop Unicorn productions and to offer them their first experience as theatre makers.

Joined by staff and participants, Her Majesty received a tour of the theatre and an inside look at Creative Hub projects, engaging with several key aspects of the theatre’s work with young people. Her first stop was a Creative Schools workshop, a collaboration between children from Years 2 and 3 at Snowfields Primary with Unicorn Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw and award-winning children’s author (and Unicorn Trustee) Piers Torday. The focus of the workshop was sustainability and climate action, with the children creating an original poem to honour and remember the lost animals of the British Isles to feature in a future production. This workshop was part of the Unicorn’s Creative Schools Partnerships, in which young people collaborate with Unicorn artists to shape the theatre’s artistic programme while their teachers explore creative approaches to curriculum teaching and develop a school strategy for drama.

Following the workshop, Her Majesty observed Creative Associates involved in the Unicorn’s current production of Pig Heart Boy at an in conversation event with acclaimed author Malorie Blackman OBE, discussing the importance of creativity in childhood. Creative Associates are children aged 8-13 years old who work closely with the Unicorn’s Creative Team on a specific production, helping to shape and influence the work to ensure it remains relevant and engaging for young audiences.

The visit concluded with Her Majesty meeting staff, guests and participants from the Creative Families programme during a tea and cake reception. Creative Families is an initiative that involves families with children aged 0-5 in collaborative artistic projects, aimed at creating work for early-years audiences. During the reception, Her Majesty had the opportunity to witness these families engaging in play activities, an important part of the programme that encourages creativity among the youngest audiences and their families.

Rachel Bagshaw, our Artistic Director, comments, “We believe wholeheartedly that a child who engages with creativity has greater potential to thrive. Every year, we have the extraordinary privilege to provide thousands of children with their first theatre experiences – encouraging them to question and explore the world through stories, sparking their imaginations and ideas. It is fundamental to us that the work we produce is informed by young people, as they show us the world they want to create.

It was a privilege to welcome our Patron, Her Majesty the Queen, to the Unicorn yesterday. Her ongoing support is testament to the vital work we do with young people and schools, and to the essential role the Unicorn plays in shaping future generations."

As the national theatre for young audiences, we are committed to creating work that reflects the widest possible diversity of lived experiences in society and ensuring that all children have access to innovative and thrilling theatre experiences. Featured in The Stage 100 for 2025 as one of the UK’s leading venues dedicated to creating inspiring work for children and families, we are proud to bring its creative vision for the year ahead, presenting a dynamic lineup of exciting world premieres alongside beloved favourites.

Click here to find out more about our forthcoming season.