Future `Makers Writing Workshops

WORDfest is delighted to partner with Theatre Centre to deliver three amazing writing workshops aimed at 16 - 25 year olds. We’re proud to work with some of the most exciting voices in contemporary theatre, and we believe their expertise will make these sessions truly inspiring for young people.

Each of these three sessions will be led by an award-winning professional writer, supporting participants to explore key elements of creative writing through interactive exercises and discussion. Each workshop will focus on a different aspect of storytelling to help writers develop confidence and craft. These workshop themes could include:

Character Development – Building authentic, compelling voices

Storytelling – Crafting narratives that resonate

Plot Development – Structuring stories for maximum impact

Each workshop will be led by Eleanor Manners, our Artistic Director, alongside one of our Resident Writers Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini and Christopher York.

“I've gained (perspective), increased confidence, found my love of poetry and writing, the opportunity of meeting an inspiring, wonderful group of people, grown to feel like a young leader, who feels more passionately outspoken and eager to change the world for the better...the list goes on!”

Young Participant

About Theatre Centre

Theatre Centre is known nationally for excellence in nurturing writers at breakthrough career points, providing specialist dramaturgical support, mentoring, and commissions. Our productions tour schools and theatres across the UK, and our Future Makers programme ensures young people are at the heart of everything we do.

In March, our Resident Writers will be embedded in Future Makers spaces, listening to and working with young people. They will draw inspiration from these interactions to pitch new stories for potential commission stories that reflect contemporary realities and speak directly to young people.

Recent successes include Debris Stevenson’s residency, which led to the development of My Brother’s a Genius, premiering at Creative Crawley’s County Mall space in March 2026.

Our Resident Writers

Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini

A multi-award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose bold, genre-defying work centres disabled, queer, and Black experiences. Their play Sleepova won the Critics’ Circle Most Promising Playwright Award and an Olivier Award. In 2025, Matilda was awarded Yale’s Windham-Campbell Prize. Their style—“Crip Noir”—fuses sci-fi, political commentary, and dark comedy.

Christopher York

A Yorkshire-born playwright whose rhythmic, raw writing is rooted in working-class storytelling. His debut play Build A Rocket premiered to critical acclaim, and his work often draws on music and poetic verse. Christopher’s practice is passionate, inventive, and deeply connected to regional voices.

Our Artistic Director

Eleanor Manners

Eleanor is a director, voice coach and facilitator with over a decade of experience creating theatre and leading engagement projects. She collaborates with young people, communities and artists to make dynamic and socially engaged work.

Her Directing credits include Jack Frost and the Search for Winter (Tutti Frutti, National Tour) and Associate Director roles on Oliver! and Wizard of Oz at Leeds Playhouse, Glass Ceiling Beneath the Stars (Bric à Brac, Edinburgh Fringe) and The Odyssey: The Cyclops (National Theatre Public Acts, CAST).

Her Voice credits include working with Royal Court, Chanel 4, Leeds Playhouse, Young Vic, Theatre Peckham, Company Three, Talawa Theatre Company, Donmar Warehouse, The Bridge Theatre, Northern Stage, Old Vic, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Kiln.

She regularly teaches at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and Leeds Conservatoire. She has sat on the bord of Pilot Theatre & The Heard. She previously led the Youth Theatre team at Leeds Playhouse.

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Host or Publisher WORDfest Crawley