Building a community of theatre champions for schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This major research and development project with the Ministry of Culture (via their agency 'Tam') in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia focuses on developing School Theatre Champions across the Kingdom. It is an ambitious, complex and large-scale project valued at AUD$4.7 million for phases one to four. A stage five will also occur but the design and price for stage five will be negotiated as the project is rolled out.

The project includes the design, development and delivery of a bespoke professional learning program for 24,000 teachers, underpinned by a major research project designed in the tradition of Finnish 'Change Laboratories' which is embedded across all phases of the project. Professor Ellis, as lead researcher, has significant expertise in this methodology. The use of Change Laboratories in the context of this important cultural change initiative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as in the context of theatre and performing arts education and training, would be unprecedented and provide unique opportunities to test the strengths of the methodology and further develop it. A range of publications (including joint publications with the Saudi Ministry of Culture) will be developed.