The Virtual Ideas Platform

On 21 June 2021 the ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform (VIP) launched for its pilot year. A collaboration between ABTT and Guildhall School of Music and Drama; this platform aims to support ‘innovation, creativity and partnership in the UK Theatre Industry’ by providing an opportunity for theatre students and practitioners to invent and develop new and better ways of doing things while also being able to connect with professionals who are able to help realise the potential of ideas and develop them.

It's been a tough time for theatre recently and many things have had to be rethought in terms of how the arts are produced and shared, and so it seems as if this new platform has come at an excellent time. The VIP has been developed by Charles Haines, head of performance venues at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, who became inspired after seeing the Innovations Gallery at the USITT (US Institute of Theatre Technology) where ideas were submitted from all collegiate universities and drama schools with the top ten being put on display every year at a big trade show.