Old Vic New Voices

The Old Vic

The Old Vic is one of the best known and best loved theatres in the world, synonymous with the greatest acting talent that Britain has ever produced from Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson to Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Albert Finney, and Peter O’Toole. Kevin Spacey was appointed Artistic Director in 2003 and under his leadership continues to attract the best creative talent from the UK and all over the world to tread its famous boards.

The Old Vic is also home to the award-winning education, community and emerging talent programme, Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) which aims to support emerging talent, inspire young people and open up theatre to new and diverse audiences. 

Old Vic New Voices

Old Vic New Voices (OVNV) aims to support young and emerging talent, to source and develop new work for production on The Old Vic stage, and to open up the building to new and diverse audiences.

For those embarking on a professional career in theatre, OVNV offers actors, directors, producers and writers the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, receive support for projects they are passionate about, and to network with like-minded peers.

Programmmes provided by OVNV engage over 8000 people each year and are open all year round.

OVNV and IdeasTap

In 2009, OVNV formed a partnership with IdeasTap, a creative online network and funding body for emerging arts talent.  Over the years our partnership has created numerous bespoke, member-led projects - from TURNING YOU ON in 2009, a course offering promotional skills that culminated in a viral advert used to promote IdeasTap, through to THE 24 HOUR PLAYS: OLD VIC NEW VOICES: 2012, OVNV’s nationwide search to find actors, writers, directors and producers aged between 18 and 30 to create brand new short plays from scratch in just twenty-four hours.

The common objective of these projects were to empower young professionals whilst at the same time allow them to learn from real life experiences. 

In 2010 Kevin Spacey came to IdeasTap HQ to deliver The Class, two workshops exclusively for IdeasTap members focusing on audition technique.  

Our joint projects

• The Theatre 503 Award 2009
• Turning You On
• Script Doctor
• Symposium
• Producer’s Critique
• Shoestring Theatre
• The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices 2011
• The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices 2012
• Coming Up
• Coming Up Later
• Epidemic
• Old Vic New Voices Edinburgh Season