World Day of Theatre and Performance for Children and Young People – Toolkit 2025

Introduction

ASSITEJ World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People is an ASSITEJ International campaign promoted and celebrated through the message ‘Take a Child to the Theatre Today’.

This focus enables National Centres, Affiliates, companies, arts organisations, academics, teachers, artists, practitioners and others interested in theatre for young audiences to connect with the idea of World Day and ‘make the case’ for children’s entitlement to theatre, performance and the arts, wherever they are.

All ASSITEJ International members are invited to promote special World Day messages written every year, share the ASSITEJ logo and the ASSITEJ Manifesto and consider additional activities – large or small. Each year ASSITEJ Centres around the globe deliver activities ranging from conferences, performances, workshops and special media events. This toolkit aims to help you plan for World Day 2025, which happens on March 20th.

Activity

The message ‘take a child to the theatre – today’ can be promoted as a message and as a call to action; it can promote regional activity and theatre and performance events and, by linking to other information, illustrate why it is important to take a child to the theatre or to take the theatre to the child.  It can be strongly linked to access for children who are isolated because of geography, disability, and socio-economics.

World Day is a global campaign. ASSITEJ International has 71 National Centres as well as 5 International Professional Networks and Affiliates with membership across 85 countries, which means there is unlimited possibility for profile, visibility and advocacy.

Tools

1. Take a Child to the Theatre Today – LOGO

These are available to download here. An interchangeable version is also available so that each country can include the text in their own language, as well as change the picture if they wish to do so.

2. World Day Messages

Since 2001, each year, there has been a World Day message written by a different theatre-related personality or advocate, or more recently, by children and young people speaking passionately about their love for theatre. Each year, there is also a new message from the President of ASSITEJ International.

These messages should be shared with all members via each National Centre or Network. The messages can be promoted on websites, read at events, published, shared on social media, discussed, referred to in press releases and used in any way that will promote the global campaign.

View Sue Giles’ (President of ASSITEJ International) Message here.

We also suggest that our members use the ASSITEJ Manifesto to make the rights-based case for children and young people to access theatre and the arts. This Manifesto is available in many languages on the ASSITEJ International website.

3. Social Media

By using social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), individuals can promote the message ‘Take A Child to the Theatre Today’ and link this to the ASSITEJ International site and other platforms (YouTube), which will host the media mentioned above.

Please use the hashtag #takeachildtothetheatre.

Some countries use the campaign as a rallying call to ask for donations to ensure that children and young people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to theatre get an opportunity to do so on and around this day.

The ASSITEJ International Facebook page exists as a communication tool which Facebook friends can link to and also post on, which admins can then share through the ASSITEJ International newsfeed. We want all our members to keep us updated about what they are doing for the campaign.

We strongly encourage members of ASSITEJ International to share their past or upcoming activities related to WDT or the ‘Take a Child to the Theatre’ campaign on this group page. By doing so, we can collectively celebrate and raise awareness of this day worldwide.

4. Press Releases

Where possible, individuals, organizations and institutions should connect to local and national media through a press release. This could then be connected to activity within each region and be used to endorse theatre activity for young audiences.

In addition, interviews, testimonials and statements from VIPS, artists, politicians, as well as cultural decision-makers, and child specialists, could be a good way to promote the message and establish why it is important to take children to the theatre.

5. Advocacy Letter

ASSITEJ International has created a letter that can be adapted to global contexts, to make the case for children and young people’s performing arts and their rights as cultural citizens and marginalised members of society, the impact of performing arts on young lives, and the need for support. This letter can be sent to cultural agencies, funding bodies, local or national governments, schools, etc.

You can download the letter here.

Other Events and Activities

National Centres promote World Day in different ways around the world, with some Centres running workshops, performances and special events which are widely acknowledged.

Here are some possible activities and events which could be created to promote World Day by National Centres and organisations;

• Award events/ceremonies highlighting good practice and special achievements in the field of theatre for young audiences

• Conferences, forums, round tables, seminars or workshop events which focus on a particular theme
• Surveys for adult audience members to raise awareness of the need for access to arts and culture for children and young people

• Performances including street theatre, script readings, dance performances, monologues

• Festivals of performances

• Distribution of flyers/printed materials with the message Take a Child to the Theatre Today – connected to schools or theatres
• Other advertising opportunities potentially supported by sponsors

• Film projects linking with schools and universities where students can engage with the World Day campaign

• Drama activity/workshop in schools and theatres

• Special fundraisers or gala occasions to raise funds to ensure that children and young people get access to the theatre.

It is important to note that the ‘Take a Child to the Theatre Today’ campaign can be linked to events which are already happening.

We hope that as many members as possible will get behind the campaign for 2025 so that we can make as big an impact as possible, which supports the rights of children to engage with theatre.

We hope you enjoy your World Day celebrations!