Creative work placement (assistant musical director / assistant designer / assistant stage manager / assistant director / assistant choreographer)

Closing date for applications: Midday on Friday 6th February 2026

Interviews: Expected w/c 16th February or w/c 23rd February for shortlisted individuals, held online via Zoom.

An exceptional opportunity for emerging theatre-makers to gain hands-on experience on full-scale new productions...

For the past 20 years British Youth Music Theatre's Creative Work Placement (CWP) Scheme has helped emerging artists to take their first steps into the theatre industry by providing work placements on our productions as either Assistant Musical Director, Assistant Designer or Assistant Stage Manager. There is one of each of these roles available on every BYMT production. This year, each BYMT production will also have a role available for either an Assistant Director or an Assistant Choreographer.

Another exciting development this year is that BYMT have been successful in gaining funding to innovate and diversify their CWP Scheme to include six virtual learning modules before the placement begins, frequent check-ins during the project and detailed feedback after the programme has finished.

Each successful candidate will be embedded as an important part of the full scale creative and production team on residential production with a company of between 35-40 young people from across the UK. Each candidate will be partnered with an industry professional who will act as their professional line manager and mentor.

Watch the YouTube short about the placement here.

A typical BYMT Season includes around 7 full scale productions throughout the year, one during the Easter holidays and the rest across the Summer between the months of July and August. Our productions are all brand new music theatre in a variety of genres and the successful candidates will be placed on a show that best suits their skillset. These placements give the opportunity to take on responsibility akin to a professional role while in a supportive learning environment.

Our production locations for 2026 are Birmingham, Exeter, Hull, Manchester and London. However, all projects are fully residential so applications are welcome from across the UK.

We are proud to say that some previous CWPs have returned to work with BYMT in other roles and grown their careers form working relationships established on one of our productions.

Creative Work Placements will receive full board accommodation (including meals), and an expenses fee of £500 to cover their travel and any further fees incurred on production.

Schedule: Each Creative Work Placement will take place over a two-week period including weekends in either April, July or August 2026 (depending on availability). Successful candidates will work 9-hour days with 3 separate hour breaks and will have 2 full days off during the two-week period.

BYMT is committed to creating an inclusive culture in all its activities including equality of opportunity for all staff. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We are particularly keen to hear from people from global majority backgrounds and from candidates who self-identify as disabled as they are under-represented in our workforce.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.

For more information and how to apply please visit BYMT's website via the Apply button.