Unicorn Theatre is building the first purpose-designed theatre for children in the heart of London, due to open in 2005. Stemming from the belief that children should be consulted during the design of the new building, Unicorn Education undertook a daring and trail-blazing process with a class of Young Consultants from Tower Bridge Primary School – the school located nearest to the site.

The project was designed to inform Unicorn in the process of creating imaginative spaces that reflect the cultural and practical needs of children and young people. Over the three years of the consultation and education project, the class of thirty from Tower Bridge Primary worked with architects, advised designers, interviewed public artists, watched plays and visited theatres in their role as young consultants.

The class also played a pivotal part in the ‘Ground-Breaking’ celebrations when work finally began on the site in October 2003, and saw their work displayed on the hoardings of the site.

In July 2004 the young consultants worked with Unicorn artists to create the material for a short film entitled Transformations. The film is both a celebration of the Unicorn’s new home and an artistic expression of the magic and transforming power of theatre itself (see Transformations Past Project section for more details).

A report was published in late summer 2005 which described and evaluated the journey taken by the children as consultants. Details and a copy of the report will be published in our Reports and Articles section as soon as it is available.

The project was funded by the Pool of London Partnership through the Government’s Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund, which is part funded by the London Development Agency.