Polka Theatre’s Curtain-Up! programme marks 30 years of making theatre accessible to children

Polka Theatre in Wimbledon first opened in 1978 and aims to attract all types of school groups, including those facing barriers to accessing live theatre.

The popular venue in the borough of Merton is dedicated to 0-12 year-olds and for many of the children attending performances it provides their first ever theatre experience.

How Curtain-Up! has evolved since 1994

Launched in 1994 with support from The Vivien Duffield Foundation, Curtain Up! was one of the first audience development schemes of its kind. Since its inception, it has enabled Polka to distribute over 76,000 free tickets to schools across more than 20 boroughs in London, Surrey and Essex – reaching thousands of children who might otherwise never experience the joy of live performance.

The scheme has grown in response to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and school budget cuts, as many schools continue to face financial, staffing and logistical challenges in organising trips to the theatre.

9,000 free school tickets for 2025/26: how the scheme continues to expand

When Polka reopened in 2021 following a major redevelopment, Curtain Up! expanded to offer 4,000 free tickets annually. That number rose to 6,000 in subsequent years due to increased demand and need. In 2024, the scheme expanded further to an annual 9,000 free tickets thanks to the generous support of The Garek Trust and other ongoing supporters.

For its 30th anniversary year, the scheme will continue to provide 9,000 free tickets for academic year 2025-26.

Lynette Shanbury, executive director at Polka said: “A positive experience for a young child will set the tone for their relationship with theatre for the rest of their life – that fact hasn’t changed in 30 years! Polka has led the way in children’s theatre for decades – we were the first to pioneer this kind of scale of free theatre tickets for schools, the first to introduce what are now widely known as Relaxed Performances, and the first to expansively offer work for the very youngest.

“It is urgent that we keep finding ways to bring theatre into children’s lives – schools are the perfect partners to make this possible, so we need to find a way to work together to give children this opportunity. Otherwise, we are going to see generations of children grow up without creative confidence, without vital life-skills and without even knowing that theatre can be part of their lives.”

Even more help: travel subsidies, Q&A sessions and school resources

In addition to free theatre tickets, schools who attend Polka under the scheme can also receive a travel subsidy, as well as an exclusive post-show Q&A session with the show creatives, plus resources connecting to the themes of the show to continue their learning in the classroom.