AACT YouthFest 2025
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AACT's youth festival is scheduled for June 22-24, 2025. Applications to perform are now open! Six youth theatre companies will be selected to perform at the festival in Des Moines, Iowa. The productions by these youth groups from around the country will be adjudicated in an open forum that fosters a learning and educational experience for all. The festival week will also include workshops, activities, and social events just for them. Thanks to the generous support of the Jack K. Ayre and Frank Lee Ayre Foundation, performing groups may apply for travel and housing funding. Funding will be awarded based on need and scale. [Photo: Meet Mr. Lincoln, Academy of Children's Theatre of Richland, Washington. YouthFest 2019] |
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New for 2025
Previously, we've hosted YouthFest during AACTFest, our national festival, resulting in an extremely limited schedule with only a handful of performance opportunities.
For 2025, YouthFest will take place in the days leading into AACTFest and will be hosted by the Des Moines Playhouse. This means we have time for longer youth performances, room for additional youth performing companies, space for more youth-focused workshops, and even more YouthFest events and opportunities (Showtune Karaoke with a live pianist, anyone?).
All YouthFest registrants will also receive a special discount on AACTFest registrations, allowing for up to seven days filled with performances, workshops, keynotes, mentoring/networking, and lifelong memories for you and your students.
Festival Dates & Locations
- YouthFest: Sunday, June 22 - Tuesday, June 24 at Des Moines Playhouse
- AACTFest: Wednesday, June 25 - Saturday, June 28 at Hoyt Sherman Place
- Des Moines Marriott Downtown is the official festival hotel for both YouthFest and AACTFest.
Apply now to perform
Deadline to submit is July 31, 2024
To be eligible, your theatre must:
- Maintain an AACT Organizational membership
- Read and review the YouthFest Participant Guide
- Complete the AACT YouthFest Application
- Submit one letter of support illustrating the support of your community for your theatre and/or testifying to your theatre's creative and organizational abilities. Letter can be uploaded to application sent separately by July 31, 2024.
Important future dates:
- Notification of Acceptances will be sent no later than September 16, 2024
- Publicity and Marketing Materials are due to AACT no later than October 10, 2024
- Selected Theatres are to complete their Funding Requests by October 10, 2024
- Notifications of funding amounts will be sent by November 30, 2024
- Theatre Companies must register by March 1, 2025
- Submit AACT YouthFest Technical Form by March 1, 2025
Interested directors can email their inquiries to AACT YouthFest Chair, Chad-Alan Carr at [email protected].
YouthFest 2025 is made possible in part by a grant from the Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation
