The Stage

Praise for children helping Unicorn design

Published Tuesday 23 August 2005 at 12:55 by Alistair Smith

Unicorn Theatre’s project to invite 30 local primary school pupils to help design its new £13.3 million base in Southwark has been celebrated by the government with the publication of its report The Floors Should Be Made of Chocolate, detailing the eight-year-olds’ contribution to the UK’s first purpose-built venue for children.Beverley Hughes, minister for children, joined five of the theatre’s young consultants to launch a booklet promoting the innovative scheme, which saw the children working directly with theatre architect Keith Williams.

As part of the three-year consultation, the children made models of the venue’s foyer and chose which artist’s work to display inside. They will also serve as ambassadors for the Unicorn, showing visitors around the building when it opens at the end of the year.

Hughes said: “This project highlights the importance of consulting with children and young people and the benefits for them in terms of their own creativity, personal skills and academic achievement.”