Summer School with David Glass
Summer School with David Glass
Alchemy of the Extraordinary
21 - 25 Jul 2025
101 Outdoor Arts
£195 (including meals and accommodation)
A five-day creative practice & devising lab for site specific, immersive and outdoor devised performance.
Join internationally renowned theatre-maker David Glass for a five-day intensive workshop exploring his acclaimed Alchemy of the Extraordinary creative practice — a dynamic approach to devising, used for over 30 years in theatre, education, and innovation sectors worldwide. Designed specifically for immersive, site-specific, participatory, and outdoor arts practitioners, this workshop offers a deep dive into a creative methodology that has informed work across the globe — from devised theatre to high-level innovation with organisations such as the United Nations, Apple, and leading university arts programmes.
David Glass's five stage framework is hugely practical, adaptive and rigorous having been used by artists and theatre companies around the world.
With this edition David Glass will be drawing from his extensive experience of developing work in unusual settings across the world as well as his recent work with UK outdoor work from companies including Justice in Motion, Lumiere and Son and recently Vidya Thirunarayan’s Clay Connection.
Recognised as one of the pioneers and leaders of Devised, Physical, Adapted, Ensemble and Applied Theatre and with this summer workshop David and the Ensemble are celebrating their 45th year in 74 countries!
The Workshop
This edition of the workshop will focus on developing work for non-traditional performance spaces, supporting individuals and groups at any stage of their creative journey — from initial ideas to full realisation and evaluation.
At the heart of this practice is a five-stage process:
- Preparation
- Creative Origination
- Creative Organisation
- Manifestation
- Reflection
The workshop is highly experiential, integrating David Glass’s Navajo University methodology, which encourages embodied learning and draws insight from the collective intelligence of the group. Participants will engage in practical exercises, collaborative exploration, and guided project development.
Throughout the week, participants will form groups to develop test projects, which will be shared and explored on the final day — offering a valuable opportunity to trial and refine creative concepts in a supportive environment.
Whether you’re at the start of a new project or seeking to reinvigorate your practice, this workshop provides a powerful structure to unlock creative potential and deepen artistic collaboration.
David has helped shape UK theatre policy, established creative centres globally, and developed the influential Alchemy of the Extraordinary, a creative innovation program and MA in partnership with Bath Spa University. Revered by peers such as Mike Alfreds, Peter Brook, and Mark Rylance, he continues to champion the transformative power of the arts worldwide.
How to Apply
Apply using the online application form on our website by 9am, Monday 2 Jun.
Deadline: 9am, Monday 2 Jun.
About David Glass
David Glass is an internationally acclaimed theatre director, solo performer, writer, designer, filmmaker, and educator, renowned as a pioneer in Physical, Visual, Devised, Ensemble, and Applied Theatre. Trained at Lecoq and influenced by masters such as Grotowski, Decroux, and Boal, he has mentored and inspired generations of artists across 73 countries, shaping the work of companies including Complicité, DV8, Gecko, and Told by an Idiot.
A maverick and visionary, David founded the David Glass Ensemble, creating award-winning works like Gormenghast, Disembodied, and the Lost Child Trilogy—a groundbreaking global project involving over 10,000 marginalized young people. His bold theatrical adaptations, including La Dolce Vita, Fahrenheit 451, and This Changes Everything, fuse visual spectacle with social urgency.
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