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Shakespeare Schools Foundation (SSF) is an education charity operating across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Each year, 30,000 people throughout the UK [1] participate in the Shakespeare Schools Festival. Since 2000, Shakespeare Schools Foundation has worked with over 300,000 students and their teachers. [2]
Shakespeare Schools Foundation was founded in the year 2000 by Chris Grace. It was initially called the Shakespeare Schools Festival.
In 2016, the Shakespeare Schools Festival rebranded as the Shakespeare Schools Foundation. According to the charity's official website, that year, 27,550 young people from 1,093 schools performed abridged Shakespeare plays in 131 theatres across the UK. [3] Additionally, the British Council's 2016 activity report highlights that performances, film screenings, exhibitions, and poetry readings were among the events held during that year. [4]
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, the SSF (Shakespeare Schools Foundation) staged performances at 10 Downing Street, [5] Westminster Abbey, a West End Gala, and at Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday. The SSF also hosted the "Trial of Hamlet" fundraiser. [6] Tried by QCs in front of Lady Justice Hallett, evidence from Gertrude (played by Meera Syal), Claudius (played by Tom Conti), and Player King (played by Lee Mack) was insufficient to find Hamlet (played by John Heffernan) guilty of the murder of Polonius. [7] The SSF's young performers shared the stage with the cast.
In 2018, the Foundation was awarded the Praemium Imperiale Grant for Young Artists, [8] having been selected for the award by the Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former Chairman of the BBC Trust, Chris Patten. [9]
In April 2018, the SSF hosted another West End fundraiser, "Trial of Richard III", this time at the Novello Theatre. [10] The cast included Hugh Dennis, David Oakes, Kae Alexander, Lady Justice Hallett, Ian Winter QC, and John Kelsey Fry QC, [11] with contributions from Ed Vaizey MP, Maggie Aderin Pocock, and Tim Campbell. [12]
In 2020, the Shakespeare Schools Foundation (SSF) merged with the Coram Group, resulting in its rebranding as the Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (CSSF). [13]
The CSSF introduced the Shakespeare Schools Film Festival in 2023 in collaboration with IntoFilm. [14]
In 2025, the CSSF will celebrate its 25th anniversary. [15]
The SSF develops a range of curriculum resources.[ vague ] [16] and offers standalone workshops for students, teachers, and businesses. [17]
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