Urban Young Actors provide weekly acting classes for ages 8-21 in Leicester. We want to inspire young people to be the best they can be by providing them with a safe, creative environment in which to express themselves, unlock their potential and have great fun at the same time!
As well as regular workshops, we frequently run large-scale projects for our members. Past opportunities have included stage productions, films, festivals, competitions and cinema screenings.
We pride ourselves on delivering workshops of the highest standard that are accessible to all experience levels and abilities. Our alumni include Mahalia (MOBO Award-winner), Owen Warner (Hollyoaks, Channel 4), Jurell Carter (Emmerdale, ITV), Dilan Raithatha (West End playwright) and Devesh Sodha (award-winning composer – Black Panther, Minions, Star Wars The Mandalorian). Find out more about our alumni here.
Alongside theatre, we also place great focus on TV and film and utilise industry professionals who are experts in their field.
Whatever your experience or aspirations, all you need is passion and a willingness to learn and there is a place for you in our UYA family.
UYA Talent Agency
A headstart in the industry. All UYA members are automatically entitled to become part of our UYA talent agency and we actively submit the actors we represent for professional castings. We have a large network of connections that we regularly work with within the East Midlands and we are a registered member of Spotlight, the UK’s biggest casting platform. Find out more here.
Our Story
Urban Young Actors was founded by Melissa May Smith in 2008. Melissa started out in a studio with a handful of young people and a passion for acting, and Urban quickly grew in size and reputation to become what it is today. Over the years Urban has produced lots of successful alumni in a whole range of fields – creative and otherwise. Find out about our alumni here.
Scholarships
We believe that the arts should be accessible to all and not only to those who can afford it. We are proud to offer a number of scholarships, paying up to 100% of membership fees on behalf of our members.