ASSITEJ UK conducts its affairs to reflect and respect the ASSITEJ International constitution. ASSITEJ UK embraces cultural diversity and as such, is accessible to all residents of the UK.

In order to reflect the UK’s makeup and to facilitate communication, ASSITEJ UK is comprised of four regional centres. These are:

TYA England
TYA NI
TYA Scotland
TYA Wales

Each centre is responsible for gathering information amongst its members and sending two representatives to ASSITEJ UK’s quarterly Board meetings.

Board Members are elected for a three year term, to match the international cycle of ASSITEJ Congresses.

ASSITEJ (International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People) holds a General Assembly and a Congress every three years. An International Representative for the UK is elected by all UK members to represent the UK abroad.

For most years since the foundation of ASSITEJ in 1965, a UK citizen has served on the Executive Committee of ASSITEJ although the Committee does not currently hold a UK Representative.

The mission of ASSITEJ is to work for the rights of all children and young people toward enrichment through the arts. Theatre and the performing arts respects its young audiences by presenting their hopes, dreams, and fears; it develops and deepens experience, intelligence, emotion, and imagination; it inspires ethical choices; it increases awareness of social relationships; it encourages self-esteem, tolerance, confidence, and the free expression of opinions.

This is the mandate given in our Constitution. This is our competence. This is where we can make a difference to children and young people together with the thousands of artists around the world in our membership.

The Constitution of ASSITEJ tells us that we will “support no action that intentionally harms children physically, sexually, emotionally, psychologically or culturally in any context.” In the last four weeks, children and young people have suffered and died in Israel and Gaza. Some of our members are witnessing this first-hand and have relatives and friends who have lost their lives.

We take the side of children and urgently appeal for all actions that are harming children and their families to stop. We appeal for the release of all hostages and beg for a dialogue toward peace.

The power we have as a global community of artists in the present moment is in our art – a power we can use to heal and to hold and remind us all of the need for empathy, compassion, humanity.