Communities in play: the social value of youth drama groups in rural areas of Northern Ireland

While both groups promote collective identities unrelated to religion, they operate within tightly bonded cultural networks and some of their practices may unwittingly feed ‘quiet cultural segregation’. However, social bridging was found in the audiences for their performances. Findings on place differed: one group was valued as an alternative to a dominant sporting culture – a space for young people ‘to be different’ – whereas the other was seen as central to local culture and the main nexus for place-identity.

The study concludes that youth drama groups can be fruitful avenues for inclusive community development in small places, but that more shared points of connection are needed for groups to reach beyond their local and institutional contexts. Findings around recruitment practices and cultural segregation have implications for Northern Irish arts, education and community relations policies. Findings with broader relevance include the potential of grassroots drama groups to help shape place-identity.