HISTORY
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In April 2004, East-Side celebrated its 10th anniversary with a reception at the Houses of Parliament hosted by London MP Simon Hughes. The celebration was attended by leading and influential figures from the world of arts education, members of the capital's business community and many of East-Side's partner arts organisations as well as teachers and students representing the range of schools and community groups across London that the charity works with each and every year and served as a testimony to the high regard that East-Side is held by its project partners.
East-Side was established in 1994 originally to produce a youth theatre production of Alan Parker's hit musical Bugsy Malone with children from the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The company's name was taken from the show which is set on the Lower "East Side" of New York and had particular relevance as the company's work at that time focussed primarily on the disadvantaged and underachieving young people from London's East End. Since then, the company's remit has grown and today East-Side is active right across London and beyond. In 1998 East-Side became incorporated as a private limited company, and in 1999 was awarded charitable status, changing its name to East-Side Educational Trust.
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Following the success of its inaugural production, the company moved to offices above The Green Room Club, the oldest actors' club in the world. That was followed by three years aboard the prestigious naval vessel HMS President, where East-Side enjoyed the honour of being London's only underwater theatre company!
East-Side can now be found in the East End of London in Shoreditch which has a rich theatrical history and was the location of the premiere of Romeo and Juliet.
East-Side is based at Perseverance Works and the company's offices also provide a resource centre for creative practitioners, artists and facilitators active in arts education. In time East-Side is planning to develop the resource centre into an international centre of excellence as the Trust recognises the importance of advocacy for arts education and for celebrating achievements within the field and hopes to be able to play an influential role in shaping the future of arts education.