The small moments and why they matter

In times when children and young people face so many challenges – such as food poverty and the ongoing mental health consequences of the pandemic – and when public services are stretched to breaking point, these moments can seem ‘nice-to-have’ or a luxury that can be no longer afforded. But the story is not so simple.

Travelling Light’s show Igloo recently toured to children’s centres and community venues, reaching children from babies up to age 4 and their families with a non-verbal inclusive performance and a child-led stay and play session, created with children from our local nursery. 

Many of them had never seen or experienced theatre before. There were many moments of wonder, laughter and play. 

Making a real difference

Our evaluator’s follow up two weeks later with the early years centres showed the impact of the work had gone beyond those first moments of laughter and wonder. Early years workers reported that the story had encouraged the children to identify and name their emotions, developing their speech and language, and that their confidence had been developed by the child-led activities.

Research shows that by the time children start school, the language development of disadvantaged children is significantly lower than their more advantaged peers. This gap widens from months to five years’ difference by the age of 14, affecting future employment and mental health. Put in this context, moments of creativity and imagination that develop speech, language, confidence and self-expression make a real difference.

Such small moments are present throughout our work and, reflecting on the last year, they are the things I feel the most proud of. Moments such as: a schoolchild saying they felt “a little bit more brave”; a member of our theatre group for young people with additional needs sharing their superpower in front of friends and family; or sitting in a local park hearing a mum recommend our holiday club to another mum as something creative and fun to do in the holidays. These moments often get missed in news, statistics or impact reports.

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Travelling Light's performance of Igloo. Photo:Alastair Brooks

Celebrating small moments

Looking a little deeper – through in-depth impact evaluation – we learned that the child that felt a little braver went on to feel more confident to ask questions in class and engage with learning. That the young person sharing their superpowers had found a group they fitted into for the first time and the confidence to get involved in more activities in and out of school. That the family whose child enjoyed the holiday activities found not only a fun creative hour or two but the chance for a healthy meal, to socialise with others, to be part of a community.

These small moments demonstrate clearly that theatre and creativity are not just a ‘nice-to-have’ but are as necessary as any other service for children, families and communities. As our landlord at the Wellspring Settlement in Barton Hill said: “All the charities here provide something important to the community – if you weren’t here, who would bring the joy?”

In making the much-needed case for the arts and our relevance, it’s easy to highlight the visible, the big shows and festivals, the economic impact, the crown jewels, the numbers of people reached. In the efforts to lobby for the impact of the arts on the cultural and economic life of cities, it’s easy to see why these things take precedence. 

But while this story is important, let’s not forget the other less visible stories that happen in the background, that take time and care and quiet work, but are equally important and tell us just as much about our relevance. Let’s take the time to celebrate the small moments that can change lives.

Dienka Hines is Chief Executive Officer of Travelling Light Theatre Company.
 travellinglighttheatre.org.uk/
@tltheatre | @dienkahines

Travelling Light Theatre Company celebrates its 40th anniversary with Winter Lights, a celebration and collaboration with children, young people and the local community. To find out more about our work sign up to the mailing list.