GoDA Bursaries
HOW TO APPLY FOR A GoDA BURSARY
All Youth Groups intending to take part in an adjudicated local festival are eligible to apply for a bursary of up to £200 to help them with costs. Priority will be given to groups looking to take part in a festival for the first time, and to groups who identify that their chosen festival will have a constructive public adjudication from a professionally competent, recognized adjudicator who will give them helpful feedback. Groups can be youth theatres, youth wings attached to adult drama societies, after-school drama groups, charities, formally constituted or not-for-profit voluntary organisations.
Theatre schools with paying students and paid staff will not, however, be considered.
You will need a bank account that is not a personal one. You may have an organisation that can be your representative in this, such as the main adult group overseeing a youth group. We will ask details of that bank account so that, if you are awarded money, we can make the bursary payment by BACS.
The bursary can be used to help pay costs such as entry fees, licence fees, travel, material for costumes and props, etc. Please note that the money may only be spent on the project and festival for which it was awarded.
Please note that bursaries will only be awarded where the festival for which you are applying is adjudicated by recognised adjudicators such as G.o.D.A.
If you are successful, you will be informed by email and the money will be paid by BACS shortly after. We would very much like successful youth groups to acknowledge in any publicity and festival programme information that they received financial help from the G.o.D.A. bursary scheme, and to email a short report on how the money was used and how things went for them at their festival.
If you are unsuccessful, you will be informed by email. Please be aware that the trustees’ decision is final and that no reason will be given if your application is unsuccessful.
Good luck!
Download your Bursary Application here:
(If using a mobile, visit our website on a desktop or tablet for an application)
Feedback from Bursary Recipients
From Builth Wells Young Farmers Club
Dear Members of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators,
On behalf of Builth Wells Young Farmers Club, I would like to sincerely thank you for awarding us this bursary to support our production. We are extremely grateful, and the bursary has really made a meaningful contribution to helping our members take to the stage and enjoy the experience of live theatre.
The funding was used to support the creation of our set, along with elements of costume and props. This enabled our members to bring their roles to life while developing practical skills in creativity, design, teamwork and stagecraft. Having the opportunity to perform with resources that truly enhanced the overall quality of the production, supported our members to be fully involved in the performance.
Many members of our cast had never performed on stage before, so the opportunity to take part in a full production was particularly special. The bursary helped ensure that these young people could participate in a production that felt professional, immersive and rewarding.
Our production, “Checkmate”, went on to achieve 3rd place overall at the Brecknock YFC Drama Festival, held at Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon. We were incredibly proud of this result, particularly as we are a relatively young club. In addition, the production received nominations for Best Actor (U28), Best Actress (U18), Best Choreography and Best Written Production, and we were delighted to be awarded the trophy for Best Set.
The bursary played an important role in supporting the creativity of our members, and receiving the Best Set award, as well as our 3rd place achievement, is a testament to the impact that support had on our production and members. We are extremely grateful to the Guild of Drama Adjudicators for investing in opportunities like this for young people in rural communities.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Builth Wells Young Farmers Club
From Bwlch and Crickhowell YFC
Dear Members of the Guild,
On behalf of Bwlch and Crickhowell YFC, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to The Guild of Drama Adjudicators for awarding us the £100 bursary. We are extremely grateful for your support of youth theatre and the opportunities this funding provides to our members.
The bursary was allocated directly towards costumes and staging for our country and western themed performance at Theatre Brycheiniog, where we competed in the Brecknock Drama Festival this year. The funding enabled us to enhance the visual impact of the production, ensuring our country-inspired costumes were authentic and cohesive, and allowing us to strengthen the overall staging to reflect the theme effectively.
We are very proud to report that we placed 7th overall in the competition, an achievement that our members were extremely pleased with. In addition, our production received a nomination for costumes and make-up, reflecting the effort and creativity invested in bringing the theme to life. Three of our members were also nominated for best acting roles, which was a tremendous recognition of their dedication and hard work.
Your bursary played an important role in supporting our members’ creative efforts and helping them gain valuable experience in competitive theatre. We truly appreciate your continued encouragement of young performers.
Thank you once again for your generosity and support.
Yours faithfully,
Bwlch and Crickhowell YFC