Participate

Student Sessions

Student sessions are designed to support vocational learning and make space for students to think beyond the technical skills of their craft and explore the industry (and their role within it) on a deeper level. With a core focus throughout the programme on building students’ employability skills, students will come away empowered with greater awareness and confidence to help them navigate the industry as individuals. Sessions will also help to cultivate a greater understanding and commitment to how they can become a force for positive change in an inclusive, collaborative space. 

We are thrilled to now offer three strands of our Participate student programme that respond to the nuance of studying different areas of the performing arts: 

Staff Sessions

The programme for teaching and administrative staff creates space for reflection, as well as being future-focused, including the provision of a range of useful tools and framing of ideas and concepts which participants can integrate into their practice.

Participate’s Impact

Participate is a thriving nationwide programme, reflecting a growing demand for high-quality training that supports collaborative learning environments and builds employability skills. During 2025-26, Tonic delivered 85 sessions across 18 higher education and training institutions, reaching 1,681 students and staff. 81% of students and 91% of staff rated their overall experience as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. To date, we have worked with 32 institutions across the UK performing arts training ecology.

The Importance of Employability Skills 

Tonic is committed to supporting the workforce of the arts and cultural sector to become more diverse, resilient and adaptable. It has learned firsthand over its fifteen years working across the sector, that in order to take a robust approach in this, individuals working in the industry must feel confident in obtaining and exercising the necessary skills required to support them in preparing for the challenges they may face in the industry. 

Through our Participate programme, we aim to support students in this preparation, right at the outset of their career journey. By providing a range of training that helps to boost students’ employability skills, we are able to support them to feel greater confidence in entering the world of work. 

Advance HE recently said of Employability Skills: 

“Employability skills in higher education are essential for preparing students for the workforce. These skills encompass a range of abilities that go beyond academic knowledge, including communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, resilience, digital literacy, teamwork, and leadership. Universities are adapting their curriculums to equip graduates with the tools they need to succeed in their careers, bridging the skills gap, enhancing career readiness, and improving graduate outcomes.”