YARD PLUS – Lithuania, Vilnius

TEEN role in the project

• • Rediscover their city/village through local stories and legends

• • Interview elderly residents and collect songs, fairy tales, and memories

• • Decide which people to visit, which questions to ask, and where to host events

• • Transform collected material into performances, writings, or dance pieces

• • Curate and present a photo exhibition and documentary theatre performance for the local community

Peculiarity

Teenagers shape every step of the process: from choosing interviewees and questions to creating performances and exhibitions, fostering civic engagement and intergenerational dialogue.

Project description

Yard Plus is an educational project in Vilnius that offers teenagers creative opportunities to reconnect with their town and its hidden stories. Guided by artists and professionals in theatre, performance, and photography, young participants explore their local environment using documentary theatre methods and non-verbal expression.

They meet long-term residents to uncover untold stories, forgotten songs, and legends, which then become the inspiration for performances and photo exhibitions. Along the way, teens engage in theatre games, improvisations, and collaborative activities that strengthen communication, creativity, and civic responsibility.

The project culminates in a public event where youth present their artistic creations—performances and photo exhibitions—inviting residents of all ages to reflect, exchange experiences, and celebrate their shared community. Yard Plus not only enriches cultural life but also bridges the gap between generations, encouraging young people to value and reimagine their “yard,” the place they come from.

Organization details

Name: Yard Plus – Educational Project by NoShoes Theatre
Country: Lithuania
City: Vilnius
Website: noshoes.lt/edukacija-projektai
Email: noshoesteatras@gmail.com