Case Study:
Soul in the Machine
Project Challenge
Project Features:
- Project Management
- Support
Project Background
YMCA is the oldest and largest youth movement in the world operating in over 120 countries with over 58 million members. Approaching its 175th birthday, YMCA was keen to rediscover the charities origin and founding story as CEO’s across YMCA’s in England and Wales realised that their employees and members knew nothing of the organisation’s beginnings.
Project Website
Project Solution
Bringing together the collective talents of historians’ script writers and the Saltmine Theatre Company, LeadershipWorx developed the stage play, “The Soul in the Machine” which told the story of Sir George Williams, YMCA founder. This show completed three successful tours including a run at the Edinburgh fringe and an invite to YMCA’s world council in Thailand in 2018.
Soul in the machine also played a central role in YMCA Europe’s worldwide 175th birthday celebrations. See ymca175.com for more details.
Project Impact
Following the production of the play, YMCA’s from across the world began to make enquiries about how this story could be distributed across the globe. Having raised £60,000 for the original production of the play, an additional £60,000 was raised to produce a live filming of the play, which has been translated into 8 different languages ready for distribution to YMCA and its member through the website soulinthemachine.online.
“YMCA175 aimed to connect young people from around the world, celebrate 175 years of YMCA and young people transforming communities, and create new ideas to address social issues.
Highlighting YMCA’s history and heritage through Soul in the Machine exerts throughout YMCA175 contextualised the story of YMCA’s foundation, the relevance of its formation still to this day, and the wider purpose of this landmark anniversary event. Saltmine Theatre Company a pleasure to work with.”Mike Bromfield, YMCA175 Event Manager
Book a free consultation
Are you looking for support with your next project? We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to see if we can help to support your project.
Book a Free Consultation