All growth begins with performance...

All Stars London is inspired by the revolutionary performance-based approach to community development pioneered by the All Stars Project Inc. Performance isn’t just for actors, rappers, dancers or singers: it’s something that we’re all doing all the time – in our schools, our jobs, our families and our communities. Every time we meet someone new or take on an unfamiliar and challenging role, we summon up the confidence to perform. Learning to ‘perform our lives’ can open up new possibilities for people of all ages.

For decades, educators and policy-makers have faced the so-called ‘development gap.’

Young people from middle-class backgrounds are regularly exposed to developmental experiences through trips, internships, and whole host of other cultural opportunities. Research has shown that outside-of-school activities have a huge impact on young people’s confidence, curiosity and their chances of success in education and adult life -- but young people from disadvantaged backgrounds do not often have access to that kind of enrichment.

At All Stars London we are aiming to bridge that gap.

We believe in a radical approach to youth development, as outlined by the founders of the All Stars Project in their policy paper ‘Let’s Pretend.’ When applied to young people’s development, performance is the first step toward growth. It is a zone of possibility and collaboration, in which young people can experience both who they are and who they might become. It is also the root of all successful co-operation and community-building. We believe that by bringing together unlikely ‘ensembles’ – consisting of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, dedicated volunteers, professional business people and many more – we can create ongoing, unexpected performances that have the potential to help our communities and our world develop.