The ABTT’s MAKE A DiFFERENCE day is an annual proactive conference day committed to the discussion of current industry issues.

The theme for this year’s discussion is: Continuing to Learn Beyond Education

The conference will be held on:

Thursday 16th April 2026 at
Bathway Theatre,
University of Greenwich
Bathway,
Woolwich
London SE18 6QX

The conference has been developed to continue the great joined-up thinking that is happening in the many ABTT seminars which are convened throughout the year and at the ABTT Theatre Show.  With support of academic theatre production staff from Guildford School of Acting the ABTT shall facilitate these continuing discussions on the conference day and provide a more focused proactive platform to encourage actions and find practical solutions to move forward with industry issues.

Get Involved – Register Your Interest
Spaces are limited, and the ABTT encourages businesses, employers, educators, and training providers to express their interest early.

Register your interest on the MAKE A DiFFERENCE Conference 2026 Expressions of Interest Form here.

As part of the registration process, attendees will be asked to commit to the MAKE A DiFFERENCE Participation Agreement, which encourages everyone to leave the event with a clear, feasible action plan to improve recruitment, retention, and professional development across the industry.

They will also be invited to attend an online pre-conference meeting which is scheduled for the 1st April 2026 12:30pm – 1.30pm to let them know what to expect on the day of the event.

To learn more about previous conferences and outcomes—including discussions on “Rethinking backstage technical teaching and apprenticeships”, “Solving Our Industry’s Recruitment & Retention Crisis” and “Bridging the Gap Between Education and Employment”—visit here.