Did you know that Jigsaw Arts has its very own agency?

Jigsaw Arts Management is a theatre, TV & film agency representing children and young people from Jigsaw Performing Arts Schools. The agency provides a link between the schools and the Arts industry, giving students the potential opportunity to audition for professional work. 

As our fabulous arts & entertainment industry begins to reopen, our wonderful Jigsaw Arts Management is springing back to life too. We are excited to announce that we are holding an open agency workshop on Friday the 29th of October and would love to meet any child or young person with the passion and confidence for the arts. If you are a current Jigsaw student and want to find out more about the workshop and the agency, please email Emily on agency@jigsaw-arts.co.uk

 

 

What to expect at the agency workshop?

The day will be packed full of exciting performing arts workshops. The students will be split into 2 age groups and will experience 4 different workshops – singing, dance, drama & audition technique. Students will have the chance to experience mock castings to understand what happens in real auditions. 

 

 

How old do you need to be to join the workshop and / or agency?

Our workshop in October is aimed at children aged 6 and above. But if you have a little superstar who is under 6 years old and is interested in joining the agency, send Emily an email to find out more!

 

 

What are you looking for in the children?

We are looking for children who are passionate and enthusiastic for performing! Who are confident and enjoy playing different characters and are not afraid to try new things. Casting directors are often looking for ‘real’ kids, with big personalities, who can come across as genuine on screen or on stage. Some children may excel in drama and be ideal for TV and commercial castings, whilst others who are more advanced in singing and dancing, may be ideal for musical theatre castings. 

 

 

Who will be there?

Emily

Emily runs Jigsaw Arts Management and is also the manager of Jigsaw Arts Balham. Emily will be leading on the singing workshops as well as ensuring everyone has a wonderful time! She graduated from SLP in 2013 and has since completed her MA at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

 

Abbie

Abbie will be running the drama and audition workshops. She graduated from ALRA in 2016 and has since gone on to perform with the BBC Radio Rep Company, played ‘Missy’ in the Big Finish: Doctor Who’s spin-off Series. You can hear her in Watchdogs: Legion on PS4/5, Xbox One/ Series X & PC. Abbie also features on commercials for Maltesers, Penguin Books and Bumble. She recently went into the BBC to record Book at Bedtime and you can currently hear her narrating Careless by Kirsty Capes on BBC Sounds (coming to Radio 4 very soon). 

 

Lauren

Lauren will be leading the dance workshops. Since graduating from LIPA, she worked professionally as a performer in musical tours, children’s shows TV & film. Lauren has been working with Jigsaw for over 10 years and is the manager of Jigsaw Surbiton & Jigsaw Croydon.

 

Angel
Angel will be there to assist and help everyone out. She has attended Jigsaw from the age of 3 and now works for Jigsaw Balham! 

 

What does my child need for the day?

-Packed lunch 

-Plenty of water / drinks for the day

-To wear clothes & shoes that you can move easily in (if you have a Jigsaw t-shirt, that would be ideal!)

 

What happens after the workshop?

In the last part of the workshop, we will invite parents & carers back for a short Q&A session. We will discuss the factors to consider when joining up and give more details on how to go about sorting headshots, spotlight membership and joining Jigsaw Arts Management. Emily will be available to answer any questions. 

 

What do I need to consider before joining? 

The arts industry is a very competitive market for sure, and although being on the agency can provide some very rewarding experiences for your child, we should point out that, due to the very uncertain nature of the casting process, there is no guarantee of any auditions. Many of our students can go months without a single casting.  We will make every effort to find as many appropriate opportunities for your child as we can, but it is important to be realistic about the competitive and changeable nature of the industry. 

 

Some of the shows our students have appeared in include School of Rock, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Les Miserables, The Lion King and Waitress.

 

 

Schools across the UK are closed and many parents are now working from home. The official advice is to avoid leaving the house unnecessarily, but how to keep your children active and engaged with learning and the world around them? We have found some isolation resources for parents and children at home!

Most schools will be setting work to be completed from home. Jigsaw parents will soon see some bonus content from our fabulously talented teachers. Hopefully this will help you and your children keep the love of dance, singing and drama alive until we return.

Be sure to join your Jigsaw school’s Facebook group to keep up to date! 

But how to fill the rest of their days? Here are our ideas of isolation resources for parents and children, most of which are free!

There are hours and hours of content here, so don’t feel like you have to rush into all of them all at once. Have a look through with your children and discuss with them what they find interesting and what they would like to explore further.

What are you finding useful in isolation with your children? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram!

 

Isolation Resources

Take in a Show

Theatres have closed to the public but many are offering streaming versions of their shows. For younger audiences, you can watch the Wind in the Willows musical, recorded from the London Palladium, for free.

For older ones, Marquee.tv – a streaming home to a whole host of theatre, dance and opera – has extended their free trial period to 30 days.

The Royal Opera House will be streaming ballet and opera for free on their YouTube channel.

There’s almost too much to watch to keep up with it all!

 

Reading

Children’s author David Walliams is releasing a free audio story every day at 11AM over on his website. Likewise, Audible are making a great number of their audiobook titles free while schools are closed, including classics like Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter alongside contemporary works for children, tweens and teens.

Contact your local or school library and see what options they have for borrowing eBooks, and your local bookshops to see if they are doing home deliveries. And don’t forget, many classic books are so old they are now in the public domain. This means anyone is free to copy and use them, so you can find digital copies for free or very cheap!

The National Literacy Trust have also created a web portal for parents with activities connected to reading and writing.

 

Virtual Tours

Your children can take virtual field trips online, visiting destinations around the world from the comfort of their own home.

Using the same tech as their Street View, Google offer virtual tours of a number of cultural institutions and landmarks. Children can search for collections and places related to their curriculum, bringing their studies to life, or pursue a topic or place of particular interest.

Google Arts & Culture also offer online versions of exhibitions.

We enjoyed floating through the International Space Station; learning about the history of musical instruments – and hearing some of them – from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; and, a bit closer to home, strolling through London’s National Gallery.

 

Nature and History

Disney+, already launched in America, has now made it to the UK. However, it’s not all cartoons, classic movies and buzzy shows like Star Wars-set The Mandalorian.

One of the key brands on Disney+ is National Geographic, providing hours of fascinating documentaries and shows that will help their understanding of the world. Disney’s own nature documentaries also have a home on the new streaming service.

 

Physical Education

You might have seen this one  – his first video has almost 3 million views already! Joe Wicks, a.k.a. “The Body Coach,” hosts a 30 minute “PE with Joe” workout every day for parents and kids.

He streams live from 9AM on his YouTube channel, but you can watch and follow along later in the day, whenever it’s convenient. Find out more here and watch the first installment below!

 

For parents

Of course, it’s not just the kids that need support. This is a stressful time for parents, so make sure to take care of yourselves too!

Meditation app Headspace has created a new free collection of meditations, sleep, and movement exercises called “Weathering the storm.” Calm, a similar app, have their own resource page too, including calming music, meditations, and movements.

 

Importantly – take the pressure off yourself! Have a read of these tips from psychologists about working from home with your children and teenagers.

From all of us at Jigsaw – we hope these isolation resources help and that you and your family are keeping healthy, happy and safe!

Jigsaw Franchisee Christabel has recently completed franchise training and is set to open Jigsaw Performing Arts School Epsom!

Why do you want to open a Jigsaw School?

I’ve been a Jigsaw parent for the last four years and over this time, I’ve marvelled at what it’s done for my son. It’s instilled him with so much confidence and passion that he has positively blossomed over the years. He has gone from a boisterous toddler to a more focused child who now has an outlet for all that little boy energy! He is currently excelling in all areas – he ran for (and was elected into) the school council as a student rep, joined a choir, performs regularly at talent shows when we’re on holiday, choreographs dance routines for his friends to follow and he is absolutely bursting with the kind of poise and self-assurance that I would never have dreamt of even having as a seven-year-old! Seeing the impact that Jigsaw has had on my son inspired me to open up my own Jigsaw school and consequently, provide the same remarkable opportunities to children within the Epsom area.

What are you most excited about?

I’m already extremely enthusiastic about opening up a new school and welcoming all our lovely new students, once we run our first session on Saturday 13th January 2024. However, if I had to state what excites me the most, it would be the notion of having the privilege to be present, witnessing the Epsom students develop over time, growing in confidence, developing their skills in the performing arts and ultimately preparing for and participating in shows and presentations. As a teacher/lecturer, I have always felt a sense of pride in observing my students’ achievements, therefore, I am particularly thrilled to have the chance to do something which enhances the lives of all the children who come to Jigsaw Epsom.

What are the three main goals you have for your school?

• To build on the Jigsaw mission statement of providing a place to belong
• To develop performance skills, promote self-expression and build confidence for all who attend Jigsaw Epsom
• To ensure that everyone has fun and is treated with dignity and respect, making it a fantastic place to work and train at

To learn more about the performing arts classes at Jigsaw Epsom, click here. Get in touch with Christabel to book your two-week trial by emailing Ep***@ji*********.uk or call 02038118636!

What Can Parents Do About Internet Safety?

The internet can be a great tool. For us at Jigsaw, it can be a great way of hearing about new shows, finding lyrics to sing along to our favourite songs, and keeping up with or sharing the great things Jigsaw students (and former students!) are up to. It’s also an often necessary part of life and work. So, given that children are going to use the internet, how can we help make their experiences safer and teach them about internet safety?

 

Existing tools

Big tech companies like Google and Apple have introduced features (‘Family Link’ and ‘Family Sharing’ respectively) that allow parents to place boundaries on what their children can access on their devices.

However, these have limits, often relying on mysterious ‘algorithms’ or creators’ own age-ratings to determine what is and isn’t appropriate.

These companies can also be reluctant to change as it would cost them money. Regulators and governments can struggle to keep up.

In September 2019 in America, YouTube was hit by a fine for violating children’s privacy. As a result, the platform now makes a distinction between general videos and those directed towards children, which don’t have comments or serve personalised ads.

Still, the responsibility is mostly on the creator and uploader to make this distinction. And while YouTube has its own special app for children, YouTube Kids, this doesn’t guarantee that everything that appears on the app is child-friendly.

Internet providers – BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin – have their own parental controls too.

While these options are useful, parents can’t rely on technical solutions alone.

 

 

 

Internet safety is an ongoing conversation

The internet can often be unpredictable and vast, and internet safety, at least from a parent’s perspective, can seem like a never-ending task. Parents can’t monitor their children all the time – online or offline! – so they have to work together for internet safety.

 

1. Begin by listening

Ask about what they do and enjoy online, what they share and who they share with, and what problems they might face online (or have faced already).

There are plenty of guides to help you begin this conversation. For example, the NSPCC website has some good approaches for how to start a conversation with your children about online safety. The UK Safer Internet Centre also has some tips for parents as well as for children, broken down by age and videos.

 

2. Help develop their critical thinking skills 

Being able to think critically about what we see and read online will only become a more valuable skill in our increasingly digital and connected society. Talk about how you can tell if something – or someone – is trustworthy.

 

3. Look at privacy options together

They can be a bit complex, but most social networks have options for who you share your data with and how. Remind them to regularly check their friends list and, if they’re in doubt, to check with them in real life first before accepting a request from someone who appears to be their friend.

 

4. Check in regularly

It’s an ongoing conversation, especially as devices and online platforms can change or appear so rapidly (e.g. TikTok’s rapid growth in popularity). Parents can risk letting that generation gap widen unless they keep the conversation going and let their children know that they can come to them with any problems or questions.

 

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

Incredible Singing Success Stories

 

 

The benefits of singing

Let’s face it: we all love singing. Whether it’s around the house, in the car or within a singing lesson, we somehow feel more alive after giving a rendition of our favourite rock song, pop song or musical theatre number.

Singing is cathartic. It helps ease stress and can prove to be hugely beneficial for our emotional well-being. Some of us are born with a natural ability to sing, others get better over time with practice and professional training. Whatever the journey, there are some fantastic singers out there… here are just a handful of incredible singing success stories.

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s rise to stardom has been a swift one. A creative singer-songwriter, it’s quite amazing how much he achieved by his early 20s. After a brief hiatus, Ed Sheeran is back, and he used social media to announce his new records. Having already released two singles this year which currently sit at numbers 1 and 2 in the UK singles chart, we think it’s safe to say that 2017 will be a busy year for Ed Sheeran.

Susan Boyle

Originally from Scotland, Susan Boyle won the nations hearts when she gave her rendition of I Dreamed a Dream from the long-running musical, Les Miserables on Britain’s Got Talent in 2008. It didn’t take long for her performance to take the internet by storm, and she has since sold millions of records to critical acclaim.

Adele

Social Media played its part in Adele’s rise to fame. She was only a teenager when a video of her singing was uploaded to Myspace, and since then she’s enjoyed a series of Grammy Awards, Brit Awards, and has released one of the best-selling UK albums of all time, all in the space of just ten years.

Aled Jones

Aled Jones rose to fame in the 1980s. Originally from Wales, Aled’s voice struck a chord with the nation when he sung Walking in the Air for Channel 4’s The Snowman. By the age of 16 he had recorded a plethora of albums, and still ever-present on television, Aled’s career has stood the test of time and has lasted over 30 years.

Will.i.am

Will.i.am’s career has grown over recent years. After The Black Eyed Peas became a household name, Will.i.am enjoyed a successful solo career. Now a regular judge on The Voice UK, Will.i.am has branched out from his music career to develop his own clothing range and even a new digital watch.

Singing lessons

Is your child keen to develop their singing voice? Click the link to find out more about our singing classes for children at Jigsaw and find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

How to Conquer Stage Fright!

Glossophobia. No, it’s not a new type of paint. It’s the fear of public speaking – or, in other words, stage fright.

It’s one of the most common fears. Even very experienced performers get stage fright, so it’s not surprising that children do as well.

 

“I get stage fright and gremlins in my head saying: ‘You’re going to forget your lines’.” – Alan Rickman

The fear of performing or public speaking can hold children back from achieving so much – creatively, personally and, further down the line, professionally – and a lot of its root causes develop at an early age.

Even outside of the performing arts, there are so many situations where children can suffer from stage fright – reading in assembly or giving a presentation to the rest of the class, for example. Similarly, good public speaking is a rare – and valued – skill.

Stage fright can be even worse when it’s in front of peers, people they know and see every day, and in the school environment which usually forms the basis of a child’s social world.

Here are some tips on how you can help your children – no matter their age – overcome stage fright or, hopefully, avoid it in the first place!

 

1. Teach them the power of a positive mindset

It’s easy to get drawn in to patterns of negative thinking, as an adult or as a child. Pessimism and low self-esteem feed into stage fright.

To counter these, it’s important for children who want to perform or speak publicly to learn how to concentrate on calming thoughts and resist negative, anxious ones. Knowing a few breathing techniques and exercises (usually taught in singing lessons) is useful too.

Children need to learn to not overthink about the audience or start second-guessing the audience’s reaction. They need to remember that they have something valuable to create or contribute to the world. The audience wouldn’t be in front of them otherwise; the audience want to hear what they’re saying (or acting, or singing!).

This is why it’s important children feel valued, that as they grow up they are given positive reinforcement and develop a voice and an identity as an individual. Confidence in speaking or performing comes from confidence in yourself, which needs to be built up from an early age.

 

2. Prepare and rehearse

The more confident they are in their material, the easier it is to have confidence in themselves. There are so many ways to support children in the lead up to a performance or speech, whether it’s running lines with them, letting them stay in the bathroom longer to practice monologues in the mirror, or just being their first enthusiastic audience of one.

The more practice they can have in front of audiences – whether that’s in school plays, choirs, Jigsaw shows, or just performing to family in the living room at home – the less embarrassing and anxiety-inducing it becomes.

 

3. Healthiness can help

Caffeine and sugary treats might provide an immediate rush, but these are soon followed by a crash.

Healthy eating, keeping active and good sleeping habits all set children up for success in front of an audience!

 

“I still suffer terribly from stage fright. I get sick with fear. Not every night, but at the beginning and on occasion – not necessarily when I’m expecting it. You just have to cope with it – take it on the chin and work through it, trying to use the adrenalin to perform.” – Helen Mirren

 

4. Realise that it’s OK to make mistakes!

Nobody’s perfect – not even Alan Rickman or Helen Mirren, and most of us aren’t them.

Making mistakes isn’t the end of the world. In public performing or speaking, it’s more important to express yourself than to have 100%, robotic accuracy. If someone on stage is enjoying themselves, chances are the audience will be too!

Jigsaw Performing Arts is dedicated to developing performance skills, promoting self-expression and building confidence. We offer performing arts classes for children aged between 3 – 18. Find your nearest school by entering your postcode into the search on our home page. 

Franchise support, all businesses offer it but to what extent? At Jigsaw, our Founder and Company Director Nicola Lander takes a hand-on approach to training and nurturing our new franchisees!

What franchise support is offered to new Jigsaw franchisees?

• Nicola will stand by your side in the first year
• You will be assigned a Franchise Support Manager
• Franchise Support Manager will offer tailored advice to suit your needs
• Ongoing Coaching sessions from a qualified life coach
• Professional business support from a knowledgeable team
• Launch support
• Always someone on the end of the phone

What does Jigsaw ongoing franchise support include?

• Access to our evolving operations manual
• Ongoing school visits
• Zoom, telephone or in-person meetings
• Annual reviews
• Annual general meetings

We believe the key to a successful Jigsaw school is finding the right people. We understand you need time before you make any commitment so there is no hard sell and never any obligation to proceed once you come and meet with us. Our initial meetings are just a way for you to gather as much information as possible.

If you would like to learn more about the business, head to our website here: https://www.jigsaw-arts.co.uk/franchises/

Get in touch to book a discovery meeting – franchise@jigsaw-arts.co.uk!

Becoming our next Jigsaw franchisee can bring financial and personal success in a fun and creative way. Our award-winning Franchise package could be just what you are looking for. Create the perfect work life balance, working part time hours for a potential full-time wage.

Our franchise package

Franchise Fee: £8995 plus VAT
Equipment and launch marketing campaign: £3750 plus VAT
Monthly royalty fee: 10%
Monthly marketing fee: 2%

 

Training

Full training is led by our founder Nicola Lander who set up the business over 25 years ago and personally ensures that each new Jigsaw school meets our high standards of customer care and brilliant, fun and engaging classes.

Find out more about our head office team HERE

You will be training on every aspect of the business including but not limited to:

• Day to day running of our school
• Finding the perfect venue to hold our classes
• Day to day administration of your school
• Staff recruitment and management
• Marketing your school including full social media overview
• Policies including health and safety, GDPR and child protection
• Guidance on legal requirements and accounting for your business
• Operations manual and use of our IT systems

Our ongoing support includes access to the following

• Launch support from an experienced Jigsaw franchisee and our head office team
• Access to our very evolving operations manual.
• Ongoing site visits
• Email and telephone meetings
• Top up training on improvements to the business model
• Annual reviews
• Annual general meetings

All the administrative functions of the business are handled by our bespoke online system which make the less attractive side of running any business easy and quick so you can focus on delivering excellent classes and customer service.

The benefits of franchising

• Proven business model – over 25 years of experience
• Strong brand association
• Strong marketing support
• Professional business support by a dedicated head office team.
• Ongoing training and mentoring
• A ready-made business with quick and easy set up due to our experience
• Resale value

We believe the key to a successful Jigsaw school is finding the right people. We understand you need time before you make any commitment so there is no hard sell and never any obligation to proceed once you come and meet with us. Our initial meetings are just a way for you to gather as much information as possible.

JOIN A TEAM OF SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISEES!

Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself!

We look forward to discussing the opportunity and helping you to decide if our business is right for you.

Please contact us to learn more about our franchise package by emailing fr*******@ji*********.uk.