Shakespeare Week, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s annual national celebration of Shakespeare, is back for 2026, taking place from 23 – 29 March.
Now in its 12th iteration, founded in 2014, Shakespeare Week provides primary school aged children with opportunities for enjoyable early experiences of Shakespeare. It is one of the pathways to Shakespeare provided by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and allows pupils, teachers, parents, and home educators to access hundreds of free resources including online workshops, storytellings and cross-curricular materials linked to Shakespeare’s life, times and works.
Rachael North, Chief Executive of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: “Shakespeare Week aims to ensure every child has a positive first experience of Shakespeare and as we head into our twelfth year we hope to reach even more children offering a range of ways for pupils, teachers, parents and home educators to access free, creative materials celebrating and exploring Shakespeare.
“2026 will be a time for reflection and development. As well as delivering online and in person, we plan to consult with stakeholders, partners and participants to enable us to plan for the long-term future of the Shakespeare Week programme to make sure we reach even more young people across Warwickshire, the region and nationally.”
“This year especially with the new ‘Hamnet’ film, we’re already seeing a big increase in visits by families with young children, so it’s more important than ever to make this a really inspiring family event for everyone.”
This year’s programme is focused on embedding Shakespeare across the curriculum, allowing teachers and home educators to create a Shakespeare Week as they like it! Pupils can explore a range of cross-curricular resources focusing on three of Shakespeare’s most well-loved plays – ‘Macbeth‘, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ – as well as information about the man himself. Alongside these fabulous resources, all online workshops – including poetry with Michael Rosen, art school with Martin Brown and character speeches – are absolutely free to access via the Shakespeare Week website!
Celebrated author and former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen commented: “I have been very fortunate in having had the chance to work for many years with Shakespeare Week at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. I have seen at close quarters the commitment, scholarship and creativity that they bring to taking Shakespeare to children and young people. They know only too well, that it’s not enough to simply say, ‘Shakespeare is amazing’ or some such. They show through their work that Shakespeare comes alive best when you get down to the images and the passions expressed through the words. Shakespeare Week deserves every support it can get.”
Young people from across Birmingham and Warwickshire will participate in a number of in person workshops across each of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s historic venues in Stratford-upon-Avon. From a dance showcase with pupils from a Birmingham school who have been working with Ascension Dance at Shakespeare’s New Place Gardens to a series of Play in a Day sessions which will see schools respond to ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘The Tempest’ or ‘Macbeth’ and create, in a day, a 10 minute play at either Shakespeare’s Birthplace or New Place Gardens.
Shakespeare Week also includes the launch of a new online exhibition ‘In My Mind’s Eye’ which features some of Shakespeare’s iconic plays and shows how his stories and characters have inspired artists and creatives for hundreds of years. This exhibition provides the inspiration for the Shakespeare Week 2026 competition. Schools and families are invited to submit their play-inspired artwork based on what they see in their ‘mind’s eye’ via the website at Shakespeare Week 2026 Competition. Closing date for submissions 26 May 2026 and there are prizes in each of the categories aged 4 – 7 and aged 8 – 11.
Marcia Williams, author, illustrator and Shakespeare Week patron said: “Shakespeare Week has become one of my favourite times of the year. To witness the excitement and enthusiasm the wonderful team at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust sprinkle like fairy dust amongst the children is a joy to behold. If William Shakespeare is a National Treasure then Shakespeare Week is the perfect way to share his wisdom and wonder with a new generation.”
Find out how you can get involved, access free Shakespeare content and be inspired via www.shakespeareweek.org.uk