Arts University Bournemouth’s Palace Court Theatre hosted an evening of performance, art and discussion on Wednesday 9 September, welcoming over 300 national educational leaders as part of the annual Boys’ Impact Conference.
The sold-out, two-day national conference hosted at Bournemouth University on 9–10 September brought together key decision-makers, trust executives, headteachers and university leaders from across the UK to address educational disparities and drive strategies to improve outcomes for working-class boys and young men.
A central highlight of the conference took place at AUB’s historic Palace Court Theatre, where guests gathered for a special evening reception and performance. The event showcased Boys Can, an original 30-minute play written and performed by Our Direction, an all-boys acting company from Ferndown Upper School.
Based on the young cast members' own lived experiences, the piece explored themes of identity, peer pressure, online influences and the ongoing challenge of masculinity and societal expectations to “man up”. The performance was followed by an insightful post-show panel discussion with the young performers.
Alongside the theatrical production, attendees explored AUB’s acclaimed Being a Boy exhibition, previously displayed at the House of Commons, which celebrates creative responses to young male identity and educational engagement.
The evening featured speeches from Lisa Mann, Vice-Chancellor and CEO at AUB, alongside Michael Dooley, His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Dorset, underlining AUB’s regional leadership in creative education, community engagement and widening participation.
Reflecting on the success of the event, Dr Alex Blower, Director of Boys’ Impact, comments: “The evening offered an extraordinary platform to showcase how creative education, youth engagement, and widening participation can genuinely transform lives.”
“The performance by the students from Ferndown Upper School served as a powerful reminder of why this work is so vital.”
The hosting of the event underscores AUB’s ongoing commitment to widening participation in line with Strategy 2030+, breaking down barriers to higher education and using the creative arts to amplify young voices across the region and beyond.
