Experience El Canal from the Inside
First Residency is a free, immersive programme for children and young people to discover how a performance is created and who makes it possible: artists, technicians, stage management, production, and more.
Each school year, a resident company at El Canal designs an activity that combines a participatory tour of the centre’s spaces with a hands-on workshop in stage creation.
2025–26 Edition · Sònia Gardés
Sònia Gardés (visual theatre and contemporary puppetry) invites participants to meet “Irina”, a puppet created specifically for this activity. Irina, a former worker at the Coma Cros textile factory, returns to the building and discovers a performing-arts creation centre—an ideal starting point to open doors to imagination and to the craft of object theatre.
Who it’s for
-
Upper Primary (ages 8–10)
-
Lower Secondary — ESO, Years 3–4 (ages 14–16)
Learning objectives
-
Discover stage professions and key vocabulary, and understand the technical and creative workings of a performance.
-
Spark curiosity and interest in stage creation, fostering a critical and respectful engagement with the professionals who make it possible.
Metodology
Before the visit: discovering the space from the classroom
With the help of a short video made especially for them, pupils get a first look at the centre—its spaces and the people who keep El Canal running.
After the screening, a brief follow-up activity can be done. This material prepares the group for the visit, builds motivation, and introduces key vocabulary they will work with during the activity.
During the visit: experiencing the space from the inside
Once at the centre, students will recognise the spaces seen in the video—now from a closer, hands-on perspective. The visit is conceived as an immersive experience where they can move, observe, and participate actively, becoming part of the centre’s daily life.
-
Welcome: What is a creation centre and how does it work? Using images to connect stage professions with students’ interests.
-
Participatory tour: Each space focuses on specific content. At times, the group will be split in two to facilitate movement.
-
Hands-on workshop: Interaction with the puppet; the artist guides a first experience in object animation.
-
Closing: Collective debrief and wrap-up.
After the visit
This project aims to foster active participation by children and young people in the cultural life of their immediate surroundings, bringing them closer to a cultural venue that forms part of the community fabric—a place they can return to.
At the same time, it helps develop specific cultural competencies and key content that can be further explored back in the classroom using follow-up materials.
Calendar & Schedule (2025–26 school year)
Duration
1 h 30 min
Time slots
09:30–11:00 (Slot 1)
11:15–12:45 (Slot 2)
Days
Mondays and Tuesdays, from 6 October to 2 December 2025.
Inscriptions
(*complete)
Tramitació en línia per a centres educatius de Salt:
Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis upon registration and confirmation. If a time slot is full, we’ll offer alternative dates
Classroom resources
(All available in the downloadable pack and via the links on this page)
-
- Preparation video (to watch before the visit)
- Basic glossary of theatre professions and spaces
- Activity sheets for Primary
- Activity sheet for Secondary
Accessibility
The tour and workshop can be adapted to specific needs (mobility, language, learning pace). Please indicate this at registration so we can arrange appropriate support and reasonable adjustments.
Contact
Doubts and coordination: comunitat@elcanalsalt.cat
Credits & Support
A project by El Canal and the Salt City Council, with the support of the Government of Catalonia, the Girona Provincial Council, and the Girona City Council.
Històric d’artistes convidats
2025–26 · Sònia Gardés — Teatre visual i titella contemporani. Proposta: “Irina” (taller de teatre d’objectes + visita participativa) (Aquesta pàgina s’actualitzarà anualment amb la nova companyia resident, materials i dates de cada edició.)
