Priorities for drama
The Scottish Arts Council Corporate Plan identifies priorities for 2007-2009 and we will work within these priorities to achieve a vibrant and sustainable theatre sector.
We will increase support for individual theatre artists through:
- fellowships, with an international dimension
- support for ‘creative producers’
- new programmes for assistant directors and associate artists, including a focus on disability and cultural diversity
- support for continuing professional development and critical exchange programmes in partnership with the Federation of Scottish Theatre
- promotion of international showcases for dance and drama.
We have agreed funding at an enhanced level on a five-year cycle for eight drama Foundation Organisations, which will have a key role in creating and presenting work of high quality locally and nationally. We will use our Quality Framework to help them to develop best practice in all areas.
The drama Foundation Organisations are:
The drama department also leads on one cross-artform organisation which has foundation status: the Macrobert (Stirling).
We wish to create an environment where the new and the innovative can flourish, and have set up a pool of project and programme funding which will allow more flexible investment for up to three years. Seventeen drama organisations will benefit from this funding in 2007/08. The artists supported by these organisations provide work in a variety of genres and styles, for adults, young people and children, in rural and urban settings. The companies will remain responsible for keeping themselves financially and organisationally healthy. We will continue to support initiatives that help companies to share their experience and resources including developing models for Creative Hubs.
We will continue to provide support for playwrights through the Playwrights’ Studio Scotland which mentors writers and promotes their work. Our New Work Development Fund will help playwrights and other theatre artists who want to develop their practice. The integration of the Citizens Theatre and TAG will provide a strong platform for yet more quality work for young people.
Our relationship with the vibrant youth theatre sector comes through foundation funding for Scottish Youth Theatre, and support for Promote YT, which helps networking, training and information exchange within the sector.
We promote the Council’s equalities agenda through many of our funded organisations, but the work of Theatre Workshop, Lung Ha’s, and Birds of Paradise with disabled theatre artists is particularly relevant. The promotion of cultural diversity includes Ankur Arts and Theatre Insaan.
We will make sure that audiences across the country have access to a good choice of styles and genres of quality work in drama across the country, not least through the work of the Foundation Organisations. The new Programming Fund will encourage co-operation between venues and allow audiences to see and hear diverse artists from beyond Scotland. We will look at how more people can get access to the arts through forms such as Street Arts. The Touring and Production Fund will encourage the nationwide creation and touring of work (including in Gaelic). We will consider the establishment of a touring exchange to improve the co-ordination and provision of work across the country. These initiatives will be informed by our new Theatre Touring Strategy.
In 2007/08 the funding of the National Theatre of Scotland will come under the direct responsibility of the Scottish Executive. We believe it is vital that communications between the NTS, the Scottish Arts Council and the rest of the sector are maintained. We will form a Theatre Forum, which will involve the key practitioners from the sector so that they can reflect and comment on issues that affect drama in Scotland, and share knowledge and understanding.
The formal process of merging our roles and responsibilities with those of Scottish Screen began in January 2007, with the formation of a new board, whose members were drawn from the two existing bodies. We look forward to working with the new board to achieve a smooth transition into Creative Scotland. Together we will continue to develop the vision for the new organisation. |