Theatre Theatre
Theatre in Scotland has its own distinctive voice, This provided the catalyst for a significant shift in is confident and ambitious. both the range and reputation of arts by disabled practitioners in Scotland, attracting interest from Scottish theatre does not rely on the work of the international programming and funding bodies. past but is enthralled by the ‘now’. There are some “hothouses” for experimentation The development of new work, supporting rural such as the Arches and a growth in cross-art form development, establishing training and education, working encouraging new audiences. and producing generations of playwrights and While there is a good spread of quality work actors who speak with a Scottish voice, came across the majority of the country, some about through the vision of artists and theatre considerable challenges need to be overcome to makers. ensure greater access to both enjoying, creating Scotland can be justifiably proud of its theatre, and participating in creative experiences. which spans professional, community, amateur Taking advantage of the growth of high-quality and student. Creative Scotland’s role is to support digital platforms is one way to combat sometimes individual artists, projects and organisations to unforgiving geography. These initiatives also thrive artistically and to develop in capacity, reach address environmental issues; the theatre sector and ambition. is active in exploring best practice through its There are sound foundations on which to build, in involvement with Creative Carbon Scotland. particular with new writing and children’s work, There is a growth of socially-engaged practice. both of which feature strongly internationally. The Place Partnerships initiative has seen some There is also a growth in cross-art form practice, imaginative collaborations such as pop-up/drop- with many artists creating work that does not in creative centres appearing in some of Perth’s fit neatly in a single genre. Theatre practitioners empty high street retail sites. Creative learning are embracing the opportunities that digital flourishes within a theatrical context; there is an technologies offer both as a creative tool and a active non-professional sector for all ages and means of disseminating the work. there is evidence that theatre can reach socially Theatre contributes significantly to the cultural disengaged young people, for example the work economy of Scotland, providing employment of Visible Fictions in Glasgow and Modo Scotland and attracting tourists to globally recognised in the North-East. events such as the Edinburgh Festivals. There is The theatre sector comprises freelance and self- a growing interest in creating larger-scale work employed workers. Maintaining and developing which has the potential to tour across borders. professional skills is a challenge – but it is There is a developing strength in professional encouraging that new opportunities are being work by disabled artists such as Ramesh added all the time to the existing range of training Meyyappan and Claire Cunningham working with available to develop professional creative skills the National Theatre of Scotland, both of whom provided by organisations like the Federation of had work commissioned as part of the London Scottish Theatre, Scenehouse and Playwrights’ 2012 Unlimited programme. Studio Scotland. Evidence points to a high level of flexibility and portfolio working across the theatre sector which is seen as both a strength, and a weakness. A strength, because it expands people’s creative practice and increases the range of income generating options – a positive advantage in tough economic conditions. A weakness, because it may indicate that practitioners are finding it difficult to sustain a career focusing more intensively on a specialist range of activity. Over recent years, theatre conceived and produced in Scotland has been growing in international appeal. In particular new writing and new work has a remarkable global reach, and work for children and young people is now routinely seen in the US and Australia. There are growing examples of international co-production such as Vox Motus’ Dragon produced in collaboration with the Tianjin Peoples’ Art Theatre in China. Physical performance operates within an international context and artists such as Mischief La Bas, Jennifer Paterson’s All Or Nothing and Alex Rigg’s Oceanallover present their work within this arena. Scottish organisations are working on international collaborative initiatives, for example Conflux’ professional development programmes and through UZ’s membership of In Situ. While still at a relatively fragile stage of its development, opportunities exist to build on these foundations, to the advantage of artists and audiences in Scotland and internationally. Sustaining careers within theatre, physical performance (and dance) is dependent on intelligent and collaborative working across the spectrum. Looking to the future, we are aiming for creative practitioners to be more connected within Scotland and internationally, producing excellent work and engaging a wider demographic as audiences and participants. We look forward to working with the whole sector to achieve this.
Opportunities for Theatre and how it can contribute to Unlocking Potential, Embracing Ambition
New work is recognised as the life-blood of theatre in Scotland. Theatre practitioners are supported to take artistic risks and create Excellence and work of the highest quality. experimentation across the arts, Sector-led debate on what constitutes quality increases. Under- screen and creative represented parts of the sector gain critical recognition, as well as enhanced understanding of the inherent diversity within theatre as industries is an art form, reflecting the lives and experiences of an increasingly recognised and diverse society. valued
The development of a range of touring networks is encouraged, enabling theatre organisations to present work across the breadth of the country, and explore different scales of work and methods of presentation. Everyone can access and enjoy artistic and Initiatives are established that engage people with the power of creative experiences theatre – people of all ages, and from all socio-economic groups and cultural backgrounds, as both audiences and participants. The potential for digital technology is exploited to create greater access and improve the distribution of work.
Site specific, outdoor work and theatre, responding directly to individual localities is developed, bringing local urban and rural Places and quality of communities to life, inspiring stories and a sense of place. life are transformed Theatre attracts visitors to Scotland from the UK and through imagination, internationally. ambition and understanding of the Promoters seek to present work from outside Scotland to inspire potential of creativity and enthuse audiences living or visiting here. Professional development is signposted and developed across all areas of the theatre sector – from creative practice to management and technical skills, for practitioners at all stages of their Ideas are brought professional careers. to life by a diverse, skilled and connected Training initiatives are developed to strengthen the sector, connecting venues, touring companies and producers (both leadership and emerging and established) across Scotland. workforce Regional hubs are developed to train a new generation of producers and to support emergent artists and touring companies. Collaboration between presenters and producers is strengthened to grow confidence and ambition in touring, to the benefit of artists and audiences across Scotland. Touring conditions are improved with a view to developing longer-term sustainability for theatre, dance, and cross-art form performance companies.
International collaborations for Scotland’s theatre practitioners are supported to contribute and exchange ideas and opportunities with their peers around the world. Scotland is a Practitioners are connected with opportunities outside Scotland distinctive creative to stretch creative boundaries and to create new markets for their nation connected work. to the world Development organisations for physical performance are supported to build on the sector’s potential for excellent and engaging work within an international context. Our festivals’ appeal to international artists is built–on, for the wider benefit of Scottish audiences. Advice and brokering support is developed through global partners such as the British Council and other international agencies. Active participation in UK, European and other international networks (such as IETM) is encouraged. June 2014 © Creative Scotland No part of this publication may be reproduced in any format without prior written permission of Creative Scotland.
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Photo: Drew Farrell