From page to stage

£2,500 grant to support young budding theatre directors

The Saltire Society, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) and Traverse Theatre and have joined forces to launch a new £2,500 award to enable one promising young theatre director to further their career and stage a short production to be shown as part of the innovative Chrysalis festival this November.

The Saltire Young Leader award and prize fund is part of a wider £50,000 programme of bursaries to support young and emerging creative talent in Scotland, recently unveiled by independent charity the Saltire Society to help celebrate its 80^th anniversary year.

The winning director’s performance will be hosted as part of the YTAS and Traverse Theatre’s Emergence performance platform at the Chrysalis festival and will benefit from marketing and production support. As part of the programme, performances will take place in the Traverse 2 studio space with in-house technical support.

The £2,500 prize includes a production and travel budget, expert training in August 2016, November 2016 and March 2017, and career mentoring and guidance from industry experts. The winner will also benefit from free YTAS membership and free attendance at networking events.

In selecting the winner of the Saltire Young Leader Award, the judges will be looking for a young director who demonstrates a good awareness of their potential and the ambition to create exciting contemporary theatre productions with other young people.

Commenting on the new award Traverse Theatre’s Engagement Manager, Sunniva Ramsay, said: “The Traverse Theatre’s partnership with YTAS on Chrysalis Festival has sparked a multitude of exciting possibilities bringing young people’s talent into sharp focus on the Traverse stages.

“This opportunity to collaborate with YTAS and the Saltire Society to seek out and support emerging talent demonstrates the commitment of all three organisations to nurturing, developing and providing a platform for the future of Scottish creative talent.”

Kenny McGlashan, Chief Executive Officer of YTAS, added: “We are incredibly appreciative and excited to be working with the Saltire Society to offer this unique support to a talented young Scottish Theatre Director. Based on past experience, we know this award will provide the winner many follow-up opportunities to develop their skills and progress their career.”

Jim Tough, Executive Director of the Saltire Society, said: “It is great to be working with YTAS and the Traverse Theatre on this new award as part of our 80^th anniversary celebrations. It is a brilliant opportunity for an aspiring young director to further their career and gain expert mentoring and support and I very much look forward to seeing the winning piece on stage.”

Applicants for the award must be aged 16 to 25. They should submit their application by downloading and completing the Emergence Application Form at www.ytas.org.uk/chrysalis/ 

Completed application forms must be received by

Wednesday 20 July.