Assembly Roxy’s year-round programme continues this November with a line-up of theatre, music, and live events celebrating creativity, Scottish traditions old and new, and looking to a better future for all.
With highlights including immersive theatre piece Maiden Mother Whore from Theiya Arts Dance Collective, Jeremy Corbyn at Lighthouse Books’ Radical Book Fair, and the Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2024, there’s plenty coming up at Assembly’s year-round venue.
Theiya Arts Dance Collective joining Assembly Roxy on the 01 Nov with a thought-provoking performance experience, in Maiden Mother Whore.
A 90-minute show, Maiden Mother Whore invites audiences to interact with five installations throughout the Roxy, exploring complex relationships between women, social structures, health and social policies, and institutions.
Assembly Roxy regulars Edinburgh Ceilidh Club with Teannaich bring the finest in Scottish Ceilidh dancing back to Assembly Roxy Central on Fri 08 Nov. All the dances are taught and called by the band – so bring along regulars and newbies alike to celebrate the Scottish tradition.
Scottish Dementia Arts Festival 2024 boasts a jam-packed line-up of events including live performance, creative workshops, film screenings, open-mics and more. The four-day festival runs from 11 – 14 Nov and celebrates the creativity of people living with dementia, and highlights include relaxed Scottish panto McScrooge by Alan Mountford and Citadel Arts Group and creative consultants living with dementia, Dementia the Musical Soundtrack Gig with Sophie Bancroft and Friends, and Meeting Centres Scotland film launch, as well as a host of ceilidhs, open mics, discos and more!
Lighthouse Books return with their annual Radical Book Fair from Thurs 21 – Sun 24 Nov with a line-up of workshops, cabarets, panels and talks exploring community organising, creativity and international solidarity. This year’s theme ‘From Where We Standcelebrates histories of resistance, protest and change-making.
Highlights include We Are It: Community Power in Our Time with a panel including Jeremy Corbyn, Kate Pickett and Oliver Escobar, and Young Radical Worlds exploring radical writing for young people with Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Margaret McDonald.
Closing out the month, Amy Leach and Alasdair Paul bring their duo gig Amy and Alasdair to the Snug Bar, passing on traditional Scots songs and ballads. With history in Edinburgh and beyond,
Amy and Alaisdair share their simple and striking approach in a stripped back show sharing glimpses into the darkest and lightest moments of life. Amy and Alasdair is showing for one night only on 29 Nov.
Tickets and information on all the events above are available now from www.assemblyroxy.com
As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, the Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland (TDFS) is launching a brand new series of Ceilidh Plus events that will fuse Scottish and world dance traditions.
Curated and hosted by TDFS’s dance musician-in-residence Chris Lyons (multi-instumentalist), Ceilidh Plus will kick off on Saturday 2 November, with dances and tunes from Scotland, China and the USA, led and accompanied by hand-picked Scotland-based dance artists and musicians from diverse backgrounds, including Morag Brown (fiddle), Marina Sharp (Ceilidh dance), Jack Weir (guitar), Angel Godwin (American Country Line dance), Yuxi Jiang (Chinese Square dance), Yanmei Bowie (Chinese Square dance), Eddie McGuire (Chinese bamboo flute), Chenhao Wang (two-stringed Chinese fiddle) and Tai Shing Lin (Chinese dulcimer percussion).
This will be followed by a second night on Saturday 7 December of ceilidh dances and tunes from Scotland, mixed with world trad dance from Greece and Italy. It will be called and accompanied by Rona Wilkie, Marina Sharp, Jack Weir, Vassia Bouchagiar-Walker, Stefanos Tzotzolakis, Lara Russo and band members of the Badwills.
This new Ceilidh Plus seriesis one of the highlights of TDFS’s Ten out of Ten series of events to mark its 10th anniversary and celebrate the diversity and breadth of traditional dance activities by its members.
Dance musician-in-residence Chris Lyons who contributes to TDFS’s work year round, said: “I believe that the tradition bearers of Scottish Ceilidh would be delighted to share the stage and the dance floor with the dance traditions of the other cultures which have become an integral part of contemporary Scotland – from Irish Ceili to Bulgarian Folk, from Italian Pizzicca Pizzicca to Greek Rembetiko, or from American Country Line to Chinese Square Dance as in our firstCeilidh Plus.
“Although there are regular and popular Ceilidh nights across the country’s village halls and cultural centres, there are hardly any events which would provide space for the folk fusion of Scottish Ceilidh with other world trad dances. Ceilidh Plus is about to change this and hopefully establish a new tradition.”
Iliyana Nedkova Creative Producer of TDFS said:““Ceilidh Plus is a great opportunity for the multi-ethnic communities in and around Edinburgh to come together for a dance and music experience rooted in respect for both Scottish and world traditional cultures.
“We hope both dancers and non-dancers will join us for an evening of great music and entertainment and help us mark our 10th anniversary in style.”
Ceilidh Plus is funded through Creative Scotland’s TASGADH (Traditional Arts Small Grants). All proceeds are reinvested into TDFS’s year-round programme which aims to diversify traditional dance practised across Scotland.
For tickets and more information on Ceilidh Plus and other traditional dance events happening this winter visit https://www.tdfs.org/ten-out-of-ten/
Following discussions with the Scottish Government throughout the Multi-Year process, we have now received confirmation that Creative Scotland’s budget to enable Multi-Year decisions will not be clarified until the overall Scottish Government draft budget announcement, scheduled for 04 December 2024.
As a result, the outcome from the Multi-Year Funding programme is being postponed until the end of January 2025. This is a revision to the published guidance.
281 applications to the programme, with an annual ask of £87.5m, are currently being assessed as part of Stage 2 of the published process. Final decisions on the level of support we will be able to provide to successful organisations will be made once we have budget clarity.
The National Lottery reserves that we hold, currently £11m, remain allocated to support Transition Funding from April 2025 for organisations currently in receipt of ongoing funding from Creative Scotland but are unsuccessful in their application for Multi-Year Funding.
Robert Wilson, Chair of Creative Scotland, said: “While we would have preferred to announce the outcome from this application process in October as planned and have been working collaboratively with Scottish Government to endeavour to do so, we also understand the extreme budget pressures that exist.
“These pressures mean we are required to postpone the outcome until such time as we have budget clarity. This will enable us to make final decisions in a context of budget confidence and to support as many organisations on a multi-year basis as we possibly can.”
Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, said: “The cultural sector is an integral part of our identity as a country. This is why we’re working hard to help the sector to fulfil its potential in Scotland by assuring at least £100 million more annually in funding by 2028-29.
“We await the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget announcement on 30 October which has a hugely significant bearing on the Scottish budget. Following that we will be able to set detailed budgets for the coming financial year including for the culture sector.
“I will continue to work in collaboration with Creative Scotland and the sector over the coming months to ensure stability until Creative Scotland have sufficient clarity to be able to announce the recipients of their multi-year funding awards.”
Established in 2008, Leith-based charity Strange Town uses theatre and the arts as a creative catalyst to nurture talent and increase access to opportunities for all children and young people, whatever their background or experience.
Founded by local Directors Steve Small and Ruth Hollyman, together they set up Strange Town with a mission to increase access to life-enriching experiences in the arts for everyone, offering accessible activities, a range of bursaries and financial assistance for young actors who are at an early stage in their careers but often find the financial outlays prohibitive to launching their careers.
The organisation has expanded across the last 15 years and now reaches over 2,000 local young people every year. Activities include youth theatre classes, holiday programmes, a touring company and agency support for young actors.
The charity has helped develop the careers of some of the Capital’s best-known local talent including Tallulah Greive and Lewis Gribben.
Strange Town proudly creates work of the highest quality that is both daring and entertaining, tackling subjects of importance to young people’s lives, such as consent, climate change anxiety and knife crime, vitally involving and commissioning emerging writers.
The charity will mark the finale of their fifteenth year with a special three-night run of their acclaimed play ‘HER’, written by award-winning playwright Jennifer Adam.
Initially touring secondary schools across the city, HER is an important play about the damaging effects of gender inequality, the truth about consent and asks; “how can you be the change you want to see in the world when you feel like the world is fighting against you?”
Steve Small, co-Founder of Strange Town, said: “We are so proud of the activities and support we have delivered across the last fifteen years.
“Edinburgh is well-known as an epicentre for creative talent and opportunity; we have just had one of the busiest ever Fringe festivals where our city comes alive with performance and celebration of the arts, yet for many young people living here all year round these opportunities just do not exist.
“Arts organisations are struggling to sustain their support. We are seriously under-funded in this country and without programmes like ours, young people, especially those from socio-economically deprived backgrounds would be unable to benefit from the life-enriching experiences of participating in youth theatre.
“When young people join Strange Town, they are given the opportunity to connect with others in-person, to have fun, build key life skills, grow in confidence and feel a sense of belonging. Many would never contemplate a career in the arts without our support.
“Our touring company productions are carefully created to engage to spark discussion and debate around difficult subject matter. We are delighted that we’ve been given the opportunity to revive ‘HER’ this October and encourage all local people, theatre-goers and those keen to learn more about us, to come to a show and help support our work across the next 15-years.”
Strange Town’s Touring Company will perform ‘HER’ at the Tech Cube in Summerhall for three-nights only Tues 8th – Thurs 10th October.
Open to everyone age 14+, ticket can be purchased on the Summerhall website. All proceeds go towards the charity’s vital work with young people living across Edinburgh.
Creative Scotland is pleased to announce the Open Fund for Individuals will reopen for applications at 2pm on Tuesday 8 October, following confirmation of release of the necessary budget from the Scottish Government.
By the time the fund closed on Friday 30 August, Creative Scotland received an additional 819 applications totalling £11.9 million in requested funding. As the fund prepares to reopen, we will be in touch with all applicants who submitted before the closure to advise them of their options.
Updates to the Open Fund for Individuals
The Open Fund for Individuals has been under increasing pressure. Since 2019, applications have more than doubled – from 628 to 1,395 in 2022/23, with funding requests increasing by £7.8 million to £21.2 million.
Notably, there has been a 42% increase in requested funding in the past year alone. However, during this same period, Creative Scotland’s budgets have remained at the same level, making this growth unsustainable.
To help address this, Creative Scotland is revising the Open Fund for Individuals to better meet the growing demand.
Updates will include the maximum award amount reducing from £100,000 to £50,000 and decision timescales extending by two weeks.
The updated guidance will be published on Tuesday 8 October.
Guidance for both funds and application questions will be available from this Thursday – 19 September.
Iain Munro, CEO of Creative Scotland said: “We recognise the time and effort that goes into applying for funding and know how vital these funds are for the sector.
“We understand how challenging recent events have been and sincerely thank everyone for their continued efforts in highlighting the value of culture and creativity.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced a review of Creative Scotland to ensure its operations and structure are optimal to the needs of the culture sector, as part of this year’s Programme for Government.
The review, which will be the first since the public body’s establishment in 2010, will examine Creative Scotland’s remit and functions as a funding body, and how the overall impact of planned increases in levels of public funding can be maximised to support sustainability in the sector and in participation in the arts.
Full details of the review and its process will be set out to parliament in the near future, and will include seeking views from individuals and organisations from all parts of Scotland’s culture sector.
The Culture Secretary also confirmed that following a period of necessary due diligence, Creative Scotland had now received funding previously allocated to it in the 2024/25 Scottish budget, including £1.8 million for youth music, and £6.6 million that will allow its Open Fund to be re-opened.
Mr Robertson said: “Scotland’s culture is world-renowned and it remains integral to our nation and our economy. Over the past 14 years, Creative Scotland has had a significant role in supporting that role, distributing £65 million of public funding in the last year alone.
“With the sector having faced a number of new and enduring challenges since then, the time is now right for us to ensure Creative Scotland’s remit and functions remain relevant, in line with our commitments to invest at least £100 million more annually in the arts and culture by 2028-29, and to continuous improvement across all our public bodies.
“It is routine for public bodies to undergo reviews throughout their lifetime, and while that process is ongoing we are clear that we expect the organisations involved to take forward their business as usual.
“Creative Scotland is no different and they will be carrying on with their important work throughout.
“In the meantime I’m pleased to confirm release of £1.8 million to Creative Scotland for youth music, and another £6.6 million, which includes £3 million towards its Open Fund and £1 million for Screen Scotland.”
“We welcome the continued commitment to provide an additional £100m in funding for Culture and will work with the Scottish Government on the effective allocation of that funding, to the benefit of culture and creativity in Scotland.
“We also welcome today’s confirmation of £6.6m, originally committed to Creative Scotland by the Scottish Government at the start of this financial year, reinstating budget removed in the previous year.
“We continue to see unprecedented levels of demand for the Open Fund for Individuals and will process the high volume of applications we have received. With the budget now confirmed, we will work to re-open this fund.
“We are sure today’s confirmation of the release of this funding will be welcomed by the creative community of Scotland.”
Musical learning and nurture supported for thousands
Almost 4,000 children and young people will have the opportunity to realise their potential through music education supported by £2.6 million of Scottish Government funding.
Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise programme uses music and nurturing relationships to improve the lives of children and young people and strengthen communities. It offers all instruments, tuition, snacks and participation free of charge to families across Stirling, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.
First Minister John Swinney confirmed the funding as he watched performances from school pupils at Sistema Scotland’s dedicated space at the Community Campus in Raploch.
Among those taking part were a group of Primary 2 pupils from Our Lady’s Primary School in Raploch, as well as the centre’s beginner strings group, a woodwind, brass and percussion group made up of primary school pupils, the Redfire intermediate strings group and the Raploch string ensemble, made up of high school students and school leavers.
The First Minister said: “Music and the arts have power to bring people together, and I am consistently impressed with Big Noise’s efforts to ensure children and young people across five cities have the opportunity to learn, play and perform.
“As well as the opportunity to perform, Big Noise gives the young people they work with a community – and as they progress through the programme they have developmental opportunities including to gain leadership skills, which are beneficial to them in the world of work even if they do not pursue a musical path.
“I am grateful to Sistema Scotland for continuing to enrich the lives of so many children and young people by making music accessible and inclusive.”
Vicky Williams, Sistema Scotland Chief Executive said: “We are enormously grateful to the Scottish Government for their continuing support of Big Noise in Scotland.
“This funding means we can do more to support young people and families, tackle poverty and inequality and help build firm foundations for the future of our young people.
“Our work over the past 15 years has transformed lives throughout Scotland and we look forward to continuing this critical work with the support of our partners and funders.”
Shannon Galloway, 17, from Raploch, joined Big Noise when she was five years old. She spent the summer working as an intern at the Raploch centre, and has a place at Aberdeen University to study music, with her sights set on becoming a music therapist.
She said the programme had given her opportunities she would never have dreamed of – including her first trip abroad to India last year, and playing on stage with the RSNO and Nicola Benedetti. It also boosted her confidence and skills and helped her towards a positive future.
Shannon said: “I just don’t know what I would have done without Big Noise. I wouldn’t be going to university because I wouldn’t have discovered music. I had no interest before and now it is my entire life. It opened this whole life path for me.”
Meanwhile uncertainty remains over arts and culture funding in Scotland. Here’s hoping that this can be resolves soon and at least some of these talented and enthusiastic young people will have the opportunity to perform in later life.
EIF attracts new audiences with Affordable Tickets and Innovative Experiences
The 2024 Edinburgh International Festival was more inclusive than ever: more than twice the number of tickets were issued to under 18s, young musicians, and D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent audiences compared to last year.
The most expansive affordable ticket offer to date saw over 50% of tickets for the 2024 International Festival sold at £30 or less, with over 5,000 £10 tickets purchased by those who needed them most — a 100% increase on 2023.
Scottish talent took centre stage, with 50% of performers from or based in Scotland, all five national performing companies featured, and over 200 specialist freelancers, demonstrating the essential role of Scotland’s arts sector in delivering the International Festival.
The 2024 Edinburgh International Festival concluded yesterday after an exhilarating 24-day celebration of opera, dance, music and theatre in Scotland’s capital. With over 160 ticketed performances and more than125,000 attendees across the city’s venues, the Festival showcased 21 world, European, UK and Scottish premieres affirming its role as an essential destination for arts and culture.
Under the leadership of Festival Director and Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, the theme Rituals That Unite Us successfully brought together over 2,000 internationally renowned artists from 42 nations, exploring the deep connections which bind us all through live performance.
At the heart of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival was a commitment to ensuring that cost is not a barrier to cultural discovery, making high-quality art accessible to the broadest possible audience.
Over 50% of tickets were sold at £30 or less, and more than 5,000 targeted £10 tickets were sold — a 100% increase on last year. Double the number of free tickets were taken up by NHS staff, charity workers, and low-income benefit recipients through the Tickets for Good programme, marking the highest uptake since the Festival signed up to the initiative.
Additionally, the number of D/deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent concession tickets doubled, with twice as many people enrolling for the Access Pass, which provides a tailored experience for audience members with access requirements.
The International Festival reaffirmed its dedication to nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences, with a notable increase in young people attending and participating. This year saw more than triple the number of free tickets to young musicians issued through the Young Musician’s Pass compared to 2023 and U18s ticket purchases rose by 100% from 2023.
Over half of all bookers were new to the Festival this year, the highest level since the pandemic. The International Festival also focused on talent development, with initiatives like Rising Stars providing early career artists with invaluable opportunities to work and perform alongside professional mentors such as the Leonore Piano Trio and Yura Lee.
As an international festival deeply rooted in Scotland, an impressive 50% of the artists were from Scotland in 2024, highlighting the exceptional calibre of local talent alongside their international peers.
This included approximately 250 multigenerational performers in the world-first Healing Arts Scotland Opening Celebrationat the Scottish Parliament, and representation from all five Scottish national performing arts companies—National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
The International Festival also employs over 200 specialist freelancers and relies every year on a pipeline of talented writers, actors, musicians, dancers, singers, producers, facilitators, technicians and cultural workers.
In the precarious funding landscape currently faced by the Scottish arts sector, the Festival remains committed to supporting and advocating for the indispensable community of creative individuals and organisations of which Scotland can rightly be proud.
Under the theme of ‘Rituals That Unite Us’, the 2024 International Festival programme also reimagined ways in which live performance could bring audiences and artists closer together.
Audiences sat in beanbags to enjoy six informal concerts at the Usher Hall, including Brazil’s Ilumina, The Hallé, and the European Union Youth Orchestra, while The Hub series once again welcomed audiences into the home of the International Festival for intimate and unforgettable performances from around the world.
Six artist rehearsals were made accessible to the public and schools, offering a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process, while 20 Q&A sessions were offered by artists after their performances to deepen the experience for attending audiences.
Offering a deeper look into the Festival’s inner workings, 36 audio introductions, hosted by Kate Molleson and Nicola Benedetti, featured insights from artists, programmers, and creatives behind the programme’s performances.
Listened to 32,794 times by audiences, The Warm Up invited artists to discuss the unique rituals they undergo before creating a piece or stepping onto the stage. Nicola Benedetti also made her BBC Radio 3 presenting debut in a six-part series focusing on the origin story and impact of the International Festival, which continues to broadcast until 7 September.
Additionally, nineteen concerts from the Festival were recorded for BBC Radio 3 and will be available on BBC Sounds. More than 130 behind-the-scenes videos shared across the International Festival’s social media channels garnered 1 million views from online audiences.
Additionally, over 300 people enjoyed a free VR experience with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Festival’s inaugural Community Connections Hub, held this year in the Edinburgh suburb of Broomhouse. Following this, 2,000 attendees attended a Family Concert at the Usher Hall, where young music lovers had the chance to experience the Philharmonia Orchestra in person, with Festival Director Nicola Benedetti performing on violin.
Over 7,000 people joined together for a new ritual for the city and the International Festival at the highly anticipated Opening Event: Where to Begin, presented in partnership with The Macallan. Where to Begin launched Edinburgh’s festival season with an immersive experience at the historic Old Town site of George Heriot’s, brought to life by the creative team at Pinwheel.
Festival Director, Nicola Benedettisaid, “Our Festival has been an outstanding success this year. The theme, Rituals That Unite Us, resonated in profound ways with our visiting artists and home community. Although we bring stories from around the world, they change when they interact with the unique spirit of Edinburgh, artist upon artist expressing their awe and desire to return.
“We diversified the experiences in our venues, making the Festival as accessible and affordable as possible. Beanbags returned, as did the intimacy of our home, the Hub. We programmed exceptional international premieres, doubled the number of Under 18 tickets on last year, and tripled the Young Musician’s Pass attendees – an initiative that offers free Festival tickets to young musicians.”
“Against a tumultuous backdrop of funding crisis, two aspects of our identity were reinforced and strengthened. We are deeply rooted in Scotland, and will continue to present the best of Scottish talent alongside our international counterparts.
“Most importantly, we are making an indelible impact on access to culture for our local community. To present the world’s greatest art to the broadest possible audience is what we are here to do.”
Chief Executive, Francesca Hegyisaid “Our theme for this year’s programme, Rituals that Unite Us, beautifully captured the sense of togetherness felt throughout this past month. There’s something profound and powerful about this shared experience that brings people from every corner of the world and all walks of life together.
“As we celebrate this year’s Festival, we must also recognise the current fragility of the Scottish cultural sector. With 50% of our 2024 artists hailing from Scotland, the Festival relies on exceptional local talent both on and off the stage and we are deeply concerned about the ongoing survival of our creative community.
“The International Festival is the original spark that lit this city’s path to becoming the world’s Festival City. “Now, 77 years later, we thank you for joining us once again for the ritual that we look forward to each year: the Edinburgh International Festival.”
We, the undersigned, are artists, arts workers, and/or audience members from across Scotland. We are the people of Scotland. We live and work here. We value the arts and the artists who make it.
We are writing to you about the closure of Creative Scotland’s Open Fund for Individuals, due to the Scottish Government being unable to confirm the release of £6.6 million of funding from the Grant-in-Aid budget. This decision shocks and deeply concerns us, and places the future of the arts in Scotland at risk.
The Open Fund for Individuals is the cornerstone of the arts in Scotland. It is the only fund of its kind to support artists to lead projects, develop their practice, support their professional development and collaborate with other artists and/or communities.
One grant awarded to an individual provides meaningful employment, creative development, allows space for artistic risk and experimentation. Many of these grants support multiple artists and arts workers through paid job opportunities. Grants for individuals can also support organisations through the filling of theatres, galleries and music festivals.
One grant can kickstart or extend a career, allow an artist to present their work to the public, develop a new stream of income, develop their entrepreneurial and business skills. Take artworks to market and present for Scottish audiences, leading to international tours and commercial successes. They provide a training ground for the arts leaders of tomorrow, allowing artists to skill up through experience of running their own projects and developing new networks.
One grant can place artists in schools, in care homes, working 1-to-1 with folk who do not like a crowd, or with whole communities at a time, and bring a multitude of positive personal, social and wellbeing benefits. It can reduce isolation and bring people together. It can inspire and delight. It can help people find their voice, and see their experiences and stories represented.
The Open Fund for Individuals has an enormous impact. It is a lifeline for artists and arts workers. Beyond the individual grants and their benefits, its existence also means an enormous amount to people across Scotland, because it supports people who are not independently wealthy to be artists. It tells us that we have a right to creativity and the arts, a right to joy and wellbeing, and a right to emotion and expression.
Without the fund, the future is bleak, and bleakest for those who are isolated and marginalised by income, geography, race, class, age, faith, caring responsibilities, gender, sex, sexuality, or disability. Those who do not have savings to fall back on, family support to sustain them, or who have to work harder to bring their work to audiences are at risk of being unable to sustain a career in the arts. The loss of these talents and perspectives in the arts leaves us all poorer.
The arts in Scotland contribute £5bn annually to the economy but they are now at breaking point. We cannot continue without direct support for our artists, arts workers & self employed people. The damage to the arts caused by the closure of the fund is immediate and long lasting. Cut it now, and it could take a generation to build back.
We urge you to fund the reopening of the Open Fund for Individuals as a matter of urgency. We ask that you provide clear guidance on the in-year and future annual budgets so that the arts in Scotland can begin to plan, develop ideas, build upon past successes and deliver a vibrant future for us all.
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Traverse Theatre statement on closure of the Open Fund
The Scottish theatre community is in need of support more than ever in light of the cuts to arts funding. Gareth Nicholls, Artistic Director of the Traverse, said last night:
“We at the Traverse wanted to use our platform to the world on the final day of the festival to make you aware of this, and of the significant impact funding cuts are having on our nation’s artists and theatres.
“New work in Scotland doesn’t come from nothing. And one of the key ways this has been achieved is through an open fund where an individual artist can ask for money when their idea is but a seed.
“The open fund is the incubator for Scottish work, but Creative Scotland has been forced to close the fund at 2pm on Friday. It will be closed indefinitely, due to the Scottish Government being unable to confirm funding for its delivery.
“Many on our stages, and whose work you’ve enjoyed at the festivals, have been dependent upon it, alongside wider arts subsidy. It is a fund that helps build careers and craft to get an idea off the ground, and which helps places like the Traverse keep our theatres alive with bold new ideas.
“If you enjoy seeing Scottish work right here in Scotland, then please continue to support the artists who make the powerful work that appears our stages.”
