Tag: Capital Theatres

Edinburgh Theatre Services Lead Linda Hogg nominated for Sky Arts Hero Award

Behind-the-scenes champions of arts and culture celebrated as part of the inaugural Sky Arts Awards this September

Linda Hogg, Head of Customer Services and Front of House at Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, is one of five nominees shortlisted for the Sky Arts Hero Award

Sky has announced the nominees for its Arts Hero Award, a first-of-its-kind category for the new Sky Arts Awards.

The highly anticipated ceremony, taking place on 17th September at The Roundhouse, will celebrate the diverse and vibrant landscape of British and Irish arts and culture, rewarding excellence across all arts disciplines.

The event, which will be broadcast live on Sky Arts and Freeview, will be a showcase of the immense talent and dedication that fuel the arts industry – including the behind-the-scenes heroes whose efforts are integral to the success of the arts and culture scene.

Sky Arts invited the arts community to nominate their unsung heroes earlier this summer. Following an overwhelming response, they can now reveal the five nominees for the Arts Hero Award.

From a singer who supports children on life support to an art technician who mentors young curators, these extraordinary individuals were selected by the judging panel for their unwavering dedication and profound impact on the arts, often working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the success of countless productions, exhibitions and performances.

One of the nominees is Linda Hogg, Head of Customer Services and Front of House at Capital Theatres in Edinburgh, who has dedicated 30 years to enhancing the Scottish arts sector.

Known for her exceptional work ethic and kindness, Linda has created a welcoming atmosphere at Capital Theatres, earning high praise from audiences and colleagues alike. Her contributions extend beyond the theatre, including volunteer work during COVID and personal acts of kindness. Linda’s leadership and attention to detail have left a lasting mark on Edinburgh’s cultural scene.

Linda shared her reaction to being nominated: “When I heard about the nomination, I was genuinely touched.

“Every day in this role is a mix of challenges and rewards, and to have that dedication acknowledged is heartwarming. It’s not just about me, though – it’s about the entire team that makes the magic happen.

“This nomination feels like a win for all of us.”

Phil Edgar-Jones, Director of Sky Arts, commented on the importance of the Arts Hero Award: “We were incredibly moved by the nominations we received. Each story was a powerful reminder of the dedication, passion and often unseen work that goes into making our arts sector thrive.

“Selecting just five nominees was an immensely difficult task. Everyone put forward has made such a meaningful contribution. The Sky Arts Awards is our opportunity to celebrate these remarkable unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes, making our cultural experiences possible.”

The announcement follows recent findings that 84% of the UK population are unaware that the arts sector employs around 3.5 million people across hundreds of roles. The Arts Hero Award not only celebrates these essential workers but also highlights the vital roles they play within the arts ecosystem.

Building on the legacy of the South Bank Sky Arts Awards, the Sky Arts Awards is the only event in the world that recognises the full spectrum of artistic genres, including classical music, comedy, dance, film, literature, poetry, opera, popular music, television, theatre and visual art.

The winning Arts Hero will be revealed at the Sky Arts Awards, airing 17 September at 9pm on Sky Arts.

The Besties’ winners week two announced

The Besties is a new series of awards celebrating the best across Edinburgh’s August Festivals. The Award is a partnership between The Skinny & Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland.

The Skinny and Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland are delighted to announce the winners of the second round of the weekly new Festival Awards, The Besties, in the following categories:

© Eoin Carey

The Movement Award – Mele Broomes for through warm temperatures, Custom Lane (Edinburgh Art Festival)

The Narrative Award – Adania Shibli for Against Forgetting, Edinburgh Futures Institute (Edinburgh International Book Festival)

The Radgie Award – Piotr Sikora for Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble, Underbelly Cowgate (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

© Eoin Carey

The Debut Award – Wonder Fools for Òran, Pleasance Courtyard (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

[the gender euphoria award] – Wet Mess for Testo – Here and Now Showcase, Zoo Southside (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Collaboration Award – The Giant Company and The Distant Voices Community for A Giant on the Bridge, Assembly Roxy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Solo Award – Yolanda Mercy for Failure Project, Summerhall (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

© Eoin Carey

The award ceremony took place on Saturday 17th August at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, hosted by comedian Josephine Lacey whose show Autism Mama is at the Pleasance Courtyard, with performances from Orkney musician Catriona Price who performed earlier this week at Queen’s Hall and Edinburgh New Town Church, celebrating her debut album, Hert.

The Besties award, designed by artist Camillo Feuchter who has recently graduated fromInterior & Environmental Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, uses recyclable plastics gathered at the Festival Theatre Café and leftover wood sourced locally.

© Eoin Carey

Reflecting the broad and diverse coverage both magazines produce every summer and responding to the need for a pan-festivals award, The Besties span all the festival activity taking place in the city over the month of August, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival which started on Thursday 15 August, and others, making them the one of the only awards to celebrate the full spectrum of culture in the city.

Winners of The Besties are chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals. The categories will reflect the diversity of the magazines’ coverage and might be different every week.

The third and last ceremony will take place on Saturday 24th August.

© Eoin Carey

First winners of The Skinny-Fest Festival Awards announced

The Besties is a new series of awards celebrating the best across Edinburgh’s August Festivals. The Award is a partnership between The Skinny & Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland

The Skinny and Fest, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland are delighted to announce the winners of the first of the weekly new Festival Awards, The Besties, in the following categories: 

The Outwith Award (for best international artist/production) for Lou Wall’s The Bisexual Lament at Pleasance Courtyard (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

Radgie of the Festivals (for boldest performance/behaviour) for Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: LIVE!!! at The Monkey Barrel Comedy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

The Sexy Award for Sexiness to Internationaal Theater Amsterdam’s Penthesilea, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh (Edinburgh International Festival)

Night Owl (for a late night show) to John Norris for Mr Chonkers / Mr Chonkers Presents…Piggy Time at Monkey Barrel Comedy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

Best Kids Show for Garry Starr’s Monkeys Everywhere at The Pleasance (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

Next Big Thing Award for Emergent Talent for Kim Blyth’s Might As Well at Gilded Balloon (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)

New Writing Award for The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return at Summerhall (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) 

The award ceremony took place on Saturday 10th August at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, hosted by Australian comedian Michelle Brasier whose show Legacy is at the Gilded Balloon, with performances from the cast of A History of Paper, a Dundee Rep and Traverse Theatre co-production being staged at the Traverse. 

The Besties award, designed by artist Camillo Feuchter who has recently graduated from Interior & Environmental Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, uses recyclable plastics gathered at the Festival Theatre Café and leftover wood sourced locally.  

Reflecting the broad and diverse coverage both magazines produce every summer and responding to the need for a pan-festivals award, The Besties span all the festival activity taking place in the city over the month of August, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh Art Festival which started on the 9th, Edinburgh International Book Festival which opens today and the Edinburgh International Film Festival starting next week, and others, making them the only awards to celebrate the full spectrum of culture in the city.  

Winners of The Besties are chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals. The categories will reflect the diversity of the magazines’ coverage and might be different every week.

Next two ceremonies will take place on Saturday 17th and 24th August. 

Introducing The Besties!

Introducing a new series of awards celebrating the best across Edinburgh’s August Festivals: The Skinny-Fest Festival Awards (for festivals) – aka The Besties (We like it when it rolls off the tongue!)

The Award is a partnership between The Skinny, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland.

The teams behind The Skinny and Fest magazines, Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland have come together to create a new series of awards spanning all of Edinburgh’s August festivals: The Skinny-Fest Festival Awards in association with Capital Theatres, supported by Premier Scotland.

Reflecting the broad and diverse coverage both magazines produce every summer and responding to the need for a pan-festivals award, The Besties will span all the festival activity taking place in the city over the month of August, including the Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival and others, making them the only awards to celebrate the full spectrum of culture in the city.

Winners of The Besties will be chosen each week by the editorial teams of The Skinny and Fest, drawing on their cross-festival expertise to celebrate the best work happening anywhere in the festivals.

The categories will reflect the diversity of the magazines’ coverage, with an Outwith award highlighting the best international talent, while the Great Scot will honour work from closer to home among others.

As the only publications (that we know of) with a canine comedy correspondent, there will of course be an award chosen by our very own Fringe Dog, a sort of spirit of the Fringe accolade dubbed The Terrier Fringe Dog Award for Waggiest Tail.

The weekly awards ceremonies are to be produced by Premier Scotland and hosted by Capital Theatres at the Festival Theatre on Saturday mornings in the festival season, featuring entertainment and a guest host to help hand out the awards.

The Besties award is being designed by artist Camillo Feuchter who is currently finishing his degree in Interior & Environmental Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee.

Passionate about craftsmanship and featuring sustainable design and recycled materials, Camillo will produce The Besties using recyclable plastics gathered at the Festival Theatre Café and leftover wood harvested from cultural venues in the city. The Besties’ eco-chic will be unveiled in due course.

Rosamund West, Editor-in-chief of Radge Media said: “We’re delighted to be working with Capital Theatres and Premier Scotland to bring a new awards series to the Edinburgh festivals.

“Through The Besties, we’re hoping to draw on our reviewing teams’ cross-cultural knowledge to present something which celebrates the incredible calibre of the work on show, while also retaining a sense of the joyful and at-times-chaotic spirit of Edinburgh in August.

“Working with Camillo Feuchter on the awards themselves is a fantastic opportunity to place sustainability at the centre of our thinking.”

Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said: “After a few years of the festival awards being silent, we are so excited to be bringing them back in partnership with The Skinny and Fest magazines and Premier Scotland.

“The launch of this brand-new series of awards, now known as The Besties, allows us the opportunity to host such amazing talent in our city at the Festival Theatre each week, celebrating the incredible array of creatives presenting and performing across all of the Edinburgh summer festivals this year.

“We can’t wait to welcome you, start the weekend together every Saturday in August and enjoy a bit of fun, sustenance and networking. See you there!”

Susie Gray, Executive Director of Premier Scotland said: “We are really thrilled to be part of the team bringing pan-festival awards back to Edinburgh’s amazing August celebration of culture.

“The breadth of talent in the city over the month is what makes it truly special and it feels important to mark that with the new Skinny-Fest Festival Awards – aka The Besties!

“Festival Theatre is a fantastic place to bring everyone together from comedians to world class musicians on a Saturday morning and we look forward to working with The Skinny, Fest and Capital Theatres to make this a fitting celebration.”

Cove Park & Dundee Rep announce new musical theatre writing residency and call for applications

A new residency for musical theatre writers, composers, and lyricists from the UK, India and the United States

Presented by Cove Park and Dundee Rep Theatre in partnership with Capital Theatres, Citizens Theatre, Macrobert Arts Centre, National Centre for the Performing Arts – Mumbai, National Theatre of Scotland, Octopus Theatricals – New York City, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and Traverse Theatre.

Associate partners include A Play, A Pie and a Pint, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and Tron Theatre.

With their rich and varied expertise, the partners will work with Cove Park and Dundee Rep and play a valuable role in this project. Providing mentoring, support and feedback as required during the residency, they will help enrich the writers’ experience. All partners are committed to developing the musical theatre landscape, both in Scotland and further afield.

The residency has been devised by Andrew Panton, Artistic Director of Dundee Rep Theatre, and will include facilitated sessions with Dramaturg Jeanie O’Hare (formerly Director of New Work Development at The Public Theater), Music Supervisor Nigel Lilley (Next to Normal at Donmar Warehouse, Caroline, or Change on Broadway), Donna Lynn Hilton, Artistic Director of Goodspeed Musicals and David Greig, Artistic Director of Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh.

The programme also includes networking opportunities and workshop sessions, in-person and digital, with industry professionals including writers, composers, producers, directors, and other theatre practitioners – such as Tony® Award-winning director John Doyle, Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning producer Mara Isaacs, Tony® Award-winning producer Rashad V. Chambers, and more.

Applications to take part in this residency are being accepted from UK-based teams of up to three collaborators who have a musical theatre idea in need of development and would benefit from the residency experience to take it to the next stage in its creation.

To apply, individuals or teams must be based in the UK – Cove Park and Dundee Rep are particularly interested in receiving applications from teams based in Scotland. The participating artists from India and the United States will be selected separately through nominations via international partners.

Please visit https://www.musicaltheatrewritingresidency.uk/ for more information and how to apply.

The Studio throws open the doors of opportunity for theatre practitioners

Open@TheStudio

One of the key performing arts venues in the Scottish capital, The Studio is managed by Capital Theatres alongside the King’s Theatre and the Festival Theatre and this year it celebrates its 10th anniversary.

To mark the occasion, The Studio team is announcing details of it’s Open@TheStudio programme which has been piloted over the last few months with great success.

Open@TheStudio is a unique, comprehensive programme of practical workshops, useful talks, R&D residencies and scratch nights designed to help those in the theatre industry: new graduates, independent artists, companies and self-producers, offering them a complete support package, from advice and networking, to workshops, free to use space and seed money.

Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “Everyone at Capital Theatres is hugely excited to continue the vital opportunity that Open@TheStudio offers to performing arts practitioners in Edinburgh and the Lothians, following the very successful pilot earlier this year.

“The Studio is becoming an exciting new hub for emerging creatives – here’s to the next 10 years of celebrating and sharing their fantastic creativity!”

Claire Symonds, Head of Creative Engagement at Capital Theatres said: “We recognise that the pandemic has caused a massive skills drain in the performing arts industry and also broken pathways for early career arts practitioners to emerge from education into professional practice. Open@TheStudio aims to address that.

“Following the runaway success that was the Open@TheStudio pilot, we are delighted to continue the programme which allows the participants to explore their creativity while learning new skills.

“Many arts organisations around the country offer similar support but we think that the comprehensive programme of Open@TheStudio is pretty unique as it addresses so many aspects of creative practice.

“We see it as an important investment in the creative talent of the future and cannot wait to share it with the industry and our audiences.”

The programme includes:

Open Conversations 90-minute sessions on the nuts & bolts of the industry

An insight into how things work and informal networking with local theatre makers and producers, answering questions such as how does tour booking work? How do you get funding? How does programming work? How theatre maths works?

Click here for the latest schedule for Open Conversations. Bookings open on Thurs 6 July.

Open to Ideas residency programme for new theatre makers

The Studio provides 5 free days of space, 2 days free technical support and £2k seed funding. There is no pressure to showcase an end product and the theatre makes no promises to programme. This is a genuine invitation to explore an idea.

Click here for the latest Call for Ideas.

Open Workshops masterclasses and workshops

Taking advantage of the fantastic talent performing at Capital Theatres’ venues, Open Workshops offer a chance to work with visiting companies, from West End touring shows to the hottest new contemporary theatre makers, offering a unique chance to learn from the experts.

Workshop schedule will be announced in due course.

Open Floor scratch nights

Theatre practitioners can test their work in front of a live audience – with the audience giving them constructive feedback afterwards.

The next Open Floor scratch night takes place on 1 November 2023. £5 tickets are available to book here. Bookings open on Thurs 6 July.

Anonymous survey conducted following the pilot of Open@TheStudio reiterated the urgent need for such a programme with the participants saying:

“Please, keep going. Keep offering residencies and space to create and stage our work, keep cultivating connections to grassroots theatre-makers and platforms, keep actually using your venue for the benefit of the local theatre community. (…) Be proud of this and let that pride inform your offerings to the creatives that for so long have been wanting to collaborate with your venue.”

“I think a lot of regularly funded organisations who say that they support local artists, but this doesn’t always translate to real-world opportunities. It is very good to have something open to a range of different theatre makers, rather than very few opportunities which end up going to the expected faces. It allows us to build relationships with a theatre org even if we don’t have a completed shiny product to share right now. I think that’s vital.”

“It feels like there are very few free or cheap workshops for theatre makers in the city. This is the first set of workshops I’ve heard about that offer such in-depth information on a range of extremely relevant and useful topics.”

Open@The Studio is generously supported by Baillie Gifford.

The Gift wins 2023 CATs Best Production for Children and Young People Award

The Gift has been presented with the award for best Production for Children and Young People at the 20th annual Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. The awards ceremony which took place on Sunday 11th June at Traverse Theatre, saw Capital Theatres take home their first ever CATs award for the production.

Specially designed for children aged between 2 and 5 years old, The Gift is a story about how often, the wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and bubble wrap reveal playfulness, creativity and imagination – the true gift! The Festive show is bursting with energy, acrobatic dance, textures, sounds and colour to create a multi-sensory wonderland from the left-over boxes, ribbons and wrapping.

The Gift is a commission by Capital Theatres, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Eden Court, and a co-production between Barrowland Ballet and Capital Theatres for its 2022 presentation,

Natasha Gilmore, Artistic Director of Barrowland Ballet and creator of The Gift said: “It was such a privilege to sit in The studio at Capital theatre watching the Gift over Christmas with all these families enjoying going to the theatre together.

“A reminder of the joy of theatre and what a unique and memorable experience it is.”

Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “It was an absolute privilege to witness the impact and joy The Gift brought to young audiences and their families in The Studio last Christmas and we are thrilled Barrowland Ballet and Natasha Gilmore’s wonderful work has won a CATs award this year.

“Collaborating with Eden Court and Aberdeen Performing Arts for this commission has been a real pleasure and sits at the heart of our vision to support and develop Scottish talent. 

“This is of particular significance for Capital Theatres as The Gift marks the first time we’ve commissioned new work for young children in our studio as well as our first CATs award as a producer.”

Ben Torrie, Director of Programming and Creative Arts of Aberdeen Performing Arts said: “It has been a real joy working with our friends at Capital Theatres and Eden Court on the joint commission, which has resulted in the creation of three fantastic productions.

“The innovative model makes the most of our collective resources, provides stability for venues and artists, as well as ensuring that more young audiences across Scotland get to experience top quality theatre.

“Everyone at Aberdeen Performing Arts is thrilled for Barrowland Ballet in receiving this much-deserved accolade, and we can’t wait to welcome the awarding-winning production of The Gift to the Lemon Tree this Christmas.”

Susannah Armitage, Eden Court Senior Producer said: “The Gift is a beautiful piece of festive dance theatre for children that had our young audiences transfixed.

“It was a joy to collaborate with the ever brilliant Natasha and Barrowland Ballet as part of our co-commissioning and co-producing partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres.”

Capital Theatres announce new partnership with Brewgooder

Capital Theatres are delighted to announce a new corporate partnership with Brewgooder, a Scottish-based craft beer company whose ‘Brewed on Purpose’ commitment to create waves of people-positive change through their business, chimes with our own brand values of consideration and collaboration alongside our sustainability objectives in our own business practices.

Among their many ethical initiatives, Brewgooder work with impact partner Charity Water to ensure that for every can or pint of their beer enjoyed, they commit to 100 pints or cans being provided in clean water on projects across the world. Similarly, they continue to strive for more ethical business practices and a more diverse and inclusive brewing industry through their Work in Progress scheme.

In July Brewgooder were incredibly proud to be recognised as one of the ‘Best for the World™’ B Corps of 2021. This was awarded for their clean water efforts in the Community area as well as meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

Capital Theatres and Brewgooder began working together last year as part of Brewgooder’s Panto in a Box initiative – a pack of four themed beers, panto snacks and a panto story with a proportion of the profits going to the Theatre Artists Fund, including local schemes which benefited Capital Theatres’ artistic community.

Since the pandemic had put a pause on the King’s Panto we were more than happy to help Brewgooder promote this fun alternative to benefit artists whose income had disappeared overnight.

Building on this relationship, as a Capital Theatres’ Corporate Partner Brewgooder will benefit from a brand match with Scotland’s largest independent theatre charity operating three city-centre venues: the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and the Studio. With a diverse year-round programme of drama, dance, musicals, opera, ballet, children’s theatre and more, our theatres attract audiences from across Edinburgh, the Lothians and beyond.

Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said: “We’re thrilled to find partners in Brewgooder who share our values and have ethical and environmental policies and practices at the heart of what they do.

“As Scotland’s largest theatre charity, we’re passionate about working alongside local businesses which, as in Brewgooder’s case, have a global reach. It feels good to know that every pint or can of Brewgooder sold in our bars will result in clean water for those who really need it.”

James Hughes, Co-Founder of Brewgooder said: “We’re delighted to see the Capital Theatres venues reopening with performances returning, and are very proud to have our beer stocked across their venues.

“Last Christmas we had dedicated our festive campaign to support the devastated performing arts scene and to raise money for local relief funds set up for venues that included Capital Theatres, so having hopefully come through the worst of these difficult times, we’re keen to create plenty of positive moments and outcomes together via this newly formed partnership.”

Live Music Now Scotland extends festival season into September

  • LMNS continues to collaborate with the Scottish Arts Club with Virtual Fridays on the Fringe
  • Teaming up with Capital Theatres, LMNS provides dementia friendly tea-party
  • National Galleries of Scotland and LMNS continue to work in partnership on lockdown concert series

As we adjust to the new normal, Live Music Now Scotland (LMNS) is embracing the change this festival season with a programme of inclusive, online and in person events that extends into September.

From tea parties catering for those with dementia, to a continued collaboration as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe, LMNS is excited to shake off the difficulties of the past year by bringing even more live music, to even more people.

Collaborating once again this summer, Live Music Now Scotland and the Scottish Arts Club are joining forces for Virtual Fridays on the Fringe, an online concert bringing audiences from all over Edinburgh, the UK and even the world, the sound of Scotland this summer.

Taking place this Friday (13 August), fiddler Euan McLaughlin and guitarist Nicky Kirk will be taking to the digital stage with a selection of folk and traditional tunes from 6.30pm.

Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Virtual Fridays on the Fringe is produced by Fika Productions for the Scottish Arts Club.

Throughout the pandemic the LMNS team has been working hard to keep live music in the lives of those who would otherwise not, even at the best of times, get the chance to enjoy it. Achieved by embracing the power of Zoom and, as restriction lifted, even occasionally the power of the outdoor gazebo, LMNS continues to find new ways to herald in the return to live.

This summer two significant projects, one supported by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the other by Morton Charitable Trust, continue to bring live music (and in-the-flesh LMNS musicians!) to residential homes in Edinburgh and four Erskine homes for veterans.

Fiddler Jamie MacDonald and guitarist Nicky Kirk entertained residents at Murrayfield House Care Home to hugely positive feedback from all involved.

One Murrayfield House Care Home staff member said: “Jamie and Nicky were fantastic. They gave a flawless performance. They interacted with the residents who enjoyed the outdoor performance. Staff were happy to see residents in the garden and see how happy they were.”

On Monday 23 August LMNS is delighted to be joining Capital Theatres for a dementia friendly Tea Party. Taking place online audiences are encouraged grab a cuppa, and favourite sarnie or a scone, and join in on YouTube for a sing-a-long and some dancing.

And, once again teaming up with the National Galleries of Scotland for its lockdown concert series, LMNS continues to support those living with dementia across Scotland, with an online and dementia friendly session. With both musicians and audiences joining in from the comfort of their own homes, these soothing sets are suitable for everyone of any age and are entirely free.

It is not only the ears of the older generation being treated to LMNS live music this summer. 

YouthLink Summer of Play by YouthLink Scotland (the national agency for youth work) in Kirkcaldy saw young people with additional support needs enjoy live, in person performances by a range of LMNS musicians including Kaitlin Ross, Sally Simpson, Valerie Barr, Aidan Moodie and Robbie Greig.

Later in the year, from Monday 27 September – Friday 1 October, working with Aberdeenshire Council Youth Music Initiative (YMI), LMNS musicians will take to the road in Aberdeenshire, bringing music to ten schools across the region.

Harpist Lucie Hendry and fiddler Sally Simpson are the latest LMNS musicians to take part in the initiative which aims to create access to high quality music making opportunities for young people.

Created by the Scottish Government and administered by Creative Scotland, YMI offers young people the chance to achieve their potential in or through music making, while supporting the development of the youth music sector.

Carol Main MBE, Director at Live Music Now Scotland, said: “We are delighted that live music is coming back across the country post pandemic.

“There is a fantastic range of events and opportunities for our musicians to take part in this summer, and it is testament to the hard work of venues – be they concert halls or care homes – that these are starting to take place in person, as well as online.

“We continue to work with some exceptional establishments who provide support for those with additional support needs of all ages, and it is heart-warming to hear how much music has been missed and how impactful its return has been for so many.”

More support for the ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’

CAPITAL THEATRES SECURES £6.5 MILLION GRANT CONTRIBUTION FROM SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE £25 MILLION REDEVELOPMENT OF THE KING’S THEATRE

Minister for Culture and International Development, Jenny Gilruth MSP, has confirmed total grant funding of £6.5 million from the Scottish Government for the King’s Theatre Redevelopment Project.

Opened in 1906, the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh is an important venue for touring drama, musicals and children’s shows. It is home to Scotland’s biggest Panto production and each year plays a pivotal role in hosting the Edinburgh International Festival.

The King’s has a unique place in the hearts and minds of many Edinburgh residents, and is a theatre of national and historical importance.

The redevelopment will modernise the existing facilities and transform the experiences of visitors, local communities, performers and staff, whilst preserving its unique heritage.

The plans will ensure the theatre remains a vital part of Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural provision, as well as functioning as a community hub for years to come. The redevelopment project is set to start in September 2022, with the theatre planned to reopen in mid-2024.

This grant from the Scottish Government joins £4 million already secured from the City of Edinburgh Council along with additional loan funding. The rest of the budget is made-up of generous donations from individuals, grants from trusts and foundations, support from companies and Capital Theatres’ own contribution from ticket income.

Alongside this an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund is currently moving into its second stage. The grant from Scottish Government consolidates a robust mixed funding model and paves the way for a public campaign to fundraise for the remaining £3 million.

Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “We’re overjoyed with this show of support and confidence in the King’s Redevelopment Project from the Scottish Government.

“As COVID 19 hit in March 2020, Capital Theatres announced that the redevelopment of the King’s would be paused for a year whilst we dealt with the impact of the pandemic. Far from lose momentum on the project, 15 months of closure has made us all the more determined to ensure the King’s Theatre can honour its illustrious past with a thriving future at the heart of Edinburgh and Scotland’s cultural life. 

“Not only a wonderful venue for joy and inspiration, the King’s will also offer a thriving hub by day for the many communities situated in and around Tollcross.  Scottish Government’s grant, along with the grant and loan funding from City of Edinburgh Council, makes this project viable.

“This funding stands alongside the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant we are working so hard to secure, and the tireless efforts of our Development Team. There is, however, still a way to go to reach our financial target and we’ll be launching a public fundraising campaign later in the year.  

“This last push will build on the generous support shown during our period of closure, so the people of Edinburgh and Scotland can continue to play their part by helping us secure the future of the King’s as a historical and cultural treasure.”

Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “The King’s Theatre has been a jewel in Edinburgh’s cultural crown for more than a 100 years, with generations of audiences enjoying a rich diversity of shows from its annual pantomimes to world premieres at the Edinburgh International Festival.

“The Scottish Government is pleased to support the redevelopment of the grade A-listed theatre and enable the King’s Theatre to reach out to a wider range of audience and increase its community engagement.”

City of Edinburgh Council Culture and Communities Convener, Cllr Donald Wilson said: “The King’s has been a beloved Edinburgh theatre for over a century, programming the best in touring drama, hosting some of the most talented community and non-professional groups; and certainly the best in pantomime, as well as bringing all kinds of theatre experiences to the city from all over the country, including London’s West End. 

“The ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’ has always been Edinburgh’s theatre for everyone.” 

Cllr Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener said: “The King’s is in need of this capital project to bring the theatre back to a standard fit for the 21st century whilst acknowledging the incredible history. 

“This capital funding contribution is great news and a fantastic achievement for the theatre and will substantially strengthen its redevelopment ambitions, ensuring that we will all be able to continue to enjoy a great night at the King’s for many more years and generations to come.”