Renowned talent management and theatre training programme, Stagebox, will be hosting its Edinburgh auditions at Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, on Sunday (16th May 2021).
If you know a young performer aged 8-18 years old who is looking to take their talent to the next level, Stagebox is inviting auditionees to take to the stage at this weekend’s in-person audition workshops.
Successful talent will enjoy the exclusive award-winning performance training programme during the school holidays, as well as benefitting from the talent management at Stagebox.
For the first time, auditions are free of charge, with Stagebox founders keen to encourage everyone with a love of theatre to come along and audition.
Stagebox recently released a video featuring its Edinburgh cast performing an original medley from Disney’s The Little Mermaid on YouTube, so hopeful auditionees can envision just what it’s like to be part of the Stagebox world. The video has already amassed an impressive 5,000 views in less than a week.
With Stagebox alumni starring on stage and screen, many securing lead roles for Disney, Netflix, in the West End and beyond, Stagebox offers rising stars the chance to train smart, build industry connections and gain unrivalled opportunities in theatre, television and film.
Stagebox’s General Manager, Jasmine Quinlan Gardner, said: “It’s been a turbulent period for the performing arts industry to say the least, and we’re so delighted to be holding the free auditions in Edinburgh.
“Stagebox is about opportunity, and we’re thrilled to be celebrating the country’s budding talent.”
Kirsti Bagger, Head Agent at Stagebox said: “We’re looking to meet new performers with passion, ambition and star quality.
“We’re very passionate about accessibility and inclusivity which is why we’re removing audition fees this May – we welcome children from all backgrounds, from newcomers all the way up to advanced level and we can’t wait to see what the young people of Edinburgh have to offer!”
These auditions are guaranteed to fill up fast and limited spaces apply. To register your spot for the Edinburgh audition date, please visit Eventbrite.
Last week, we announced to Fringe participants that we’ll be opening show registration – for both online and in-person performances – on Wednesday 05 May, in advance of the Fringe taking place from 06 – 30 August.
This is an exciting moment for the Fringe Society; it means all the preparatory discussions we’ve been having – with artists, venues, government and all members of the Fringe community – can finally be translated into action, with visible results.
The positive response we had to last week’s announcement only confirms what I knew in my heart – that there are many people out there who are just as excited and eager as we are to see the Fringe return!
Of course, opening registration is only the start of this process – we are acutely aware of how difficult the last year has been for artists, and we’re doing everything we can to support them in making work this year and beyond.
We’ve reduced registration fees across all tiers by 25%, and removed the top tier entirely.
We’ve also announced the opening a Fringe Artist and Venue Recovery Fund: a £75,000 funding pot which is available to Fringe companies, creatives and venues to support projects that will enable a return to the Fringe in 2021 or 2022.
The fund will prioritise projects that seek to improve opportunities for access on the Fringe by underrepresented groups – you can find out more at edfringe.smartygrants.com.au/recoveryfund.
There’s certainly a lot more still to be done, but we feel this is the first of many steps we can take to support artists returning to the Fringe.
I recognise that any eagerness to restart the Fringe must be tempered by a sense of caution and responsibility.
We continue to work closely with Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council, and keep a close eye on official guidance as it emerges and develops, using it to inform every decision we make.
The most recent news indicates some easing of restrictions by the end of June, which is definitely encouraging, but if the last year has taught us anything it’s that things can change at very short notice, so for those dreaming fervently of a fun-packed summer in Edinburgh, we strongly recommend an attitude of cautious optimism at this stage.
It’s also important to remember that this year’s Fringe won’t be the same as it was. Even as restrictions relax, we still expect to see some form of social distancing and other safety measures in Edinburgh this August.
Again, we’ll work with venues and other partners to figure out how best to use this information as it develops, creating clear guidance for audiences and participants. We also know that it will not be possible to produce our usual printed programme this year, though we are exploring alternatives.
While it is right and appropriate that we manage our expectations about a return to live performance, I am full of positive anticipation to see how Fringe artists channel their extraordinary creative energy into digital work at this year’s festival.
As happens with any seismic change in society, artists have responded to online life in brilliant and inventive ways, and I think it entirely correct that the Fringe – with its longstanding reputation for unleashing the creative spirit – showcases the best in digital inspiration as well.
Silver linings to the past year’s events are few and far between, but the increased availability of innovative, imaginative work – work that can be accessed virtually anywhere – is surely among them.
With this in mind, we’ve put a lot of time and energy into developing our digital infrastructure for this year’s Fringe. We’ve ensured that, whichever online platforms artists and venues want to use, we can support them to do it; they’ll also have access to our own innovative Fringe Player.
In addition, we’re creating an exciting new online events programme and meeting space to help artists and industry connect and collaborate, which we’re hoping to launch in summer.
With the seeds of carefully laid plans now blooming into life, our goal – as ever – is to support Fringe participants.
As mentioned above, registration (and the wide range of benefits and services that come with it) will open in May, and will remain open right through to the end of the Fringe with no deadlines attached.
We’re also continuing to invest in our website so that audiences can search, browse and book shows as easily as ever, helping them find the artists whose work will resonate with them for years to come.
All of our plans are being made cautiously but optimistically, and as ever, public health will be our priority. But we can take heart in the fact that the Fringe is happening. And, whether online or in a venue, I can’t wait to see you there.
Edinburgh Festivals – the biggest combined festivals in the country – will benefit from £1 million from the UK Government this year
Half a million pounds will fund a new digital platform to promote UK talent and content to both international and domestic producers
£500,000 will be made available for Festival organisers to increase their digital capabilities
The UK Government will fund two new projects to expand the digital potential of the Edinburgh Festivals with £1 million investment, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced.
The Edinburgh Festivals are the biggest combined festivals in the UK, attracting audiences of nearly 5 million every year, generating £313 million for Scotland’s economy alone, and providing unparalleled opportunities for artists across the country.
Last year many shows at the Edinburgh Festivals had to move online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The challenge of moving to a combination of physical and online events, and the increased demand for British virtual cultural content around the globe, revealed the need to expand the Edinburgh Festivals’ digital capabilities as part of the cultural sector’s post-Covid recovery.
The UK Government is providing £1 million in funding for digital improvements that will enable more ways for people to virtually access the events across the country, increase opportunities for UK artists and ensure Edinburgh’s landmark events will continue to be major contributors to the UK’s economy and cultural landscape.
The 11 festivals in the Festivals Edinburgh event portfolio will be able to apply for a share of a new £500,000 fund which will support innovative virtual solutions to the challenges of commissioning, producing and promoting festival programmes in an increasingly digitised cultural sector.
The funding will help encourage collaboration between events and develop hybrid events with live and digital elements.
Another £500,000 will be provided to create a new digital platform that will help national and international buyers and producers search for talent and content from the festivals’ hugely varied programmes, which showcase thousands of artists and performers every year, and promote the work of British artists and performers around the world.
The funds will be available to Festivals Edinburgh this financial year. Events with live audiences at limited capacities in Scotland will return no earlier than 17 May, and further details about the planning for this year’s Edinburgh Festivals will be released in due course.
This funding builds on £100,000 previously awarded to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018 to better connect UK artists with international producers. As part of ongoing support for culture in Edinburgh, the UK Government provided £10 million for the Dunard Centre, through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
It will be the city’s first dedicated new space for music and the performing arts in 100 years. Scotland also received £97 million from the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund to provide support for the nation’s arts and cultural sectors.
Lothian MSP candidate for Edinburgh Southern, Miles Briggs, said:“This funding from the UK government is a very welcome investment into the arts and supporting the Edinburgh festival.
“It has been an exceptionally challenging year for artists and performers, many of whom have needed to adapt to virtual audiences.
“This investment will pave the way for hybrid Edinburgh Festival performances, which will allow people around the globe to see the creativity and talent on show in Edinburgh.”
Oliver Dowden, Culture Secretary, said:“Edinburgh’s Festivals have long been a springboard for the very best of British talent and a vital part of culture in Scotland and the UK.
“The UK Government’s investment will promote it to a worldwide audience online, helping the UK’s biggest combined festival build back better from the pandemic.”
“This is on top of £97 million we provided last year to the Scottish Government to support Scotland’s arts organisations through the pandemic. Like everyone else, I look forward to our fantastic arts and culture coming back better than ever before, as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Iain Stewart, UK Government Minister for Scotland, said:“Edinburgh is world-famous for its festivals, bringing wider benefits to Scotland’s economy, tourism and arts sectors.
“We know the last 12 months have been difficult for the culture sector. This £1 million funding boost will support organisations to improve their digital capabilities and engage with audiences here in Scotland and further afield.”
Sorcha Carey, Chair, Festivals Edinburgh, said: “While live events in Edinburgh will remain the backbone of our world-class festivals, it’s crucial that we enhance our digital operations and so we’re delighted with this incredible support from the UK Government which will help reposition our work, and the work of creatives, across the digital world.”
Sir James Macmillan, Composer, said:“I’m delighted and encouraged to see this significant and notable support being given to the Edinburgh Festivals at this crucial point.
“The arts have been seriously affected by the pandemic and it is wonderful that the UK Government is showing its tangible commitment to culture in Scotland by investing in one of Scotland’s and Britain’s most important arts organisations.”
Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, has thanked the public for its incredible support of the theatres through its Crowdfunder campaign, an urgent appeal for support launched last month.
The Crowdfunder closed at noon yesterday having raised £86,900 from 1670 people, more than doubling its original target of £35,000.
Capital Theatres, which operates Edinburgh’s much-loved King’s Theatre, Festival Theatre and The Studio had asked for donations to help ensure its three city centre theatres can re-open when it is safe to do so, and to ensure continued access to creativity and the arts for the most vulnerable communities during COVID-19.
The money raised through this outpouring of love and affection for the organisation and its theatres will be put to great use protecting the core staff of the theatres, maintaining the heritage buildings and preparing for a March re-opening should government restrictions, public safety and science allow.
A series of rewards proved extremely popular with supporters, especially opportunities to get behind the scenes with the tech team at the theatres, enjoy a glass of fizz with Elaine C Smith or a chat about theatre voices with Ian Rankin over zoom, an illustrated limited edition poem about the King’s Theatre by King’s Ambassador Alexander McCall Smith, and the opportunity to appear in the next panto!
Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “All of us here at Capital Theatres are very humbled by the response from the public to our appeal. We know we still have a long way to go to reopen our doors, but an incredible show of support like this, with wonderful comments and memories shared, clearly demonstrates what our theatres mean to so many.
“It gives us all the passion, energy and determination we need to ensure we survive this crisis through bringing back great shows to our stages when we can and to support our community throughout. A huge, huge thank you to everyone who made this possible with your incredibly generous donations. We can’t wait to welcome you back over our doors when it’s safe for us to do so.
“A huge thank-you too to our King’s Ambassadors, our national companies Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet and to Birmingham Royal Ballet as well as our corporate partners for their in-kind support of the campaign, and to all of our stakeholders for their beautiful words of encouragement and support.”
Other members of the Capital Theatres staff team added their thanks as news of the scale of donations was shared.
“I was blown away watching all the rewards get snapped up and our total just soar and soar. It truly brought home a sense of belonging to, and our value in the community both at home and afar! I’m looking forward to seeing all of you soon. Thank you for your support!” commented Mark Pringle, Head Flyman
Cat Sheridan, Learning and Participation Coordinator, said: “I am so overwhelmed by the incredible support for Capital Theatres and our ‘Raise The Curtain’ programme, without which none of our digital engagement sessions, with our wonderful participants, would be possible.
And Joanna Miller, Head of Marketing added: “We have been overwhelmed at the outpouring of love for the theatres from the 1670 donors and the generosity of our Friends, customers, Edinburgh’s arts community and the city’s residents. This money will help us to provide entertainment and inspiration during this current pandemic whilst our venues are closed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Capital Theatres is currently actively campaigning to receive emergency Government funding at the same level as other publicly supported theatres, which would allow the theatres to continue to play a vital part in Edinburgh’s year-round thriving arts scene and support the local and national economy.
A petition calling on the Scottish Government to recognise the scale of emergency facing Capital Theatres on Change.org has secured 12,667 signatures to date and is still open for those looking to lend their voice to its campaign.
The money raised through the Crowdfunder is a fantastic support for Capital Theatres. Those who missed the Crowdfunder but would like to support the theatre charity’s work can still donate at www.capitaltheatres.com
#SaveOurTheatres and #AfterTheInterval
Just a few of the comments received on the Crowdfunder page:
Lynne said: “I love the panto very much and was always going to donate but the chance to BE IN the panto was too good to pass up! Wishing you all the best.”
Martin said: “A building, team and company I love. They have welcomed, supported, cajoled and helped me develop as an amateur stage manager.️”
Jennifer said: “Life is so poor without live arts and culture. I miss you very much and am desperately hoping you survive this ongoing lengthy crisis.”
Linda said: “Theatres give so much joy and pleasure and we really need to know they will survive this terrible pandemic. Here to support you in your time of need.”
Evelyn said: “No question our theatres are worth preserving, and the artists and technicians working in the theatre should be supported, not only because the theatre is their livelihood, but also because the arts are actually vital to our well-being (and make life so much more interesting!). I have missed the fun and buzz of live performances (not to mention the cancelled festivals!) and I look forward to the day the doors open again!”
Mairi said: “The Festival Theatre holds a special place in my heart; I’ve been coming here since it opened in 1994 and it is one of the things I have most missed over the last six months.”
June said: “We can’t let this happen – everything is a venue in the Festival, but if we are still to be internationally renowned as a city of culture we must have theatres of international standard, with their own Edinburgh heritage. (And there is no panto in the world like it!)”
Susan said: “My whole family has been coming to The Kings panto for nearly 30 years, never missed it once! Would be gutted if my kids couldnt carry on the tradition! Our best night of the year! Good luck! X️️”
And as Jo succinctly said: “Long live the King’s!”
The Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund is a £3.5million fund from the Scottish Government. The aim of the Fund is to help secure the survival of Scotland’s independent cinemas, enabling them to re-establish and adjust their business models in response to Covid-19.
The fund addresses the critical financial need faced by Scotland’s independent cinemas to enable them to return to full-time operation, significantly reducing the risk of wide-spread redundancies and closure of vital community assets.
Guidelines for applying to the Fund have now been published ahead opening for applications on Monday 14 September.
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Developmentat Screen Scotland said: “We very much welcome the First Minister’s recent announcement of £31.5m in emergency funding for culture in Scotland and are pleased, as part of that, to be able to quickly offer £3.5m of that funding to support Scotland’s independent cinemas.
“These cinemas not only present a broad range of high-quality creative programming to a varied audience, but they also serve as community hubs in geographically diverse parts of Scotland, including some of our more remote places.
“This fund will offer a vital lifeline to those independent cinemas which have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, helping them to return to full-time operation and protect jobs.”
The Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund is the first of five new emergency funds to be delivered by Creative Scotland over the coming weeks as follows:
The £15m Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund will support organisations that provide opportunities for cultural engagement and who have been unable to trade due to the impact of Covid-19. It includes both organisations who provide opportunities for audience engagement (such as galleries, performing arts spaces, commercial theatres, comedy clubs and nightclubs) as well as those that enable and deliver cultural activity (such as production facilities, music and dance companies). Eligibility criteria and guidelines for applying are currently in development and will be published on Thursday 10 September. The fund will open for applications on Thursday 17 September and awards will be made by the first week in November.
The £5m Creative Freelancer Hardship Fund will address the current financial hardship being felt by creative freelancers who normally work in the culture sector, but whose work has been impacted by Covid-19. We are currently working to appoint partners to ensure a wide spread of coverage of this fund and we anticipate opening for applications from early October.
The £5m Sustaining Creative Practice Fund will support artists to continue developing new creative work that will make a significant contribution to Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19. This includes £1.5 million for the Culture Collective programme, mentioned in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, supporting organisations employing freelance artists to work in and with communities across Scotland. The remaining £3.5m will be added to Creative Scotland’s existing open fund which is open for applications from individuals now.
The £3m Youth Arts Fund will ensure creative opportunities for children and young people continue to exist across Scotland despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The fund will include targeted and open funding to youth music and wider youth arts organisations, a scheme to devolve grants locally to artists who work with young people and small grants delivered directly to young people to support them fulfil their creative ambitions.
Details of all funds will be published on the Creative Scotland website and publicised through media and social media communications.
Following yesterday’s announcement by the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon of a £2.5m increase to the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund, taking the total available through the fund to £12.5m, Creative Scotland has, today, published guidance on how to access this fund.
Allocation of this fund is as follows:
· £7.5m targeted funding for performing arts venues in Scotland currently in receipt of Regular Funding through Creative Scotland
· £5m open fund for application from Scotland based performing arts venues not currently in receipt of Regular Funding. This open fund has been developed with input from the Federation for Scottish Theatre and opens today, Thursday 30 July 2020.
The Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund will help performing arts venues which cannot yet reopen to their audiences due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Scottish Government intends the fund to:
· Remove the threat of insolvency prior to the end of March 2021 to enable the development and delivery of activity as soon as practicable
· Allow for specialist / core staff to return from furlough or avoid redundancy to work on future sustainable activity plans
· Increase commissioning and employment opportunities for freelance artists and creative practitioners (between now and end of March 2021) to support continued public engagement while closed.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslopsaid: “Our world-class performing arts venues have suffered immensely from the impacts of coronavirus. They were among some of the first businesses to close and sadly, will be amongst the last to reopen.
“We worked hard to get much-needed funding out as quickly as possible to the culture sector to help organisations cope with the immediate effects of the pandemic, and this new fund recognises the particular difficulties which continue to be felt by performing arts venues.
“I’m pleased to announce we have increased the fund to £12.5 million, which will ensure even more venues can get financial support to help them through this challenging time.”
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotlandsaid: “We very much welcome this funding from Scottish Government which provides some much needed relief for Performing Arts Venues in Scotland, venues which are facing significant financial challenges due to their continued closure in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
“We have worked at pace to open this fund for application as quickly as possible.
“Beyond this fund, we are also working closely with the Scottish Government on further measures to provide emergency support for the culture sector and further details will be announced as soon as possible.”
from the testimonies of Bruce Norval and Robert Mackie
Online release date: Wednesday July 15, 2020
The UK Government’s Infected Blood Inquiry began public hearings in April 2019, five years after Dogstar opened Factor 9, Hamish MacDonald’s play about the scandal, as part of the Umeå 2014 European Capital of Culture in Sweden.
The Inquiry continues and Factor 9 remains as relevant now as when it opened. Indeed, some of those at the heart of the 35-year campaign for justice cite Factor 9 as a significant influencer towards the granting of the public inquiry.
Dogstar Theatre Online will release our production with Vimeo on Demand on Wednesday July 15, adding to our current online offer The Tailor of Inverness and Brian Ross and Hopscotch Films’ outstanding documentary Circling A Fox.
The infected blood scandal is now recognised as the greatest healthcare disaster in the history of the NHS. Factor 9 has been seen by health ministers and other leading politicians in both the Scottish and Westminster governments, and by all leading members of the inquiry, including its chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff.
There is an uncounted legion of victims across the world. Official figures in the UK cite around 5,000 people who were infected with HIV and Hepatitis through the administration of contaminated blood products during the 1970s and 80s.
Half of this number are now dead as a result and new deaths occur every month. There are no figures for the infection of spouses, children, and other relatives.
The multi-media performance tells the true story of two Scottish haemophiliacs, Bruce Norval from Inverness and Rab Mackie from the Scottish Borders, and how their lives were devastated from an early age by NHS-prescribed blood clotting products.
With tremendous performances by Matthew Zajac (Bruce) and Stewart Porter (Rab), Factor 9confronts how society can react towards its most vulnerable in the moment of a pandemic – and what can happen in the name of medical research.
In the enclosed world of the abandoned ward, a decades-long struggle with government and health authorities for recognition and truth unfolds, taking an uncompromising journey from the 1940s Nazi military-industrial complex to the 1960s Arkansas prison system via the 1980s AIDS crisis to the haemophilia clinics of Scotland, asking, how could this happen?
Director Ben Harrison said “When Hamish and Matthew approached me with the subject, I saw a great opportunity to uncover theatrically a great scandal.
“We hoped to achieve a similar balance between the visually compelling and the emotionally powerful that Matthew and I achieved with TheTailor of Inverness. The betrayal of the principle of care that lies at the heart of the story will I am sure both touch and anger audiences.”
Composer/sound designer Pippa Murphy, set and costumes Emily James, lighting Paul Claydon
The 2014 production was supported by Creative Scotland and produced in association with leading Swedish theatre company Profilteatern and Umea 2014 European Capital of Culture.
I Think We Are Alone is a funny yet bittersweet tale, written by Sally Abbott (Vera, The Coroner), about the human ache to connect, and the letting go and holding on to what we love the most.
This new play stars Chizzy Akudolu(Edmond De Bergerac, Holby City), alongside Charlotte Bate (On The Other Hand We’re Happy), Caleb Roberts (She Ventures and He Wins), Simone Saunders(Jane Eyre), Andrew Turner(Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald; Coronation Street), and Polly Frame who recently headed up the cast of the critically-acclaimed Solaris which played at the Edinburgh Lyceum, and is a Frantic Assembly veteran having joined them on their last outing with Sometimes Thinking that played last year’s Latitude.
Co-directed by Artistic Director Scott Graham and Kathy Burke, I Think We Are Alone is the centrepiece in a year’s worth of activity to celebrate Frantic Assembly’s 25th anniversary and will be touring the length and breath of the UK throughout Spring 2020. You can catch it at the King’s Theatre this week.
Following last years success, the Pride Plays is Scotland’s first ever LGBTQI+ playwright festival.
As part of LGBT History Month Scotland, Pride Plays are back and continuing to give the stage to voices of a community who still feel under represented in Scottish theatre.
There will be 2 evenings, with 2 different plays per night, by originally written plays by LGBTI+ writers in Scotland. Each evening will be followed by a post-show discussion led by the director, playwright and public figure.
The plays will be performed as part of the LGBT History Month Scotland on the 14th and 15th February 2020 at, and in association with, Scotland’s leading new writing theatre, the Traverse Theatre.
Last year’s festival was the first venture of Shift, a theatre company born out of a desire to provoke action. Shift, founded by theatre makers Sarah Masson and Connel Burnett, challenges outdated social and political inequalities – fusing theatre with activism.
Pride Plays are giving people who identify as LGBTI+ a platform for their voices to be heard in Scottish theatre. The festival is also seeking to grow the body of work by those in the LGBTI+ community in Scotland and challenge the programmers to address the underrepresentation of LGBT+ voices.
Co-Artistic Director of Shift, Sarah Masson, said: “We were quite taken aback by the success of last year. When you are starting something from scratch, you never know how it will be received.
“The success of last year made it clear that there is an appetite for this work – from the impassioned conversations in the bar afterwards to the opportunities that the writers secured afterwards.”
Co-Artist Director of Shift, Connel Burnett, said: “Whilst LGBTQIA+ writers continue to be underrepresented on our stages, Pride Plays will continue. Now more than ever, the importance of representation is crucial and there is still a lot of work to be done.
“LGBTQIA+ rights are being threatened and theatre can play a crucial role in allowing their voices to be heard.”
