promote yt 4-year review 2008 - 2011

4-Year Review

20082011www.promoteyt.co.uk

Promote YT (Scotland) is a registered Scottish charity, No SC 035765

Promote YT’sreputation and recordof achievement hascreated interest inour work that nowreaches beyond theyouth theatre sector.

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It’s hard to believe that 7 years have passed since I sat in on initialdiscussions with the Scottish Arts Council regarding the possibilityof setting up a formal support and development body for Scotland’s youththeatre sector.An urgent need for such a body was quickly identifiedand within just 6months, Promote YT (Scotland) had been created.

Throughout the subsequent years our organisation hasmade hugeadvances, both operationally and strategically, giving rise to a highlyvalued and innovative folio ofwork. This includes our 2 flagship events; theNational Festival of Youth Theatre–the largest open platform for youththeatre performances anywhere in the UK–and our leading networkingand training conference, SKILL UP.

Not only have we sustained the annual delivery of these key national eventsbut we have also strengthened our support for the sector by implementing,among others; regular tailor-made training events, a membership networkof over 60 organisations and freelance practitioners and our valuableinformation services.

We have undertaken bespoke development work with individual organisationsand have consistently represented our sector both nationally andinternationally at key meetings and events. Year on year we’ve also createdemployment and volunteering opportunities for students and those newto the industry as well as freelance practitioners and artistic organisations.We have also continued to forgemeaningful creative partnerships, oftenacross art forms.

Our reputation and record of achievement has created an interest in ourwork that now reaches beyond the youth theatre sector.We’re delightedthat our approach to delivery will be emulated internationally as amodel ofbest practice–and Promote YT recognised as an international leader– inthe staging ofSKILL UP NORWAY 2011.

We are immensely proud ofwhat we have accomplished as a smallorganisation in a relatively short period of time.We recognise that ourability to do so stems from an absolute belief in youth theatre as well as apassion for supporting the individuals and organisations who nurture theyoung people it engages.We are ambitious to domore.

This 4 Year Review aims to highlight Promote YT’s role and our vision forthe future as the national support and development body. It also serves toshowcase what we hope you will agree are the extraordinary achievementsof our country’s vibrant and vital youth theatre sector.

ColinBradieChiefExecutivePromoteYT (Scotland)

Introduction

Promote YT helps usdevelop the qualityof our youth theatresby giving them aplatform to performand connecting themwith other groups.It provides opportunitiesfor our workers to gainexperience from otherprofessionals, helpingus to raise the nationalprofile of our work.NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE SURVEY 2011 RESPONSE

Promote YT 4-Year Review

Theatre ignites the imagination. It inspires awe andwonder; itmakes us laugh and cry and it connects us to others.

Bywatching andmaking theatre, young people are introduced to new experiences and otherworlds far removedfrom their own.They begin to develop an understanding and tolerance ofdifferences between cultures,people,attitudes and experience.Once drawn into the arts they start to reflect on their own identities and regard thecommunities they live in with a fresh perspective.

> PromoteYT’sVisionStatementThat every young person in Scotland has the opportunity to participatein & benefit fromhigh quality youth theatre experiences

> PromoteYT’sMissionStatementWewill promote and develop youth theatre in Scotland

Alongside an appreciation ofthe creative process youth theatre fosters a range oftransferable skills.We passionately believe that youth theatre canmake a significant impact on young people’s lives in thefollowingways:

Youth Theatreto inspire, to challengeand to excite!


Youththeatrestrivesto fosterinclusion

Youth theatreincreasesmotivationand buildsconfidence

Youth theatrenurtures thedevelopmentof social,citizenshipand life skills

Youth theatreadvancescommunicationskills andcultivates positivegroup dynamics


Youththeatreencouragescreativethinking

Youththeatredemandsself-discipline

Youth theatreprovides a safeenvironment foryoung peopleto explore andarticulate theiremotions

Youth theatreempowers youngpeople to beself-definedrather thandefined by others

Youth theatregeneratesthe desire toachieve andsucceed

Youth theatreleads to anenduringinterest in andappreciationof culture andthe arts

Youththeatredevelopsemergingtalent


In 2009 Promote YT launched a membership scheme to foster a greater cohesion amongst the diverserange ofgroups,organisations and individuals whomake up the youth theatre sector in Scotland.

Through the membership Promote YT now represents youth theatre organisations and professionalpractitioners working in every major region of Scotland either as an independent organisation oraffiliated to a wider organisation. Provision in Scotland is also served nationally by Scottish YouthTheatre and Youth Music Theatre UK as well as through targeted organisations such as Scotland’sDeafYouthTheatre.

November 2011 will see the first Promote YT Sector Symposium held in Glasgow, with delegatestravelling fromacross Scotland and further afield.

Currentmember organisations:

ACT2Aberdeen I ActingOutUKEdinburgh I AberdeenPerformingArtsYouthTheatreAberdeen I BordersYouthTheatreScottish BordersBruntonYouthTheatreEast Lothian I CaptivateDramaEdinburghCarnegieCollegeStageSchool Fife I Central ScotlandYouthDrama FalkirkCitizensTheatreYOUNGCOGlasgow I ClaxYouthTheatreClackmannanshireCreativeElectricEdinburgh I CumbernauldYouthTheatreCumbernauldDeafYouthTheatreGlasgow I DundeeRepYouthTheatreDundeeEastwoodParkYouthTheatreEast Renfrewshire I EdenCourt Inverness&Highlands I ExplosiveArtsEdinburgh I FalkirkChildren’s andYouthTheatreFalkirk I FireflyArtsWest Lothian I Junction25Glasgow I KineticYouthTheatre Fife I LargsYouthTheatre Largs I LoveDramaNationwideLyceumYouthTheatre Edinburgh I macrobertYouthTheatre StirlingMitchell School ofDrama Inverurie I MonifiethYouthTheatreAngusNationalTheatreofScotlandNationwide I PerthYouthTheatrePerthPhoenixYouthTheatreAberdeen I PlatformGlasgow I ProjectTheatreGrangemouth I RockAcademyPerformingArtsMoray I ScottishBordersCouncilScottish Borders I ScottishYouthTheatreNationwide I StrangeTheatreEdinburgh I StrangeTownEdinburgh I TheDramaStudioEdinburghTheDramatics!Bo’ness I TheMorayCouncilMoray I TheScrapHappyTheatreCompanyPerth andKinross I TheatreModoGlasgow I TronTheatreGlasgow I YouthMusicTheatreUKCountrywide

In addition to those listed abovewe also support a growingmembership of freelancepractitioners.

Our Youth Theatre Sector


Recent Promote YT Member SuccessesEdinburgh-based Creative Electric were invited to perform their theatreinstallation Are You Looking atMy Context?! at STOFF in Stockholm in August2011. Their work was chosen ahead of hundreds of applications from over49 countries.

The Guardian on Junction 25’s I HopeMyHeart Goes First. ‘It’s not just oneof the best things I’ve seen in Edinburgh this year, but one of the best pieces I’veseen anywhere’ ‘if one had any lingering prejudices about dutifully showing up tosee “youth theatre” they would be destroyed by this tour de force.’

A youngmember of the Citizens Theatre YOUNG CO has beenmentored andsponsored by the artistic director of the National Theatre.As a consequencehe’s currently training, fully supported, at The London Academy ofMusic andDramatic Art.

Amember ofDeaf Youth Theatre has recently integrated with a hearing youththeatre in Edinburgh after being introduced to their work when they performedat the National Festival of Youth Theatre 2011.

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Engage young people aged

8–24 years

Are activein everymajorregion ofScotland97%

Eachyearsince2008PromoteYThascarriedoutanannualNationalYouthTheatreSurveywhichaimstogain an overview of the current level and diversity of youth theatre activity throughout the country.As Scotland’s broadest and most far-reaching youth theatre research project, this survey helps us toestablish trends in participation,determine best practice and identify specific developmental needs.

The results of this national research and its recommendations directly inform the focus and design ofPromoteYT’s training programmes.As a consequencewehave established a quality Training Framework,offered tailored guidance,created toolkits and targeted support to the sector.

The 2011 survey highlighted the following information about youth theatres in Scotland:

The National YouthTheatre Survey

of youth theatres devisetheir own new work

86%of youth theatres havea no-audition policy(demonstrating a 76%increase from 2008)

The majority of youth theatres areoversubscribed with a waiting listof up to 50 young people


Provide financial subsidy todisadvantaged young people and

of youththeatresare FREE25%

96% of youth theatres consultwith their young people

50%of youth theatres haveincreased their membershipover the past year

Engage an average of

250young people eachin weekly activity

63%of youth theatresprovide continuedprofessionaldevelopmenttraining for their staff


Through 2008–2011 Promote YT’s activity in support of the youth theatre sectorhas included:

> Offering free advice andguidance to newandexisting youth theatresand freelancepractitioners on topics such as; setting up a youththeatre,creating partnerships,sourcing artists,effectivemarketingand communications,finding funding andorganisational developmentandmanagement issues

> Brokering partnerships betweenartistic organisationsand individuals to develop anddeliver youth theatre provision

> Providing a packageofexclusivemembership benefits including;discountedmember rates for all PromoteYTtraining events,automatic youth theatre listing on thePromoteYTwebsite,free access tomembers’resources (Training Framework,childprotection guidelines,marketing and funding tips.Freelancer’sHandbook),free access to aPromoteYTMember’sSuite(ameeting andwork spacewith freeWIFI)

> Developing anddelivering tailor-madeSKILLUPXtra training eventsin response to sector feedback

> Managing unique youth theatre projects including;AberdeenOURCITY,FifeYoungCarersMASHUPandNFYT2011DeafAccessProject

> Establishing aPromoteYTSectorSymposiumtoprovide allindividuals andorganisationswith a stake in youth theatrewithanopportunity to network,discuss and informdevelopmentin the sector

> Facilitating sector communication through social networks,online resources,forumsandprinted information and reports

Sector SupportWe are right now usingthe model of Promote YTto create a similarorganisation in Norway.Hopefully we canencourage and developthe Norwegian youththeatre sector as muchas Promote YT has donefor its sector in ScotlandCARL JØRN JOHANSEN–ROGALAND TEATER, NORWAY

Working in partnershipwith Promote YT iscrucial as we endeavourto promote and increaseparticipation in the arts.This vital partnershipallows us to designcreative projectstailored to work withmarginalised anddisadvantaged groupsand provides anaccessible and relevantway for youngaudiences to experiencethe power of artsFRANK CHINN - CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ON AT FIFE


Promote YT’s Training Framework was introduced in 2008 to highlight the principalareas of best practice pertinent to all youth theatre organisations in Scotlandregardless of scale, style, status or approach, informed by the findings of ourNational Youth Theatre Surveys.

Designed to act as a guide to the sector each element has been supportedby co-ordinated skill development via Promote YT’s key platforms including SKILLUP and the National Festival of Youth Theatre.

Through endorsement of this Training Framework youth theatre organisationsare able to assure their stakeholders of their commitment to the best interestsof the young people involved with them.They are therefore able to assert thefollowing statements:

> Statement 1

Wehave the ability to engage children and youngpeople as activeparticipants in our creative process

> Statement 2

Weunderstand that process andproduct are equally andmutuallybeneficial aspects ofour youth theatre activity

> Statement 3

Westrive to broadenour understanding oftechnique and approachto enrich thedelivery ofour youth theatre activity

> Statement 4

Wehave adetermination to broaden the access ofthoseparticipating in our youth theatre activity as creators and audience

> Statement 5

Wehave systemsofevaluation in place to better assess our creativeandoperational output

> Statement 6

Wehave anunderstanding ofcurrent policy andprotocol in relationto safe and appropriate youth theatre practice

& Sector TrainingAs ever I foundthe whole eventincredibly inspiring,refreshing and fun.I was delightedwith the workshopsI chose and havealready used severalof the techniquesand games I learnedin my own practice.SKILL UP PARTICIPANT


SKILLUP is PromoteYT’s annual training and networking conference for allorganisations and individuals with a stake in youth performing arts.Now in its 8th year it is the only event of its kind in the country and attractshundreds ofpractitioners fromacross Scotland and beyond.

SKILLUPprovides a broad range ofquality training experiences,which appealto all levels,skills and abilities.Through this eventwe continue to deliver a range

oftraining initiatives,which focus on the principal objectives ofour TrainingFramework.These initiatives are based upon feedback from the sector,direct

requests for specific training and topics that are prevalent in today's youth theatre climate.

SKILLUPhighlights include:

> Over 400practitioners have attendedSKILL UP over the last 4 years

> Over 200workshopsand facilitated traininggroups have taken place

> Participants have attended fromas far afield asNorway,Denmark,Germany, Ireland,Wales,Englandand ofcourse fromacross thewhole ofScotland

> Facilitated by some ofthe leading names in theatre including FranticAssembly,PoorBoy,Visible Fictions,Plutôt laVie,Prof.JonothanNeelands and theNationalTheatreofScotland.

> Generated over 10 spin-offSKILL UPXtra training courses facilitated by artists including:DaveyAnderson,DouglasMaxwell,FranticAssembly,LinMarshandProf. JonothanNeelands.

> In 2011 SKILL UPwill be replicated for the first time outside Scotland as amodel ofbestpractice in Norway

> Over 40delegates have been supported by PromoteYT through a bursary schemewhichsupports new and emerging youth theatre practitioners


Promote YT’s commitment to havinga truly national overview wasdemonstrated in the two successfulSKILL UP events in collaboration withHi-Arts. They’ve made it so mucheasier for a wide range of Highlandsand Islands-based practitioners totake part in and benefit from all thatSKILL UP offersROBERT LIVINGSTON–DIRECTOR, HI-ARTS

The strength, richness and enthusiasmof the youth theatre sector in Scotlandhas increased year on year, and thereis no doubt in my mind that Promote YTplays a fundamental role in thisSKILL UP PARTICIPANT

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Since its inauguration in 2005, the National Festival of Youth Theatre (NFYT)has built its reputation and is now the largest open platform for youththeatre performances and training opportunities anywhere in the UK.

The 4-day residential festival is a vibrant celebration of the creativity and diversityof our youth theatre sector with participation, collaboration and education at itscore. NFYT offers the young people who participate the exciting opportunity toperform in front of peer and public audiences, to share in each other’s workand to learn and develop new artistic skills all within a safe and supportiveenvironment.

Highlights from the National Festival of Youth Theatre:

> Produced in 5 different regions ofScotland

> Engagedover 1500 youngpeople in structured training andperformance

> Staged200workshops facilitated by50 industry professionals

> Hostedguest performancework fromoutwithScotland includingEngland,Norway and theRepublic of Ireland encouraging creativeintercultural exchange

> Created collaborative performancework facilitated by leadingartists through theGENERATEProject

> Stagedoutreachprojects,3 ofwhich led to the creation ofnewregional youth theatre groupsworkingwith disadvantagedyoungpeople

> In 2011,hosted thegroundbreakingDeafAccessProject facilitatedbyScotland’sDeafYouthTheatre

> Createdover 40paid and voluntary employment opportunities

My company ofyoung people comefrom a culturallyisolated area that isalso socially andeconomicallydeprived so an eventsuch as NFYT wasliterally life changingfor them. It openedtheir hearts andminds to thepossibilities oftheatre and thepower of creativecollaboration.YOUTH THEATRE LEADER, NFYT 2011


This has been a greatexperience at NFYT. Meetingnew people, seeing newplays and trying new things.YOUTH PARTICIPANT

NFYT continues to create,encourage and supporta fantastic environmentfor showcasing the workof youth theatres. I lovesitting in the audienceexperiencing the electricatmosphere and excitementof the young people.YOUTH THEATRE LEADER

One way of judging thestrength of the programmewas the very clear senseof festival that it createdamongst all the participantsand the consequententhusiasm that surroundedevery element of it.CREATIVE SCOTLAND ON NFYT’

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NationalTheatreofScotland'sGenerateproject,NFYT2011

If it were not for the work of PromoteYT how else could Scotland’s youngpeople be offered a rich andrewarding creative and culturalexperience that can be shared andenjoyed with so many people fromall walks of life?GERRY RAMAGE–ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, SOLAR BEAR THEATRE COMPANY


As this report demonstrates, our sector is passionately committed to providinghigh-quality artistic programmes which engage young people and showcase excitingnew talent at regional, national and international level.We therefore recognise thatPromote YT has a fundamental role to play in ensuring Scotland’s position as aforward-thinking creative nation.

With the launch of a new National Centre for Youth Arts and Creative Scotland’scommitment to an all-encompassing National Youth Arts Strategy, Scotland iscurrently at a very exciting crossroads in its cultural landscape. The provision ofprofessional youth theatre will ensure creative, dynamic and outward-looking youngpeople who will be equipped to engage fully in every opportunity that this newlandscape has to offer.

In recognition of this, Promote YT is determined to sustain a high level of support tothe sector, which will provide:

> Continuedprofessional development to advance the standards andprovisionofyouth theatre delivery,placing creative youth theatre practitioners atthe heart ofourwork

> Ahigh-profile national and international platformfor the youth theatre sectorthrough theNational Festival ofYouthTheatre to identify,nurture andchampion youngScottish creative talent and todevelop newcultural audiences

> Projectwork focusing on the improvement ofaccess to youth theatre,and thediversity ofthoseparticipating ultimately giving every child in Scotlandaccess to quality youth theatre experiences

> Acommitment to championing the artistic quality and improvement ofartisticproduction ofyouth theatre inScotland.

> Adeveloped relationshipwith the artists,facilitators andparticipants ofyouththeatre to promotepartnerships and exchange

> Digital serviceswhich serve the sector throughproviding information,empowerment andgrowthopportunities

In support of these goals we will continue to proudly act as the umbrella bodyfor the sector, sharing best practice and facilitating peer-development, training,knowledge and data exchange.We will advocate the role of youth theatre andcontinue to respond to individual requests for support.

These are bold ambitions,which require us to build upon on our existing approach aswell as pioneer newways ofworking.

We look forward toworkingwith our sector,partners andCreativeScotland toensure that the future ofyouth theatre inScotland not only persists,but prevails.

The FutureOur Vision

Supporters andCreative PartnersAs a charitable organisationPromoteYTScotland relies heavily on investment and partnershipworking inorder realise our strategic aims and objectives.

In addition to annual investment from Creative Scotland, Promote YT would like to acknowledge andthank the following,all ofwhomhave supported ourwork over the past 4 years:

AberdeenCityCouncilCelebrating Fife 2010FifeCouncil’s Strategic Events InvestmentFundHi-ArtsHighlands and IslandsEnterpriseONatFife (formerlyAttFife)Perth&KinrossCouncilScottishBordersCouncilShell UK Ltd.TheBirkdaleTrust forHearing ImpairedTheFoundation ofSport and theArtsTheFoyle FoundationTheGannochyTrustTheGreggsFoundationTheHighlandCouncilTheHughFraser FoundationTheMacRobertTrustTheRobertsonTrustTheScottishCommunity Foundation

Creative Partners have includedAberdeenArtsCentreAberdeenPerformingArtsCarnegieCollegeCrookedHouseTheatre, IrelandEastgateTheatre&ArtsCentreEdenCourtTheatreEdinburgh InternationalMagic FestivalFiluren,DenmarkFranticAssemblyGlas(s) PerformanceHi-ArtsHorsecrossArtsJungeAkteure,GermanyKineticThe LemonTreeMellowYellowCreativeArtsTheMorayCouncilTheNationalAssociation ofYouthDrama (NAYD), IrelandTheNationalAssociation ofYouthTheatres (NAYT),EnglandNational Theatre ofScotlandONatFife (formerlyAttFife)PilotTheatre,YorkPlutôt laVieRogalandTeater,NorwayScottishYouthTheatreSecondWaveArts,LondonSolarBearTheRoyal Conservatoire ofScotland (formerlyRSAMD)ThickSkin,LondonTortoise in aNutshellVisible FictionsYouthMusicTheatreUK

And abig

thank youtoall PromoteYTmembers


Governance andFinancial ReportingPromoteYT (Scotland) is a company limited by guarantee and is a Scottish charity registeredwiththe InlandRevenue.The company is overseen by aBoard ofDirectorswhomeet 6 times a year.

PromoteYT is supported by their patron, the successful Scottish actor,KenStott

BoardofDirectors

Acting Chair:GillianHowie,DramaTeacher / Freelance Practitioner

ActingVice-Chair:BenJeffries,Marketing andCommunicationsDirector,PerthHorsecross

Acting Company Secretary:ColinBradie,Director / ChiefExecutive Officer,PromoteYT (Scotland)

FionaAnderson, BusinessDirector,Visible Fictions Theatre Company

ClaireBloomfield,Artistic Director,Kinetic YouthTheatre

KennyMcGlashan, Short Courses Senior Tutor and Producer,Royal Conservatoire ofScotland

IlonaMunro,OutreachDramaWorker (Lochaber),EdenCourt Theatre

Staff

Director / ChiefExecutive Officer,ColinBradie

Training and ParticipationManager,CarolineDonald

Marketing andCommunicationsManager,GarySmith

DevelopmentOfficer,HelenBain

Financial Review

07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11

Incoming resources fromgenerated funds

Donations,grants and legacies £47,686 £50,000 £75,000 £75,000

Investment income – £39 £21 £8

Incoming resources fromcharitable activities £34,706 £63,112 £20,481 £90,196

Total incoming resources £82,392 £113,151 £95,502 £165,204

Resourcesexpended

Charitable activities £70,882 £131,601 £94,132 £162,707

Governance costs £2,101 £1,039 £920 £1,031

Total resources expended £72,983 £132,640 £95,052 £163,738

Fundbalance £23,786 £4,297 £4,747 £6,212


Fromdramagroups in local villagehalls to large youth theatres runbytheatre professionals,PromoteYTisworking hard to ensure everyyoungperson acrossScotland canaccess a quality,safe and enjoyableyouth theatre experience

KenStott,PromoteYTPatron

Out of the Blue36 Dalmeny StreetEdinburghEH6 8RGT 0131 538 [email protected] YT (Scotland) is registered in Scotland No. 269952 and a registered Scottish charity No. SC 035765

FrontCover

photo:Eastw

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promote yt 4-year review 2008 - 2011

Documents

vital youth theatre

theyouth theatre sector

national youth theatre

youth theatresby

responsepromote yt

scotlands youththeatre

national support

development body