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The Potential of Puppetry: A Review of the Sector in Scotland

(RES17)

Report produced by the Scottish Arts Council.

May 2005 Scottish Arts Council 12 Manor Place, Edinburgh EH3 7DD Telephone 0131 226 6051 Facsimile 0131 225 9833 Typetalk please prefix number with 18001 Help Desk 0845 603 6000 (local rate) E-mail [email protected] Website www.scottisharts.org.uk

The Potential of Puppetry: A Review of the Sector in Scotland 2

Contents

Executive Summary Introduction Conclusions

Development of the Artform Adult Puppetry Relationship with the Theatre/Arts sector Training Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Organisations Linked to Development of the Sector General Promoters Audiences Education/Health/Cultural Diversity International Opportunities The Creative Industries Funding/Resources

Recommendations

Background Development of the Artform Adult Puppetry Relationship with the Theatre/Arts Sector Training Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Organisations Linked to Development of the Sector General Promoters Audiences Education/Health/Cultural Diversity International Opportunities The Creative Industries Funding/Resources

Appendices

Appendix 1. Brief and Methodology Appendix 2. Puppet Animation Festival Statistics Appendix 3. Show Quotes Appendix 4. Other Key Organisations Appendix 5. Scottish Arts Council Drama Strategy Areas Linked to

Puppetry Sector Appendix 6. Special Thanks Appendix 7. Questionnaire to Practitioners Working in the Puppetry

Sector in Scotland: Summary Appendix 8. Questionnaire to Promoters of Puppetry in Scotland:

SUMMARY

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The Potential of Puppetry: A Review of the Sector in Scotland EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION In April 2000 the then Scottish Arts Council Drama Committee discussed a proposal to review the puppetry sector in Scotland. This was prompted by recognition that, while puppetry has a positive artistic, recreational, educational and social value (given its ability to be larger than life, accessible and cross-cultural) the puppetry sector in Scotland appeared to lack a profile. Three factors were considered:

• anecdotal evidence suggesting that puppetry was not valued as an artistically credible sector within the wider performing arts field

• the lack of available reviews of puppet theatre which suggests that the artform may not have a serious profile

• only a tiny percentage of puppeteers were applying to (or receiving) direct funding from the Scottish Arts Council

A consultation with the sector has taken place (on a periodic basis) since 2000. This report aims to summarise the consultation. The brief and methodology are contained in Appendix 1. The following conclusions and recommendations for actions arising from this review are being proposed in conjunction with a team of experienced representatives from the arts sector (see Appendix 6.) An interesting fact arising from the review is that, despite the appearance of a low profile, Scottish puppetry companies have been providing a vast amount of work for a huge audience base throughout Scotland (7,301 performances and workshops for 575,178 people over 5 years ending April 03). (See appendix 2 for more details). They also provided a significant amount of work outwith Scotland during that time. CONCLUSIONS Development of the artform • The puppetry sector in Scotland is extremely diverse and fuelled by a huge range of

artistic influences (national and international). • Puppeteers currently rely on having a wide range of construction, design, manipulation

and theatrical skills to be able to create work successfully. • Puppeteers would like to have more opportunities for artistic development and creative

exploration. • The Scottish Arts Council core funded Puppet Animation Festival (PAF) Creative

Development Through Rehearsal Fund has provided the resources for puppeteers to collaborate with a wide range of theatre specialists in developing their work.

Adult puppetry • Very few puppeteers in Scotland present adult puppetry shows. • There are some excellent international examples which demonstrate how puppetry can

have an exciting impact on the staging of theatre for adults.


• Development of adult audiences for puppetry in Scotland would likely depend upon successful integration (and recognition) of puppetry within the wider theatre context.

• PAF could potentially provide the platform for showcasing adult puppetry if demand is

successfully demonstrated. Relationship with the theatre/arts sector • There is a need for wider collaboration between puppeteers and other theatre

practitioners. • Puppetry can enhance, enliven and invigorate theatre productions. • A majority of puppeteers believe that puppetry is undervalued by the wider theatre/arts

sector. • PAF’s Creative Development Through Rehearsal Fund has provided new opportunities

for collaboration to take place. Training • There are limited opportunities for up-and-coming puppeteers to train in Scotland. • Provision appears to happen through informal, in-house apprenticeships, self-training

or through few customised courses. • There is a need for the creation of pathways between existing training and career

development within the sector in Scotland. • Training should be carried forward within a wider environment of theatre skills and

activities. Continuous professional development (CPD) • Puppeteers believe they lack sufficient opportunities for CPD tailored to their needs

and aspirations. • There are existing structures available for CPD (eg through PAF, Imaginate and

SMPC) however resources are limited. • Financial constraints for puppeteers limit their ability for CPD to take place on a regular

basis. • Puppeteers appear to be unaware of Scottish Arts Council funding for CPD. Organisations linked to development of the sector • PAF is recognised by puppeteers as a national advocate for development of the sector

however the organisation is not currently in a position to deliver a long term strategy given its limited staff resources.

• Imaginate’s remit is wider than puppetry. However, they play a positive role in

promoting national and international puppetry, influencing promoters, supporting CPD for practitioners and presenting good examples of integration between puppetry and the wider theatre context.


• Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre works closely with Glasgow City Council to provide

local facilities for puppeteers. It also provides a resource and training programme which is available to puppeteers nationally and internationally. There is scope for SMPC to build stronger links with the puppetry sector Scotland wide.

• Puppeteers value the roles of these (and other) developmental organisations however

some believe improved communication between bodies is needed to enable effective long-term development.

General promoters • The working partnership between puppeteers and promoters appears to have improved

over the last few years. However there is scope for further development. Many promoters do not currently programme or prioritise the work.

• Promoters programme puppetry for children because they believe the work is

enjoyable, accessible, diverse, inclusive and educational. They often select on reputation and subject matter rather than having viewed the work in advance.

• Scottish Arts Council funded initiatives such as the Network of Children's Centres

report, the Touring Development Study and the Family Friendly Initiative, which have been developing over the last few years, have the potential to impact on puppetry programming.

Audiences • Puppetry appears to be a growing sector in terms of audiences and geographic spread. • The main audiences for puppetry in Scotland are children and their families and/or

teachers. The predominant age range is 3 -12 years. There is a very limited audience of young people.

• Puppetry can be a valuable introduction to live performing arts. It can also help to instil

appreciation of the arts by young audiences. • Training and continuous professional development is key to sustaining and developing

audiences of all ages for puppetry in Scotland. Education/health/cultural diversity • Puppetry is becoming increasingly prominent within educational, health and cultural

diversity-based arts initiatives. • There is potential for puppetry to play an important part in supporting the development

of Scottish Arts Council policies and strategies linked to these areas. International opportunities • Puppeteers would value more opportunities to see and interact with international work

at home and abroad. • Festivals like PAF and the Bank of Scotland Children’s International Festival provide

great potential to develop knowledge, expertise and collaboration through showcasing international work and creating professional development opportunities


• There is scope for Scottish-based puppeteers who have developed a good

international reputation and knowledge to contribute further to development of the sector by sharing their expertise.

The Creative Industries • There is huge scope for puppetry to contribute to the growth of the Creative Industries. • Puppetry is often used within the film and television industries. • Puppetry has played a key role in commercially successful theatre productions. Funding/resources • A key issue for puppeteers is their lack of resources. Many puppeteers mainly earn

money through other, non-public sources (often not connected with the arts). • The sector believes there is a lack of available funding from the Scottish Arts Council.

Some puppeteers do not believe they are eligible to apply for Scottish Arts Council funding.

• Puppeteers need to become more proactive in taking the first step on to the funding

ladder. They appear to be slightly reticent in approaching funding bodies. • However, since the review process puppeteers are increasingly approaching the

Scottish Arts Council for advice. There has also been an increase in applications from puppeteers.

• There is huge scope to address the concerns of puppeteers through promotion of

existing opportunities from a range of funds. • New Scottish Arts Council funding processes are geared towards creating a simpler

application process and enhanced advisory service. • The Scottish Arts Council’s focus on children and young people, inclusion, diversity,

education, health, cross-media and new media offers increased potential for the puppetry sector to enter the Scottish Arts Council funding system.

• Puppeteers are benefiting from PAF’s core/project funding from the Scottish Arts

Council. They also benefit from local authority income during the PAF festival. • PAF has been responding to the growing development needs of the sector however the

resources currently available to them for this work are limited. They are currently unable to programme on a year round basis or develop strategies for development.

• A small ‘one off’ injection of funding (£25,000) for The Creative Development Through

Rehearsal Fund has enabled some puppeteers to have the vital artistic development opportunities they need. However there is currently no Scottish Arts Council budget to continue this activity beyond September 2004.


RECOMMENDATIONS The Scottish Arts Council should recognise that this consultation highlights the puppetry sector in Scotland as: • providing a positive input to the wider theatre sector in Scotland • contributing towards Scottish Arts Council strategies for drama, education, health,

cultural diversity and audience development • providing scope to contribute towards the growth of the creative industries. The Scottish Arts Council should consider the findings of the puppetry review during the Scottish Arts Council’s Strategic Review process. This will include: • looking at how the Scottish Arts Council can fulfil its 3 main aims as outlined in the

corporate plan. These are:

• to increase participation in the arts • to support artists in Scotland to fulfil their creative and business potential • to place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning.

• looking at the roles, functions and structures required to maximise the needs of the arts

sector and serve the public in Scotland in relation to the 3 aims above • a review of all existing Scottish Arts Council core funded organisations including the

Puppet Animation Festival • a process to decide which arts organisations will receive Scottish Arts Council core

funding from April 2007 • a process to decide how project based funding will be dispersed from April 2007. The Scottish Arts Council should consider allocating funding towards a Creative Development Fund for puppeteers. Scottish Arts Council officers should consider the findings of the puppetry review when assessing applications from the puppetry sector. The Scottish Arts Council should fund a seminar series for puppeteers (achieved and ongoing). The series includes:

• a Guide to funding • The Scottish Arts Council Review Of Puppetry feedback session • marketing and networking • touring puppets • international touring and networking • therapy and healthcare opportunities • creative collaborations and partnerships in Scotland.

Key organisations within the puppetry sector should listen to the needs of puppeteers during the seminar series to appropriately inform their strategies for provision of future advocacy and support.


Key organisations within the puppetry sector should consider developing closer working partnerships to: • maximise the potential for Scottish based puppeteers to benefit from existing expertise

and resources • support professional and creative development needs of puppeteers • advocate for development of a puppetry strand within existing Performing Arts training

courses • advocate for enhanced links between current puppet training providers and the sector

to ensure that their courses can feed in to wider sectoral developments • explore the potential demand for a proposed international festival of adult/youth

puppetry within the next few years. • promote puppet theatre at relevant networking events such as the Federation Of

Scottish Theatre Market Day, WYSIWYG, Edinburgh International Festival etc.


BACKGROUND A national enquiry into puppetry published in 1992 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation provides an in-depth history and knowledge of the puppetry sector in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Many of the issues raised in that enquiry are common to the findings of this review however it is important to recognise that the sector in Scotland has moved forward over the following 12 years as reflected in the conclusions and recommendations in this report. Arts Council England (ACE) conducted a review in 2002 and, while there is as yet no statistical evidence of subsequent benefits to puppeteers down south (due to recent restructuring of ACE), anecdotal indications are that puppeteers are now benefiting greatly from new funding systems.

Puppeteers in Scotland have welcomed the Scottish Arts Council puppetry review as an opportunity to highlight the sector's current successes as well as providing a voice in the hope that a strategic framework for future development will be achieved. An obvious conclusion arising from the review is that the puppetry sector in Scotland is extremely diverse and fuelled by a huge range of artistic influences (national and international). However puppeteers are under-resourced and there are few full-time companies operating within Scotland. Having said that, it would appear that puppetry is a growing sector in terms of audience development and geographic spread despite the lack of resources and opportunities for artistic development (see Appendix 2 for PAF statistics). While it is positive to see a developing market there is a huge concern that it comes at the expense of puppeteers’ morale, working conditions, career development and scope to sustain quality-based output. The puppeteer questionnaires showed that: • 100% of the respondents take on multiple roles from puppet maker to artistic director to

marketing manager etc • 86% said they were limited artistically due to lack of finance, time, opportunities and

geographic availability • 76% said that the available time for artistic development was insufficient. Given

financial constraints most people stated that they have to work in additional full-time/ part-time jobs in order to raise the money to develop their practice

• 83% of respondents felt that puppetry is misunderstood, undervalued and generally

poorly received by the other arts sectors.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTFORM A key issue for the puppetry sector in Scotland has been the need for more creative resources and experimentation. During the last three years there have been some positive developments in the sector, partly due to new Scottish Arts Council funding opportunities in response to early conclusions arising from this consultation: notably the Creative Development Through Rehearsal Fund managed by PAF.


This fund has produced positive opportunities for puppeteers to work with a range of theatre practitioners (eg the artistic directors of Catherine Wheels and Wee Stories) to support development of their work particularly in relation to theatrical presentation. This initiative has been a welcome development. However, there are still limited opportunities for collaboration between individual puppeteers and the wide range of theatre specialists (artistic directors, writers, dramaturgs etc). Puppeteers have limited time and money to be able to capitalise on outside expertise and often rely on reviewing videos of their work as part of the direction process. Many are continuously on the road in order to maintain their livelihood which exacerbates the problem. Additionally they have limited time and opportunity to view other work which could inspire them artistically and aid creative development. It should be recognised that puppeteers often have to ‘build’ their cast before any other aspect of the production can be developed. Therefore they generally need more time to create work than other theatre practitioners. This also implies that puppeteers need a wide range of construction, design, manipulation and theatrical skills to be able to create work successfully. Many puppeteers come from a visual arts/crafts/design background which means that, while they can often create beautifully crafted puppets and sets, and skilfully manipulate the puppets, their ability to create and present the theatre elements may be less pronounced. Another issue is a lack of large-scale street/processional or site-specific events using puppetry in Scotland. The Puppet Lab has successfully worked in this way (eg the lottery funded Big Shop project in Nairn) however the company has difficulty in presenting this work in Scotland due to limited time and resources particularly given their heavy reliance on busy touring schedules outside Scotland. A positive development has been the Scottish Arts Council Lottery funding of a ‘Big Shop’ project in Leith during the Leith Festival, which took place between March and June 2004. While there is still a need for more developmental opportunities it should be noted that Scotland currently has some national treasures. There is now a mix of older, established puppeteers (some with vast international experience and reputation) and younger puppeteers who are making a name for themselves internationally. It should also be noted that, once a successful puppetry show is in repertory, it can be used regularly over many years, maximising any funding investment. ADULT PUPPETRY A key issue for puppeteers is their sensitivity that the wider theatre sector does not regard them as serious artists. This is unfortunately linked to the perception that puppetry is often viewed as an artform exclusively for young audiences. While there is limited work for adult audiences within Scotland there are some excellent and highly successful companies further afield which demonstrate how puppetry can have an exciting impact on the staging of theatre for children, young people and adults alike (see Appendix 3 for reviews of the Olivier Award winning Improbable Theatre’s Shockheaded Peter). The positive reviews of Shockheaded Peter would suggest that this type of work can play a part in raising the interest in (and appreciation for) puppetry from adult audiences. The presentation of puppets in this production served to enhance a wider theatrical context. This


is a recurrent theme which has arisen from the puppetry review and discussed at great length by the review team. There is a view that the future of puppetry as a recognised, vibrant artform depends on its incorporation and/or collaboration with other theatre forms. It is particularly likely that this would be the case if the sector was to successfully attract and sustain an adult audience for puppetry. Robert Le Page is an excellent international advocate for the use of puppetry within a recognised theatre setting. International experts contributing to the review have stated that internationally based theatre recognises the role of puppetry practitioners as valid and equal partners in making exciting and innovative theatre. This provides scope for the Scottish adult theatre sector to positively explore its own artform through a wider collaboration and integration of puppetry and its associated forms (mask, object manipulation etc). Puppeteers and promoters consulted indicated an interest in adult puppetry however it would appear that there is insufficient demonstrable demand, knowledge or experience within Scotland at present. Additionally, the findings suggest that puppeteers may also need to develop the confidence to believe they can create work of the calibre of Shockheaded Peter. Some of Scotland’s established practitioners believe there is scope to develop the expertise and market for adult puppetry however the right conditions are required (themes, language, staging/venues, innovation/experimentation, audience development/education). They also believe a main barrier to the creation of adult puppetry work in Scotland is the lack of regular, financially secure opportunities for its presentation. Puppeteers who have the skills and interest are reluctant to spend significant amounts of time and money developing a show that might not even receive a performance or be financially viable. PAF is currently developing ideas for a proposed international festival of adult puppetry within the next few years. The viability of this would depend upon their ability to uncover and demonstrate demand from audiences and promoters, identify a programme that would have maximum impact and ensure their organisation is sufficiently resourced to manage this ambitious event within their annual programme. The Scottish Arts Council has recently (April 2005) funded the Edinburgh Puppet Lab to tour a piece of adult puppetry in Scotland which could potentially contribute towards development of a longer term adult audience base. They will be gathering statistics which will inform the potential for longer term demand.


RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THEATRE/ARTS SECTOR Scottish Arts Council core funded Catherine Wheels, Visible Fictions, TAG and Wee Stories have successfully collaborated with puppetry/objects in presenting their work (see Appendix 3 for reviews of Catherine Wheels). These companies have indicated that puppetry will continue to play an important role in their artistic developments. While this is extremely positive it should be noted that they are dedicated children’s theatre practitioners suggesting that there may be a longer road to travel within the ‘mainstream adult theatre sector’. A few adult theatre companies have been known to incorporate puppetry. Examples include Benchtours and Vanishing Point. This review has highlighted a growing desire for puppetry-based work to be shown to be credible theatre and recognised as an important medium or key partner in the creation and development of theatre as an exciting artform. Puppeteers point out that a puppet usually appears in a ‘mainstream’ theatre production because it can do something an actor can not do. There was a strong consensus within the review team that puppetry provides a great opportunity to enhance, enliven and invigorate theatre which can sometimes be too one-dimensional and dull. ‘For me puppets mean spectacle; they represent the unpredictable in us. They can change the scale of human experience. In a warehouse outside Paris, in 1969, I was deeply inspired by the show, 1789. Marie Antoinette, 16 foot high, escapes from Versailles. The people, real and human, in red hot pursuit – colours, flamboyant; sounds of flapping canvas and rattling metal; a world beyond human daring. An intervention …… a world where everything and anything is possible …….. where clouds can predict events and where ideas can be heard’. (Artist Lubaina Himid in On the Brink of Belonging: a national enquiry into puppetry, Keith Allen and Phyllida Shaw, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation 1992) While welcoming an increased use of puppetry within theatre shows some puppeteers expressed concern that theatre companies sometimes do not employ puppeteers to work with the puppetry in their productions. An opinion from the theatre sector pointed out that telling the theatrical tale becomes more important than the puppetry itself. A positive balance between the two perspectives is required however the comments indicate a growing dialogue with scope to provide the collaborative opportunities which could bring puppeteers in from the cold. This consultation has indicated some optimism that interest and respect for the medium is slowly on the increase. A main challenge appears to be the need to raise awareness of the potential of puppetry at a national level. There may be scope to link with the FST in taking this forward. Good models of practice arising from successful collaborations between puppeteers and other theatre practitioners could play a key role in changing negative perceptions as long as they are promoted and marketed well.


TRAINING The puppetry questionnaires indicated that 65% of respondents had had some degree of formal training via courses at various institutes such as the Puppet Centre, London, Playboard Theatre, London, Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre (SMPC), university or college, puppet theatres and special puppetry courses. However there is not a definite structure for training. It should be noted that some respondents were trained many years ago in courses that no longer exist. Provision today appears to mainly happen through ad hoc, in-house apprenticeships, self training or through a few customised courses. Drama colleges do not offer training in puppetry. The 35% of respondents who have had no formal training are self taught through reading books, attending performances by established companies, real life experiences and drama workshops. Some have also come through design/art courses. Glasgow-based SMPC has played a key role over the years in training puppeteers through their links with Anniesland College and the University of Glasgow. Over the last 10 years they have facilitated an HND course for 120 graduates in partnership with Anniesland College (three days per week for 10 months annually (30 modules x 40 hours). Some graduates have come as far afield as Portugal, Spain and Australia. They have also provided masterclasses at their own base, sometimes involving international visitors. However the findings indicate there is no clear pathway between existing training provision and the professional working sector. There is a view that more could be done in marketing and capitalising on any current training provision. The consultation also indicated that there may be room for development of approaches to training to ensure the successful creation and development of professional puppeteers coming into the sector today. Given the diverse nature of puppetry as an artform, there is a view that puppetry training should be carried forward within a wider environment of theatre skills and activities. This could potentially attract a wider range of interest and ensure that training can be delivered within the context of today’s theatre culture, thus enabling recruits to sustain a viable career long-term. As outlined the pressure for puppeteers to be equally competent at all the skills necessary to create good work is a huge factor. Experts consulted commented that training needs to run parallel with opportunities for developing collaborative projects, to ensure talented young people can develop the highest quality professional experience. This also includes developing strong links with art and theatre schools. A mentoring role was also regarded as important to maintain contact and encourage young people to move forward and replenish the sector. The need for a strong sector vision which can inform the training was flagged up. Presenting models of good practice to inform and inspire students was regarded as crucial. Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University College are currently developing a new children’s theatre course which has the potential to improve some of the sector’s training needs.


CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The need for continuous professional development is a huge issue. However, puppeteers do not feel there are sufficient opportunities tailored to their needs and aspirations. Puppeteers feel that collaboration with theatre practitioners/companies has provided good training and creative development opportunities both for themselves and the other professionals. PAF’s rehearsal fund has been one potential route however Scottish Arts Council funding for that came from a discreet ‘one off’ budget and there is currently no identifiable resource for continuation beyond September 2004. In terms of international exchange, Imaginate has supported the professional development of people like (international award winning) Shona Reppe through its skills exchange programme. There may be scope to provide further pathways through this route however there are also resource implications. The SMPC also offers CPD opportunities for puppeteers however, as with PAF and Imaginate, resources for this are limited. As outlined, due to pressures of limited resources and time, some puppeteers feel it is difficult keeping up to speed with current developments or attending any skills development opportunities available. Many puppeteers are also isolated either by geography or through their ‘one man band’ structure.

ORGANISATIONS LINKED TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECTOR There are a range of organisations which play an advocacy role for the sector. They include building based resource centres, festivals and arts organisations which use puppetry as part of a wider arts programme. The questionnaires indicated that puppeteers value the roles of key organisations such as PAF, SMPC and Imaginate. (See Appendix 4 for details of other key organisations mentioned in the review). The respondents felt that these organisations play an important role in promoting and showcasing puppetry as well as accessing a wider audience base. However, some respondents commented that improved communication between these organisations was needed to enable them to maximise their individual contributions to development of the sector as a whole. Puppet Animation Festival (PAF) PAF receives core funding from the Scottish Arts Council to provide a concentrated annual focus for puppetry in Scotland. The festival is a main conduit for the sector in programming their work. Its geographic reach in Scotland is wide ranging including isolated areas. The organisation appears to have a good relationship with all its partners with regular exchange of information about companies' work. The festival can be a gauge of quality for local authorities who do not have time to see work in advance. PAF has become an advocate for development of the sector (similar to Imaginate’s role for children’s theatre) over the last few years. The festival appears to be trusted by the sector to


represent their needs and develop opportunities. On a practical level PAF also supports puppeteers who need administrative and marketing support PAF is developing initiatives to support puppeteers working within the educational and health areas. It is also building links with the new National Theatre of Scotland which provides great potential to enhance the profile and artistic development of puppetry in the longer term. While certain aspects of their development role (eg international programming and rehearsal fund) has attracted some project funding their core structure is currently not in a position to provide a year-round focus for the artform. The review has flagged up the need for an enhanced management structure and increased ability to undertake strategic planning and programming. PAF would like to expand its role to provide a year round development and advocacy role for the sector. This has implications for the funding agreement between the festival and the Scottish Arts Council (scheduled for review in the Autumn 2005). Imaginate Edinburgh-based Imaginate (a Scottish Arts Council CFO) has played a positive role in promoting puppetry and influencing other promoters in programming of work. During its annual International Children’s Festival it often presents high quality national and international puppetry, either through a dedicated puppetry performance or integrated within a multimedia production. As part of its role as an advocate for development of the children’s theatre/arts sector it profiles children’s work at its annual WYSIWYG showcase for promoters which often includes puppetry. Imaginate also has a skills development strand (funded by Scottish Arts Council as part of its core funding) which includes opportunities for practitioners involved in delivering children’s performing arts to take part in international cultural exchange programmes. This initiative has enabled puppeteers such as Leigh MacAlister (Clydebuilt), Ailie Cohen (Hoodwink) and Shona Reppe to travel internationally and view work, meet resident practitioners and exchange ideas, experiences and methods of practice. It would be reasonable to acknowledge that Shona Reppe’s success in achieving an international, award-winning reputation is partly due to the opportunity provided by Imaginate. She has been experimenting with new forms and approaches and is now recognised for her unique style which is extremely popular in Japan, Australia and Canada as well as Scotland. The Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre (SMPC) The SMPC is a Glasgow, building-based, organisation which has been programming puppetry performances on a weekly basis within a dedicated theatre space for many years. It plans to open up a second (120 seater) space as part of a drive to develop its audiences. SMPC has received project grants from the Scottish Arts Council. Its building is owned by Glasgow City Council from which it receives revenue funding. SMPC values collaborative working, particularly on an international basis. It develops educational and cultural diversity initiatives. It prioritises development of multi-arts projects involving a wide range of national and international arts organisations. It also has an in-house (and touring) educational resource/archive and museum exhibition and delivers master classes.


It works closely with Glasgow City Council in providing local educational and family-based performances, workshops and training. As outlined it has also delivered HND training courses. SMPC produces publications and related materials on puppetry and hosts an annual Puppeteer Day. The organisation would like more resources to enable them to offer more short-term intensive courses and evening classes for aspiring puppeteers and newly-formed companies. While recognising the expertise SMPC has to offer, the review findings indicate a need for SMPC to build stronger links with the puppetry sector in Scotland to enable its valuable resource to have wider impact. GENERAL PROMOTERS Promoters of puppetry fall into four main categories: festivals, theatres, community/arts centres and local authorities. In general the promoters who programme puppetry are positive about the quality of work in Scotland however they also tend to programme a fair percentage of puppetry from England (usually through PAF). The main reason for programming puppetry is linked to audience development for children’s programmes. Promoters believe puppetry is enjoyable, accessible, diverse, inclusive and educational. They make programming choices based on quality, skill, availability, workshop element as well as cost. Shows can often be selected based on reputation, and subject matter rather than promoters having viewed the work itself. While most receive information about forthcoming work many indicated that they did not receive enough. PAF plays a role in supporting promoters to attend work by, for example, funding transport for island promoters. As mentioned, Imaginate’s WYSIWYG showcase can also provide a platform. Puppeteers would like promoters to meet higher standards of conditions. There is concern that, while venue conditions (particularly in rural settings) have improved greatly over the past five years there are still some areas that need attention. Lack of promoters’ consistency of knowledge, technical support and backstage facilities are huge issues. There appears to be an assumption that puppetry can be put anywhere. While frustrated at the limited provision, it should be noted that practitioners usually create flexible sets to fit into a range of venues. Overall there appears to be a growing collaboration between puppeteers and promoters and improved promoter understanding of the sector’s needs. However the findings suggest that there is still a great deal of work to be done in raising the profile of puppetry with the large numbers of promoters who do not currently programme or prioritise the work. Only 55 promoters responded to the questionnaire sent to all contacts in the promoter’s directory (plus other relevant sources via Scottish Arts Council Education and Area Development departments). Of that number only 57% said they programmed puppetry. It is a possibility, however, that many puppetry promoters (eg schools) may not have received (or had time to) respond to the questionnaire. Scottish Arts Council funded initiatives such as the Network of Children's Centres report, the Touring Development Study and the Family Friendly Initiative, which have been developing over the last few years, have the potential to impact on puppetry programming.


The increased awareness of promoters in catering for audiences and artists (as well as the enhanced networking and information exchange) has helped to develop better partnerships and conditions for the theatre/arts sector as a whole. AUDIENCES ‘Puppetry is a cross cultural artform that can overcome language barriers by providing a non-verbal, visual theatre experience. This experience can be inclusive and enjoyed by all audience members (who are not visually impaired). On a large scale it can create or contribute to full scale productions and tell stories to a theatre audience. On a much smaller scale, and with few resources, it can contribute to creating a fantastical world and helping to transform more institutional environments - such as hospitals and schools - therefore providing access to the arts and an outlet for creativity in these settings. Due to its accessibility, it also encourages participants to explore the use of puppetry outwith formal performances and workshops’. (Magdalena Schamberger, Hearts&Minds). The main audiences for puppetry in Scotland are children and their families and/or teachers. Audiences are fairly diverse with a predominant age range of 3-12 years. Attendance is generally high and appears to be growing as indicated by the PAF figures (quoted in Appendix 2). These young audiences are attending puppetry events in schools, nurseries and theatres. It is interesting to note that only 2% of audiences are aged 12-16 years, less than the 12% of adults (the majority of which will likely attend to accompany children). There may be scope in the future to look at developing youth audiences for puppet theatre. There are some companies which do club-based work involving puppets. It is recognised that puppetry can be a valuable introduction to live performing arts. It can also help to instil appreciation of the arts for young audiences. Puppets can be flexible in how they present characters to audiences. This can sometimes enhance the ability of theatre to express concepts, emotion and the human condition which adds to the medium’s power in reaching audiences at a deep level. Puppetry therefore has the potential to provoke personal and social exploration for young people. This is further enhanced by the ability of puppets to create safe environments for human exchange through their symbolic rather than human nature. For example, Visible Fictions’ production of Song for the Sea was developed in collaboration with Shona Reppe. The main character was a boy puppet who engendered huge sympathy during embarrassing moments for his character. Some puppeteers feel there is a lot of competition for audiences suggesting that there is a growing market of practitioners. However it may be that the competition is coming from other mediums (or theatre in general) producing more work for young audiences. A concern for PAF is that there is a decreasing market of puppeteers in Scotland producing work of quality to satisfy the growing demand for puppetry. Training and continuous professional development are therefore key to sustaining and developing audiences for puppetry in Scotland. Another factor for puppeteers is their concern that a lack of resources for marketing their work positively and prominently to promoters and audiences impacts on their ability to draw audiences to their work. The Scottish Arts Council’s corporate plan (2004-2009) linked to Scottish Executive priorities has targets to increase audiences to the arts by 3% by 2006. Another target is increasing access for under represented groups by 5% by 2006. This grouping includes children and young people which the Scottish Arts Council is already focussing on.


The focus on children’s work has been reflected within the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department’s increased CFO budget for professional children’s theatre companies (which have used puppetry as outlined). This provides scope for puppetry to reach more audiences particularly through developing partnerships with the wider theatre sector. As outlined previously there may be scope to draw increased adult audiences to puppetry through the provision of dedicated adult puppetry programmes and/or increased opportunities for puppeteers to collaborate with theatre companies producing work for adult audiences. EDUCATION/HEALTH/CULTURAL DIVERSITY Puppetry is becoming increasingly prominent within educational, health and cultural diversity-based arts initiatives. This provides potential for puppetry to play an important part in supporting the development of Scottish Arts Council policies and strategies linked to these areas. Education PAF and SMPC develop programmes and partnerships with the education sector. Many puppeteers provide a huge educational resource to schools through their performance and workshop programmes. It is recognised that there is great scope for puppetry to complement the curriculum. Teachers use puppetry as part of language work etc. Through the education system puppetry reaches disabled children. Some work has been specifically developed for inclusive audiences. It should be noted that the work done in schools sometimes provides the main source of income for many puppeteers. However, while puppeteers do valuable work in schools, this can often be focused on visual arts based puppet making with the dramatic skills aspects sometimes being unexplored. There is great scope for children to gain confidence in expressing themselves publicly through opportunities to present dialogue through a puppet. The attention is diverted from themselves towards the puppet who therefore acts as a support mechanism. An aim of PAF is to strengthen knowledge and understanding among the puppeteers for their educational work, as well as promoting their skills to schools throughout Scotland. PAF is developing a website which provides educational information for schools eg information on companies and productions to promote increased interest and activity. They are also developing arts/education training opportunities to complement increased demand. While many puppeteers dedicate a great deal of their time to education this can sometimes conflict with their potential for creative expansion. Teachers’ needs can sometimes dictate a puppeteer’s programme which results in puppeteers having to limit their time and resources for developing new work. The Scottish Executive’s Cultural Co-ordinator’s programme, which aims to embed the arts at a higher priority level within the education system, may provide scope to ‘raise the game’ for teachers collaborating with puppetry in delivering their work. Feedback from promoters in general regarding puppetry workshop programmes was good. This also provides scope to support the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department’s plan to deliver more educational work through its funded organisations (see Appendix 5 for Scottish Arts Council Drama Strategy objectives linked to puppetry).


Health PAF has been developing links with Glenrothes College re developing of puppetry within the arts and health sector. David Swift, Artist-in-residence, Fife Health Care Trust, who worked with Scottish puppeteer Colleen Magennis and two visiting European puppet theatre companies): “The performances and workshops with Gioco Vita, Theatre Drak and Colleen Magennis provided a unique opportunity….. for people with mental health problems to discover new ways of externalising their emotions, and in particular allowed them to create alter egos who could express fears and aspirations and thereby help them understand and come to terms with issues of alienation, resettlement and social interaction.” Edinburgh-based Hearts&Minds provides life enhancement opportunities for sick and hospitalised people through delivery of an arts programme for children and elderly people with dementia. Specially trained practitioners work closely with medical teams in the hospitals and hospices visited. ‘Puppetry, object manipulation and visual theatre play a key role in the delivery of Hearts&Minds' programmes and activities. They are a safe way of initiating contact for a particular age group and environment: eg making contact and telling stories through the window of an isolation cubicle. They build on the interest of participating children: eg using their personal objects and props for storytelling and to instil confidence. Puppets can act as a representation of the healthy person behind the sick one. They can help to demystify hospital procedures: by involving hospital-related objects to transform reality eg an IV drip stand can become a dancing partner. They provide a useful means of indirect approach for participants that are initially unsure if they want to join in. They are a starting point for improvisations, or for focus on particular themes. Puppets and props can provide a trigger for a creative exchange with an elderly person with dementia, or a tool for creating a fantastical world in an institutional environment. They offer an outlet for the creative skills of participants lacking in verbal skills.’ (Magdalena Schamberger, Hearts&Minds) Cultural Diversity As outlined above puppetry is a good medium to attract diverse audiences given its ability to provide a non-verbal, visual theatre experience. SMPC in particular is developing a strong focus on Cultural Diversity. Malcolm Knight (SMPC): ‘I have always believed that the composite skills required of the puppeteer are best learned first through working in collaboration with others etc – and from many different cultures.’ INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ‘All the rest of Europe, and in particular the former Eastern Bloc, has made some exciting developments possible in the puppetry sector that have led to the creation of exciting new styles. Alongside the upkeep of the more traditional style puppetry and marionette theatre, Eastern Europeans (Czechs; former East Germans; Polish; etc) have been confident in developing a darker and grittier animation style puppetry that has its roots in visual and physical style theatre: puppetry as a means for creating parallel universes, strange worlds that we can relate to, not shying away from the dark tales, death and the downsides of life. Puppeteers also acting as storytellers who are visible to the audience and who manipulate puppets and objects in an “un-precious way”. This has led to the creation of puppeteers led by their imagination, with “an attitude” and “X-factor”. Shona Reppe


The questionnaires indicated that 45% of respondents have intercultural connections out with Scotland. Many puppeteers tour to England and Europe. There are also many connections with Asia, Australia and South America. The Edinburgh Puppet Lab, which are currently touring South Asia and Australia, aims to study Vietnamese Water Puppetry and Japanese Bunraku en route. Some puppeteers mentioned strong connections with England. (Symon Macintyre, Edinburgh Puppet Lab): ‘The Little Angel Theatre in London is the home of British Puppetry and its roots touch everybody in Scotland and England.’ There appears to be a wealth of Scottish-based knowledge and experience of national and international models through resident (long-standing) practitioners. There may be scope for the puppetry sector to tap into this expertise on a more regular basis. Festivals like PAF and Imaginate provide great potential to develop knowledge, expertise and collaboration through showcasing international work and creating professional development opportunities. PAF have indicated an interest in following the Imaginate initiative for cultural exchanges (visits to international festivals etc) linked to skills development as well as international programming which they have been developing over the last two years. It is clear that puppeteers would value more opportunities to see and interact with international work at home and abroad. While there may be potential for Scotland to host an international puppetry showcase in the future it should be recognised that existing opportunities are already available through the Imaginate international events and the Edinburgh International Festival. Benefits for puppeteers attending these events include opportunities to view puppetry within the broader-based theatre context.

THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES The commercial success of Tony award winning production The Lion King (which performed on Broadway and London’s West End) relied on exciting, imaginative puppetry, masks and costumes. Puppetry plays a key role in film and television providing scope for puppeteers to develop rewarding careers within these two industries, as well as the commercial theatre sector. ‘Without a high quality training and presentation of new and innovative work on a consistent basis, television, film and other areas where the puppet is used will suffer. We should be developing the skills and abilities of young talented Scottish-based puppeteers to undertake such work’. John Blundall, creator of puppet characters in Supercar, Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds, Stingray (and other TV characters) This clearly demonstrates the potential for puppetry to support theatre/arts development as well as contributing to the growth of the Creative Industries, a Scottish Executive strategic priority area which the Scottish Arts Council is currently responding to. The Scottish Arts Council launched IdeaSmart in February 2005. This is a two-year partnership with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Screen and NESTA which will support individuals with creative ideas they want to connect with industry/business.


FUNDING/RESOURCES As outlined, PAF receives core funding from the Scottish Arts Council. Given its advocacy role this funding has an impact on the wider puppetry sector. Puppeteers also benefit from local authority income during the PAF festival. PAF has been responding to the growing development needs of the sector however the resources currently available to them for this work are limited. They are currently unable to programme on a year round basis or develop strategies for development. A small ‘one off’ injection of funding (£25,000) for The Creative Development Through Rehearsal Fund has enabled some puppeteers to have the vital artistic development opportunities they need. However there is no Scottish Arts Council budget to continue this activity at present. Puppeteers mainly earn money through other, non-public sources (often through non-arts based sources). Only 33% made up their annual income solely on performance/workshop fees. The questionnaires revealed that 13% receive local authority funding. This is usually linked to education/outreach. Income raised from 20 local authority partners during the 2003 Puppet Animation Festival was £72,343. 78% said they usually received fees rather than box office. Income per show varies between £50 and £200. It should be noted here that puppeteers who produce full productions (rather than puppetry-based children’s entertainment) usually command fees at the higher level. Puppeteers programmed by PAF usually command a minimum fee of £150. The sector mistakenly believes there is a lack of available funding from the Scottish Arts Council. Almost half (47%) of the puppeteers who responded to the questionnaires did not seem to believe that they were eligible to apply for Scottish Arts Council funding (marking the question as not applicable). It would appear that the main barrier to puppeteers in accessing grants is a perception that the funding schemes do not fit their requirements. Practitioners believe they are not tailored enough to their particular needs (eg timing and scale of projects). The drama department has also been perceived as dealing with organisations rather than individuals. There also appears to be a resistance to bureaucratic processes (eg form filling) and puppeteers do not believe there is enough information available for their needs. They also appear slightly reticent in approaching funding bodies. This may be tied up with the fact that many puppeteers feel isolated and undervalued. Of the 53% of respondents who have applied to the Scottish Arts Council for funding, there has been a 58% success rate (with some applicants being successful on more than one occasion). The main routes applied to have been through Drama, Crafts and Lottery awards. Funding achieved has been for drama projects and seed funding, professional development and small capital grants. The funding enabled a range of outcomes such as improved quality of performance through employment of creative staff and production costs, audience development through touring opportunities and improved working conditions through rental of rehearsal space. There is huge scope to address the concerns raised above. Scottish Arts Council funding processes have been simplified. The guide to funds and Help Desk are great sources of


information which practitioners can tap in to. Officers offer advisory meetings with prospective applicants. Funds available for puppeteers include Drama Commissions, Drama Bursaries, Drama Projects, Drama Seed funding, Professional Development, Children and Young People, Access and Participation, Awards for All, Capital Grants, Organisational Development, Audience Development, Creative Scotland Awards. There may also be scope for puppeteers to tap into IdeaSmart mentioned above. Additionally the Scottish Arts Council’s focus on children and young people, inclusion, diversity, education, health, cross-media and new media offers increased potential for the puppetry sector to enter the Scottish Arts Council funding system. It would appear that puppeteers need to become more proactive in taking the first step on to the funding ladder. The results of this review should hopefully create the environment and opportunity for puppeteers to become more aware and confident in seeking support. The dialogue created with puppeteers during this review has enabled some to feel more confident about approaching the Scottish Arts Council to discuss their ideas and funding needs. There has also been an increase on applications coming in from the puppetry sector. Angela Hogg Drama Officer. 12 May 2005.


Appendix 1

BRIEF AND METHODOLOGY REVIEW AIMS The aim of this review was to inform funding strategies within the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department and ensure that the organisation has a clear communicable policy on what it supports and why. BRIEF The brief was to assess the current state and future needs of puppetry in Scotland and how the Scottish Arts Council can best support the sector. SCOPE The scope of the review was to provide an overview of puppetry in Scotland, identifying particular strengths and weaknesses and suggesting ways in which the sector might be further strengthened and developed. METHODOLOGY Consultation took place through the following means:

• a series of meetings with a team of relevant representatives who shared information/knowledge, advised the lead officer on sectoral issues and provided constructive feedback to the lead officer on her reporting of facts, conclusions and recommendations

• one-to-one meetings with key individuals in the sector

• attendance at group meetings of puppeteers where discussions of issues took place

• distribution and interpretation of questionnaires to puppeteers and promoters (see

Appendices 7 and 8 for responses to key questions).


Appendix 2

PUPPET ANIMATION FESTIVAL STATISTICS

During the last five years the Scottish Arts Council core funded Puppet Animation Festival (PAF) encouraged Scottish puppetry companies to complete an annual survey, listing all their performance and workshop activities throughout the UK. This summary shows the total number of performances and workshops provided by Scottish professional practitioners throughout the UK between 1May 1998 and 30 April 2003

• For the five years to the year ending 30 April 2003 Scottish puppetry companies provided 8,381 productions and workshops for 687,460 people throughout the UK.

• Of these people 185,614 (27%) were aged 3-5; 261,235 (38%) were aged 5-8: (21%)

144,367 were aged 8-12; 13,749 (2%) were aged 12-16; 82,495 (12%) were adults.

• In each of the five years covered by PAF’s annual surveys Scottish puppet theatre companies provided performances and workshops in 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, to the year 30 April 2003.

• The total number of performances and workshops provided in Scotland during these

five years by Scottish companies is 7,301, for 575,178 people (84% of the total). During this period 1,080 performances and workshops were provided in the rest of the UK for 112,282 people (16% of the total).

• During the five years to 2003 PAF provided 1,004 events for 70,816 people in 131

different venues across Scotland. During the five Festivals to 2003 there has been an increase of:

• attendances, from 10,627 in 1999 to 15,922 in 2003, a growth of 33% • the number of local authorities, from 11 in 1999 to 20 in 2003, a growth of 45% • the number of events, from 165 in 1999 to 241 in 2003, a growth of 32% • the number of venues, from 76 in 1999 to 95 in 2003, a growth of 20% • income from local authority partners, from £40,746 in 1999 to £72,343 in 2003, a

growth of 44%.


Appendix 3

SHOW QUOTES Shona Reppe’s Cinderella "... a wonderful show that has the audience wriggling with glee... Cinderella is a jewel" The Scotsman "... the fairy godmother of puppet theatre" The Evening News

Catherine Wheel’s Martha which featured a goose puppet character integral to the story. “Borrow a child if you don't already have one, and the delight will come at seeing the world through their eyes” The List.

“The audience of seven-year olds was rapt; the adults were snuffling surreptitiously into their hankies. a quite superb work” The Scotsman.

“This is a piece that knows its' audience so well that they are lapping it up from the off, despite there being no-one onstage trying to be liked. Even if a dozy adult should miss something, some tot is sure to supply audible commentary to keep him up to date” The Glasgow Herald Improbable Theatre’s Shockheaded Peter "The most imaginative, gruesomely enjoyable and surely award-winning shows of the year" Daily Mail

"This hilariously ghoulish spectacle is sensational in every respect” Independent on Sunday

"gorgeous...a potent reminder of the power of live theatre” The Times


Appendix 4

OTHER KEY ORGANISATIONS BIGGAR LITTLE THEATRE: This is the only dedicated puppet theatre in Scotland. It is a family venture with a full programme of performances and associated events (particularly for schools). The Theatre provides over 200 performances annually. It specialises in Black Theatre presentations. It is of Victorian style with a raked auditorium, laser light zodiac ceiling and beautifully painted back wall on a Russian fairy tale theme. It contains an exhibition of rare Barnard Marionettes. It has been a great inspiration for puppeteers and have trained puppet practitioners in the past. SHARMANKA KINETIC THEATRE: Glasgow-based Sharmanka Kinetic Gallery exhibits the performing mechanical sculptures of Eduard Bersudsky. It is based on the first Sharmanka (Russian for barrel organ) set up in St Petersburg in the 80s which produced work involving music, light and shadow play which was showcased at the International Puppet Festival, Utrecht, in 1991. The Glasgow Sharmaka was set up with support from Glasgow City Council and Scottish Arts Council Lottery funding. It offers a programme of workshops for all school stages (under 5, primary, secondary and Special Educational Needs schools) delivered by puppeteer John Blundall. GLASGOW’S MITCHELL LIBRARY AND KELVINGROVE MUSEUM: John Blundall is also involved in a newly established resource for puppetry within the library and museum which showcases a collection and provides research material. HEARTS AND MINDS: Edinburgh-based arts-in-health organisation Hearts&Minds was established in 1997 to promote the quality of life for people in hospital and hospice care through the performing arts. Hearts&Minds practitioners are professional performers (including puppeteers, musicians and visual artists) who have a background in clowning and physical theatre. Hearts&Minds achieves its aims through the delivery of two arts-in-health programmes (both of which were initiated with the funding from the National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council): The Clowndoctors programme for children in hospital and hospice care and The Elderflowers programme for elderly people with dementia in hospital care. Puppetry, object manipulation and visual theatre play a key role in the delivery of Hearts&Minds' programmes and activities. KALEIDOSCOPE: Kaleidoscope is a local community festival in Aberdeenshire established in 1991. It regularly promotes puppetry as part of its annual event. Clydebuilt Theatre and the Edinburgh Puppet Lab have regular residencies at the festival. Activities take place within Haddo House Theatre or the surrounding parkland. ANKUR ARTS: Glasgow-based Ankur Arts was set up in 2003 to raise the profile of Indian/South East Asian arts. It plans to collaborate with PAF to achieve some of its objectives given that puppetry and mask feature strongly within the performing arts sector in Asia. Initial plans include bringing Asian puppeteers to Scotland for residencies at the PAF festival and elsewhere. It would provide master classes for professional puppeteers, run workshops for children and provide performances for all ages. It is interested in staging work involving traditional puppetry within a contemporary context use. BRITISH UNIMA AND BRITISH PUPPET AND MODEL THEATRE GUILD: These are long standing organisations made up of puppeteers serving puppeteers. They link the amateur and professional sectors and provide regular and topical information for the whole sector. They are valued as an advisory and information resource and provider of opportunities to exchange ideas. Only 30% of this review’s respondents are associated with these


organisations. The main factors for puppeteers not participating are due to time, geography and lack of knowledge on what they offer.


Appendix 5

SCOTTISH ARTS COUNCIL DRAMA STRATEGY AREAS LINKED TO PUPPETRY SECTOR

Outcome: An integrated collaborative sector

Objective: Provide regular forums for networkng across the sector and opportunities for positive critical exchange amongst practitioners

Outcome: Development of the artform

Objective: Allow forms to be developed that address the aspirations of under-represented groups

Outcome: Higher demand for theatre in Scotland, leading to increased audiences and a broader range of attenders and participants

Objective: Broaden social mix achieved by funded organisations (all ages, social class, ethnic background, ability)

Objective: Ensure improved geographic spread

Outcome: Improved quality of theatre in Scotland

Objective: Ensure opportunities for skills development

Outcome: Equal opportunities for career development

Objective: Increase opportunities for groups under-represented in theatre


Appendix 6 SPECIAL THANKS

Review Team Maggie Singleton Development Officer Children and Young People

Glasgow City Council Tony Reekie Director of Imaginate Eileen Rae Arts Development Officer, Argyll and Bute Council Maggie Kinloch Head of Drama and Creative Industries School, Queen

Margaret University College Laura Tyrrell Arts Education Coordinator Officer, West Lothian Council Magdalena Schamberger Artistic Director of Hearts&Minds Symon Macintyre Director of The Puppet Lab Anne Campbell Former member or the review team, then Scottish Arts Council

Education Officer Simon Hart Director of Puppet Animation Festival

(one-to-one meetings, attendance at three review team meetings to provide information in his capacity as a Scottish Arts Council Drama Department CFO)

Malcolm Yates Knight Director of Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre

(one-to-one meeting, provision of questionnaire and additional information for use in the report)

Donald Smith Director of the Netherbow

(chairing of puppeteer’s group discussion and submission of information)

Shona Reppe Puppeteer

(provision of questionnaire and additional information for the report)

David Swift Artist-In-Residence, Fife Health Care Trust (provision of information for the report) Charles Bell Arts Development Manager, Glasgow City Council (provision of information for the report) Stephanie Mills Scottish Arts Council Drama Department Administrative

Assistant (summarising of promoters’ questionnaires and creation of graphs for promoters and puppeteers questionnaires)

Adele Rogers Scottish Arts Council Communications Assistant (summarising of puppeteers’ questionnaires) Puppetry Practitioners in Scotland who responded to the questionnaire: Pavla Rowan Pavla’s Puppets Mark Pençak Blue Boat Les and Carolyn Lambert Jack O’Lantern Sylvia Troon Kenspeckle Puppets


Ken Hardie Kidgloves Puppets Alan Finlayson Jabberwockey Theatre Company Colleen Magennis Chameleon Puppets Wendy de Rusett Coloured Shadows Ian Turbitt Ian Turbitt’s Puppet Theatre Martin MacGilp Sec, Brunima Shona Reppe Shona Reppe Puppets Leigh MacAlister Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre Gordon McCrae Mr Bones David Stewart Mousetale Puppets Malcolm Yates Knight SMPC Eva Melrose John Blundall Stephen Foster William Beattie Iain Smith Jimmy Pearson Mary Reid Michelle Cassidy Ian Cameron Promoters working in Scotland who responded to the questionnaire: Vivian Hynes Glasgow City Council Rosa Macpherson Clackmannanshire Council Elaine Grewar West Dunbartonshire Council Brian McGeoch South Lanarkshire Council Rana Keane Renfrewshire Council David McDonald Stirling Council Rose Johnston/Cheryl Keenan Midlothian Council Nick Fearne Moray Council J Rankin North Ayrshire Council Hazel Rose Falkirk Council Laura Tyrell West Lothian Council Iain MacAulay Scottish Borders Council Adrian Clark The Highland Council Eileen Rae Argyll and Bute Council Lesley Smith East Lothian Council Mindy Greer Aberdeenshire Council Sadie McKinlay Royal Lyceum Theatre Co Helen Watson Dundee Repertory Theatre Co Catherine MacNeil Traverse Theatre Anne Flemming Theatre Workshop Alasdair McCrone/Lesley Hastie Mull Theatre Martin Ritchie Theatre Royal Ltd John Stalker Edinburgh Festival Theatre Carol Godridge Theatre Royal Dumfries Arthur Dutch Carnegie Hall William Wilson Lyth Arts Centre David Somerville Abriachan Village Hall Chris Brotherston/Fran Harrison Macphail Centre Helen Currie Bowhill Theatre Alex Dickson Loehinver Village Hall Lucy Scott Ardross Hall David Shipman Aros (Isle of Skye) Ltd


Jeroen Mourik Kaleidoscope Carla Hillman East Kilbride Arts Centre Donald Smith The Netherbow: Scottish Storytelling Centre Margaret Allen Glenmoriston Millennium Hall Ruth Alexander Gilmorehill Theatre Duncan MacInnes SEALL Arts Promotion Ruth Fisken Lochan Ashy Blair North Ayrshire Leisure Suzanne Davies-Thorpe The Pickaquoy Centre Evan Henderson Carnegie Hall Christine Housen

Old Well Theatre North East Arts Touring Haddo Arts Trust Cumbernauld Theatre The Wynd Theatre

Those involved in Group Meetings: Franzeska Ewart Donald Smith Netherbow Theatre Simon Hart Puppet Animation Festival Symon Macintyre The Puppet Lab Carrie Innes and Billy Beattie Chip Productions Iain Halket Folding Theatre Puppet Company Alison Monaghan Yugen Puppets Adrian Barber The Puppet Lab Edward Argent Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Malcolm Yates Knight Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Sarah Lee Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Johnathan Charles D Fie Foe Ailie Cohen Hoodwink Ailie Finlay Flotsam & Jetsam Theatre Company Leigh McCalister Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre Gordon McCrae Mr Bones Puppet Show Richard Medrington Puppet State Theatre Company Shona Reppe Shona Reppe Puppets David Stewart Mousetale Puppets Sylvia Troon Kenspeckle Puppets Eileen Rae Argyll & Bute Council Angela Hogg Scottish Arts Council Those who responded in writing to the draft review report John Blundall Pavla Rowan Pavla’s Puppets Ken Hardie Kidgloves Puppets Wendy de Rusett Coloured Shadows Ian Turbitt Ian Turbitt’s Puppet Theatre Leigh McCalister Clydebuilt Puppet Theatre Donald Smith Netherbow Theatre Malcolm Yates Knight SMPC Carolyn Lambert Jack O’Lantern Gordon McCrae Mr Bones Travelling Puppet Theatre


Additional thanks to Catherine Wheels, TAG, Visible Fictions and Wee Stories.


Appendix 7

QUESTIONNAIRE TO PRACTITIONERS WORKING IN THE PUPPETRY SECTOR IN SCOTLAND: SUMMARY

Detailed summary of responses available on request 36 Questionnaires were distributed 23 Responded *Not all questions were answered by respondents

Regularly worked with

others35%

Strictly solo artists52%

Combination of both - solo

and team13%

Are you a solo artist or do you work regularly with another person or persons?

Employ practitioners to work for them

17%Employed by

an organisation

65%

Neither9%

Both 9%

Do you employ other practitioners or are you usually employed by organisations?


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Formal training No formal training Type of training

Percentage of responses

Training

Occasionally10%

Very rarely10%

Rarely3%

No collaboration

10%All the time

10%

Regularly57%

Do you ever collaborate with other artists/arts organisations?


0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Eve

ning

san

dw

eeke

nds

1-3

mon

ths

No

spec

ifictim

e

6 m

onth

s -

1 ye

ar Time periods/length of time

Percentage

What development time do you have for your artistic process?

3-4 months42%

1-2 months18%

6 months12%

1 year5%

Unspecified23%

What would be an ideal amount of time for you for the development process and what would that enable you to do?


1-519%

20-5019%

50-10025%

100-20012%

200+25%

How many performances do you usually present per year?

1-556%6-10

28%

11-1511%

16-205%

How many shows do you have in your repertoire?


Yes69%

No31%

Do you have a workshop programme?

Yes69%

No31%

Have you built relationships with specific promoters/venues?


No66%

Yes - to all three17%

Yes - to UNIMA or

BPMTG (or both)17%

Are you a member of any puppetry support organisations such as British UNIMA, the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, or Puppeteers UK?

Yes45%

No55%

Does your company have any international networking or intercultural connections outwith Scotland?


Yes57%

No43%

If appropriate, do you have any plans for the future in this regard (international networking)?

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%

up to 12 12 + Adult Age range

Percentage of responses

What is the age range of your audience?


0-5038%

60-10012%

110-50025%

500+25%

Do you have details of audience numbers in a sample tour?

Website4%

Word of mouth28%

Mailshot12%

Programmes, flyers and

media56%

How do you market your work?


Via website6%

Phone calls12%

Reviews20%

Evaluation and feedback

forms20%

Talking directly to the

audience42%

Do you have a system for gauging feedback from audiences, and if so what is it?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Par

t-tim

e/fu

ll-tim

ew

ork

outs

ide

ofpu

ppet

ry

Sol

ely

onpe

rform

ance

fees

/wor

ksho

ps

Pen

sion

s/be

nefit

s/lo

ans

Income sources

How do you make up your annual income?

Percentage of respondents


Fees78%

Variations6%

Box office16%

Do you usually receive box office or fees?

£150-20030%

£100-15030%

£50-10030%

£200+10%

What is your average income per show/workshop?


Appendix 8:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO PROMOTERS OF PUPPETRY IN SCOTLAND: SUMMARY

Detailed summary of responses available on request

55 completed questionnaires returned *Not all the questions were answered by respondents

Yes57%

No43%

Do you programme any puppetry?


THE FOLLOWING SECTION INCLUDES PROMOTERS WHO DO NOT PROGRAMME PUPPETRY.

Yes 5%

No95%

Do you regard puppetry as a strategic priority?

Yes 74%

No26%

Do you promote work for children?


02468

101214

Pos

itive

Med

ium

/ave

rage

Neg

ativ

e

Attitudes

Tally

What is your attitude towards puppetry as an artform?

01234567

Poo

rly/n

otw

ell

resp

ecte

d

Chi

ldre

n’s

activ

ity

Don

’tkn

ow

Min

or a

rtfo

rm

Lim

ited

inte

rest

Che

aper

Views

Tally

How do you feel puppetry is viewed within the wider performing arts sector?


Yes 9%

No91%

Do you ever programme adult puppetry?

Yes 59%

No41%

Are you interested in adult puppetry?


Yes 45%

No42%

Possibly13%

If there were new opportunities for promoting adult puppetry would you be interested in this?

01234567

Variety/new artform

Widerneeds/broadenaudience/show

base

If show wasgood quality

Reasons

Tally

Why would you be interested in new opportunities for promoting adult puppetry? (if answer to previous question was yes)


01234567

Won’t attractlarge

audience/nopublic demand

Work only withchildren

Busy enoughwithout it

Reasons

Tally

Why would you not be interested in new opportunities for promoting adult puppetry? (if answer to previous question was no)


THE FOLLOWING SECTION INCLUDES ONLY PROMOTERS WHO

PROGRAMME PUPPETRY.

02468

1012141618202224

For c

hild

ren

Goo

d to

ol -

self

expr

essi

on, s

tory

Pro

vide

bro

adpr

ogra

mm

e, d

iffer

ent

Dev

elop

aud

ienc

es

You

thex

perie

nce/

intro

duct

ion

Ent

erta

inm

ent

Edu

catio

nal v

alue

Why

not

Acc

essi

ble

art f

orm

Goo

d va

lue

for m

oney

Sui

tabl

e fo

r sch

ool

venu

es, s

mal

l the

atre

s

Soc

ial I

nclu

sion

pro

ject

Invo

lved

pup

pet

anim

atio

n fe

stiv

al Reasons

Tally

Why do you promote puppetry?

02468

101214161820222426

Rep

utat

ion

Cos

t

Qua

lity

Sub

ject

mat

ter

Rec

omm

enda

tion

byP

uppe

t Ani

mat

ion

Ava

ilabl

iity

Pre

viou

s us

e/ha

ving

seen

pre

viou

s

Sui

tabl

e fo

r tar

get

audi

ence

Tech

nica

lre

quire

men

ts/p

erfo

rma

Rel

iabi

lity/

cons

iste

ncy

Will

ingn

ess

to p

rovi

dew

orks

hops

Selection criteria

Tally

How do you select a puppet show? – is it based on cost, reputation, quality of the work, subject matter, other?


02468

101214161820

Hol

iday

s

Fest

ival

s

Sat

urda

ys

Sch

ool

term

Any

tim

e

End

of

sum

mer

term

Wee

kend

s

Times

Tally

When do you promote puppetry?

02468

10121416

PA

F

SM

PC

Imag

inat

e

Kal

eido

scop

e

Oth

er –

regi

onal

prog

ram

min

g

Non

e

Organisations

Tally

Do you collaborate with organisations such as the Puppet Animation Festival, The Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, Imaginate (Children’s International Festival), Kaleidoscope or others?


Yes23%

No77%

Do you tend to see shows before you book them?

02468

1012141618

Rec

omm

enda

tions

/wo

rd o

f mou

th

Prom

otio

nal m

ater

ial

PAN

(Pro

mot

ers

Arts

Net

wor

k)

Atte

ndin

g sh

ows

tow

atch

Pupp

etry

Ani

mat

ion

Fest

ival

Web

site

s

WYS

IWYG

/Chi

ldre

n’s

Fest

ival

Edin

burg

h Fe

stiv

alFr

inge

'Sco

ttish

Arts

Cou

ncil

hand

book

'

Types of research

Tally

How do you research companies/individuals?


No7%

Yes93%

Do you receive information about forthcoming puppet shows?

Yes 69%

No31%

Do puppet companies supply enough publicity material?


Yes 80%

No20%

Do you get advance notice of information, publicity etc?

02468

10121416

None

Cushions

or m

ats on

floor/

small c

hairs

More st

aff/help

ers

Reduce

capac

ity

Provide

snac

ks an

d drinks

Increa

se ca

pacity

Cover w

indow

s

Signag

e

Changes

Tally

What changes do you make to your venue when promoting puppetry?


02468

10121416182022242628

Fam

ilies

Sch

ools

Nur

serie

s

Fam

ilyce

ntre

s/af

ter

scho

olgr

oups

Chi

ldre

n’s

birth

day

parti

es

Type of audience

Tally

What is your audience make-up – families/schools/nurseries/other?

02468

101214161820222426283032

0-5 5-12 12+ Adult Age range

Tally

What age range attends the puppet shows you promote?


Yes 84%

No16%

Do you always advertise the age range of shows?

0

24

6

8

1012

14

Under 50% 50-75% 75-100% Size of audience

Tally

What is the average attendance?


Yes 46%

No54%

If you promote puppetry regularly is it ever reviewed?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Vie

w/ta

lk to

audi

ence

Sur

veys

/qu

estio

nnai

res/

cust

omer

feed

back

Wor

d of

mou

th

Ask

ing

scho

ols/

grou

pev

alua

tions

Tick

et s

ales

Cal

l loc

alpr

omot

ers

afte

rsh

ow

Various methods of feedback

Tally

How do you monitor feedback on shows?


Yes 79%

No21%

Would you like to promote more puppetry?

012345678

Fun/

low

mai

nten

ance

/eas

y

Dev

elop

chi

ldre

n’s

audi

ence

Gre

at c

hild

ren’

sen

terta

inm

ent

Diff

eren

t/int

eres

t

Dem

and

from

scho

ols

Too

few

sho

ws Reasons

Tally

Why would you like to promote more puppetry? (if answer to previous question was yes)


0

1

2

3

4

Shou

ld o

nly

be a

part

of a

rang

e

Alre

ady

have

enou

gh/s

atur

atio

nof

the

mar

ket

Bad

expe

rienc

e

Budg

etco

nstra

ints

Reasons

Tally

Why would you not like to promote more puppetry? (if answer to previous question was no)

Yes 59%

No41%

Do you programme puppet workshops?


00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

Res

ourc

epr

oble

m(s

taff/

time)

Cos

t

Not

thou

ght

abou

t it

Too

isol

ated

Not

wor

ked

in p

ast

Low

dem

and

Reasons

Tally

Do you programme puppet workshops? And if not why not?

Yes 62%

No38%

Do you have links with your local education department in terms of promoting puppetry?


Yes 33%

No67%

Do you utilise puppetry as part of an education programme?

0

1

2

3

4

5

Schoolcurriculum

Schoolsphone and

requestworkshops

Socialinclusionproject –

themes ofidentity, self-

esteemissues

Whole dayprogrammes

Education types

Tally

What types of education programmes? (if answer to previous question was yes)


00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

Ente

rtain

men

ton

ly/n

oed

ucat

iona

l

Nev

er th

ough

of it

No

curri

culu

mre

mit

No

fund

ing

No

reso

urce

– st

aff/t

ime

Don

’tpr

ogra

mm

een

ough

Reasons

Tally

Why do you not utilise puppetry as part of an education programme? (if answer to previous question was no)

res17 the potential of puppetry - scottish arts council · the potential of puppetry: ... • the...

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