EDIT: This call-out has now closed. We will be contacting applicants in due course.
We are seeking a consultant/facilitator to collaborate with the Young Audiences Group on the second stage of a research and consultation process to set up a sustainable, equitable and self-led network/membership collective to support the development of the young audiences sector in Scotland.
BACKGROUND
Theatre and Dance for Young Audiences
Scotland has a strong tradition of creating incredible theatre and dance productions for children and young people, with work touring successfully across Scotland and around the world. Over the last 20 years, this area of Scotland’s cultural landscape has become a hothouse for artistic innovation and challenging explorations, where artists and companies have produced shows full of wonder, joy and inspiration.
At the same time, the sector faces ongoing challenges including the perception and value of the work, the fight for equitable access to the arts for young audiences, and a lack of stable financial investment. The Covid-19 pandemic magnified these challenges and highlighted others such as the lack of diversity within the sector.
The Young Audiences Group
The Young Audiences group is a collection of freelance artists, producers and organisations from the young audiences sector who are committed to making exceptional theatre and dance performances for audiences of children and young people in Scotland. The group was originally brought together by Imaginate following the RFO funding decision in 2018. Whilst the group has met informally since then, we have run sector wide open invitation sessions, and since COVID-19 have had regular online meetings in order to support each other and discuss the current/future development of our sector.
The current group consists of the following freelancers, artist collectives and organisations:
Action Boat, Barrowland Ballet, Catherine Wheels & Shona Reppe, Curious Seed, Frozen Charlotte, Imaginate, Independent Arts Projects, Lyra, Scottish Theatre Producers, Starcatchers and Visible Fictions
Since April 2020 we have:
· written a joint call for Children in Scotland to put the arts at the heart of children’s lives - https://childreninscotland.org.uk/25-and-up-for-post-covid-renewal-we-need-to-be-radical-and-that-includes-with-the-arts/
· submitted an idea for inclusion in Culture Counts Cultural Manifesto based on the above call
· contributed to consultation activity being led by the Arts in Education Recovery Group, now Children and Youth Arts Advisory Group (CYAA)
· delivered an initial consultation to address the lack of ethnic diversity within the Young Audiences sector in Scotland, the findings of which are influencing the group’s activity and has seeded an Anti-Racism Charter that all group members have signed up to
· established an advocacy working group to develop collaborative advocacy activity for the sector, and developed a collective message for the UN Day of the Child on 20th Nov 2022
· received funding from Creative Scotland to undertake scoping work which involved mapping our sector, sector wide consultations and research
· led an open sector discussion event in May 22
Sector Development – Phase 1, Scoping Project 2021
In June 2021 with support from Creative Scotland, the group commissioned Culture Radar to help identify key needs and priorities for its ongoing work and campaigns through targeted desk research, sector mapping and consultation - taking into consideration the impact of COVID-19 on the young audiences’ infrastructure and workforce. Through this work, we engaged with 90 freelancers and 42 organisations and welcomed some of these at an Open Discussion event held by the Young Audiences Group Scotland in May 2022.
The resulting Young Audiences Group research project report by Cultural Radar identified four key recommendations.*
It is clear from the findings of both the Cultural Radar report and conversations at the Open Discussion event that there is a need for a network or membership group that can support the young audiences sector in Scotland. This would allow us to open up the group, respond to the needs of individuals and organisations within the sector, and strengthen the voice of the young audiences sector through strategic advocacy activities, including working together to evidence the impact of our work and its value.
*See Appendix below for the recommendations, a link to the full report and feedback collated from the Open Discussion event.
Phase 2, Research 2023 - The Brief
The Young Audiences Group have secured further funding Creative Scotland to help us move to the next stage of our research; how to create a network or membership group/collective that would best serve its members and the sector.
We wish to bring in an independent practitioner to objectively lead research and consultation into how we as a sector could set up a system that would be sustainable, equitable and self-led.
We are seeking to engage a consultant/facilitator with extensive knowledge of the theatre and dance sectors in Scotland and ideally some understanding of work for young audiences. They will collaborate with us on the delivery of this work, and work with us to reach the outcomes as listed below. We are particularly keen that the consultation engages with freelance artists and practitioners, ensuring representation from artists who identify as being from the Global Majority and disabled artists, and with a range of organisations and stakeholders across Scotland to understand how this new network or membership collective could meet the needs and priorities of the sector. We acknowledge that the needs of individual artists and companies differ but that by creating a space where we can develop understanding and provide support we can be better placed to strengthen our sector, building understanding more broadly across the arts in Scotland and advocate for our work to bodies such as Creative Scotland.
Intended Outcomes of the Research project 2023
· exploration of options to identify a structure that will support open access, diversity and parity of voices across the sector
· creation of Terms of Reference for the group which will:
- give clarity for existing members
- enable new members to join while there is ongoing development work
- be a starting point for the new network/group
These Terms of Reference will be refreshed as the research work progresses and the group grows and changes, to help guide us through the process
· create an action plan and timeline to set up the network/membership group that can be actioned by the group members
Activities & Timescale
We envisage that this work will hang on key activities including:
· Facilitating a session with existing group members and those who have engaged to date to create initial terms of reference. To be updated over the course of the research.
· Online and in-person focus group consultation with broad representation including: freelance artists/practitioners including disabled artists, artists who identify as being from the Global Majority, organisations, venues and local authorities, and the wider Youth Arts Sector
· An online and in person open event to share our process and inform final recommendations
· A final report with recommendations, an action plan and timeline
We will work with the consultant to create a timetable for activity; our aim is for final reporting to be delivered by the end of September 2023.
Project Management
The project funding will be held by Catherine Wheels and they will oversee the project budget. The consultant will be supported by the Advocacy Working Group, who will oversee milestone achievements and offer a space for discussion and assistance with the research work. Project administration and logistics will be delivered by representatives of the Young Audiences Group and channelled through the Advocacy Working Group.
Budget
There is a budget of up to £6,000 this piece of work. A further budget of up to £4,000 will be available to cover the cost of access costs for freelance artists and practitioners to be able to participate in focus groups sessions, delivered in-person and online, and to cover costs of closed captioning or any other access costs as needed.
Tender Process
Please submit a short tender proposal outlining your approach to the delivery of this work, along with a CV/biography. Please email your submission to louise@catherinewheels.co.uk
Deadline for submission: 5pm, Wednesday 25th January 2023
Invitations to interview will be sent to the short-listed applicants on Monday 30th January 2023.
Virtual interviews, which will include a short presentation, will be held on 8th - 9th February 2023.
For an informal discussion about this project, please contact
Louise Gilmour-Wills – louise@catherinewheels.co.uk
Rhona Matheson – rhona.matheson@starcatchers.org.uk
Niloo-Far Khan - niloofarkhan91@gmail.com
Appendix 1
(i) The Young Audiences Group Scotland research project report by Cultural Radar, published January 2022 is available here.
Recommendations for the young audiences group (extracted from the forementioned report)
Considering the aims of the Young Audiences Group, and reflecting on the findings of the research, we recommend the following actions as next steps:
1. Develop a vision, values and strategy that defines the scope, impact and reach of work for young audiences in Scotland in relation to national objectives, Young Audiences Group member needs and priorities, and Children’s Rights.
2. Negotiate with key funders and stakeholders the actions required to establish a formal network to represent young audiences organisations and practitioners to embody the values, vision and strategy prepared by the Group and deliver its aims.
3. Ensure that the freelance workforce is involved in progressing these recommendations (not just through consultation but by being invited to convene and organise aspects of the processes) and engage Young Audience Group members in defining a Policy for the Employment of Freelancers working in the young audiences sector in Scotland as a founding document of a new representative network.
4. Seek funding for research to further evidence the resources, relationships and partnerships required to fulfil the vision; establish sustainable working patterns for young audiences companies and practitioners; and deliver regularly accessible high-quality cultural experiences for diverse young audiences across Scotland.
(ii) Feedback gathered from the Open Discussion event, May 2022
Part 1- CREATE YOUR OWN MEMBERSHIP NETWORK – feedback from groups
PURPOSE
Strengthen and stabilise sector
Champion the sector
A voice that will raise its head above the parapet to represent individuals and organisations
Formalised collective agreement
Every child & young person has regular access to high quality theatre
Lobby for resources
Diversify the sector and itself
Address consultation issue/ points
Protect sector
Code of conduct – and make sure it is adhered too – internal monitoring
Set framework for membership
It is FOR young audiences
Young voices included – children and youth led element
Collective voice to sector
Identify key points for sector
Policy/funders
Freelancers – space
Champion – theatre, funding, freelancers
To allow to grow through discourse
Focus/community
Shared way of working
A voice
Parity in discussions
Shared learning
Openness
Transparent
Taking control - how we want to work/do things
Sharing of policies – freelance contracts/code of care/anti-racism charter
CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS
If someone is “In” that means someone else is OUT
What is the direct benefit for freelancers to being part of this?
Who has the skill set to make a difference here?
How do we make sure this doesn’t discriminate?
This could (and should) link young audiences and youth theatre
Admin responsibilities – where do these lie
Unclear responsibilities or shared vision for network participants
Capacity – could eat up resources
Could be undemocratic and bureaucratic
Insular – same people involved all the time. How to avoid exclusivity/elitism?
Losing sight of its purpose
Hard to access
Having set aims that we have to stick to which would make in inflexible
Don’t lose the voices of children and young people
STRUCTURE
Automatic eligibility/entry/invitation to be part of the network if you work in children’s performing arts (like the parents council example)
Voluntary role or paid admin? – freelance PT role?
Young voices panel
Less structure - dynamic
Part 2 - WHAT WE WANT – feedback from groups
Opportunities for artists to train and develop practice across platforms
A career in this area is POSSIBLE for many, not for the few
Don’t be prescriptive, variety is all. Be in it, watch it. All is vital
Childrens/young peoples Multiform Art Space in the city. In a venue where they are
Artists in every community
Artists in each nursery
Universal Basic Income
Arts Crucial Role in Policy Making/Children’s Voices are heard
Process over Project
Creative Wellbeing
Universal Provision
Normalise Theatre going, like going to the cinema from earliest possible age
Every child & young person should have regular opportunities, all year round, all over Scotland
All theatre and dance and live performance FREE for all children & young people
More work for young audiences to watch and more being made and presented
More voices, new voices reflecting the sector
More diversity of work being made (artists of colour, disabled, young/old artists, artists with experience of poverty)
Theatre for all
Work happens all over! And throughout the year!
Embedded in school and in the curriculum
Artists in residence in schools every year
Investment in large scale work
R&D time with children and young people
Space for new companies
Pathways for young people accessing theatre
Infiltration – less gate keeping, more performance
Embedded/ingrained in communities and education settings
Venues for children and young people all over Scotland – open and used by all
Full of artists who can make a living out of the sector
Stable and Secure
Accessible – more easily
Younger audiences across the board at performances
Removal of hierarchies and perceptions in place
Security
Develop digital practice
Connected
A voice that will raise its head above the parapet to represent individuals and organisations
Formalised, collective agreement from organisations about how they will work with freelancers
Artistic Output
· A diverse range of work
· Hard hitting, current events
· Fun, silliness
· Every kind of vibe!
Work for children & young people should be
· Secure
· Stability in infrastructure
· Protected funding
· Respected
· Valued
HUBS
· Regional hubs across Scotland – each one having Production, workshop, R&D space, performance space
· Touring from work the hubs produce
· Press regional buildings to join
· Make hubs as eco as possible
· PLUS – research centre and library, ecology exchange – professional development/peer mentoring/artist support/social space. Large scale performance space. Young artist development programme
Children & Young Person led
· Multi media
· Has a voice
· Voice is listened to
· Accessible to all
· Known – benefit of artform and known to establishments
· Fairness of equality for children, young people and adults
· Connected
· Children & young people setting the agenda
When children come to see theatre think about the WHOLE DAY
· What is their journey like?
· Do they get a chance to reflect?
· Have they had a snack?
Sustainability
· Financial
· Environmental