Priorities for dance
The Scottish Arts Council Corporate Plan identifies priorities for 2007-2009 and we will work within these priorities to achieve vibrant and sustainable dance provision in Scotland.
We will prioritise investment in artists for the development of choreographic practice. We will respond to creative approaches to making work through:
- increased funding for choreographic research and development
- the introduction of a Choreographic Fellowship
- partnerships with dance centres and their support for choreographers
- professional development grants
- creative producers bursaries.
Our investment in the creative process will lead to increased opportunities for choreographers, collaborators and dancers. Our hope is that through this focus on choreographic practice we will begin to establish a pathway through the profession, creating the environment where choreographers are able to sustain careers. We wish to enable distinctive, original choreographic voices to flourish in Scotland. The outcome will be the rich diversity of new work created, performed and ultimately enjoyed by Scottish audiences.
We have identified the following areas of work, and during 2007-2009 we will investigate how most effectively to support:
- international working and exchange
- dance on screen
- dance and disability
- routes into and through the profession
- live art development.
We have agreed funding at an enhanced level on a five year cycle for four dance Foundation Organisations, whose reach and role have a national and international impact. They are organisations with bold artistic visions and a commitment to engaging people in the arts. We will use our Quality Framework to help them to develop best practice in all areas.
The organisations are: Citymoves – the dance agency for the North East of Scotland; Dance Base – National Centre for Dance; Scottish Dance Theatre; and YDance – the development agency for dance and young people.
The Dance Department also leads on three cross-artform organisations which have foundation status:
We wish to create an environment where the new and the innovative can flourish, and have set up a pool of project and programme funding, which will allow more flexible investment, of up to three years. The available budget for dance in 2007- 2009 will go some way towards this. From April 2007, Plan B, Stammer Productions and X-Factor Dance Company will be receiving support to realise ambitious artistic programmes of work over two years. We will fund New Moves International Ltd to produce New Territories, the innovative festival of interdisciplinary performance which brings high quality, international work to Scotland.
We hope to strengthen the partnerships between venues and dance companies to ensure that audiences can experience a range of high quality dance performance. The new Performing Arts Promoters Fund will be important in achieving this.
The dance department leads on two funds which increase opportunities for audiences across the performing arts. Stage 1 funds large-scale venues to programme an ambitious range of high quality performances and the Cross Border Touring fund, run in conjunction with the other UK arts councils, enables large dance, theatre and opera companies to tour more widely.
During 2007/08 we will investigate the development of Creative Hubs as a model for encouraging innovative practice across artforms.
Many people in Scotland dance, whether through dance classes or in social contexts such as ceilidhs. Our Foundation Organisations, the dance centres and the growing network of dance development posts play a key role in creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to take part. We will also support the Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust, as the national development agency to encourage participation in traditional dance forms.
The physical nature of dance, which cuts across government agendas such as health and well-bring, presents great potential to develop further opportunities in dance. However, until dance is taught in all schools throughout Scotland, opportunities for young people to access and progress in dance will continue to be restricted. We will continue to work with the Scottish Arts Council Education Department and the wider dance sector to promote the importance of dance in education.
We will continue to collaborate with a range of partners in the delivery of our aspirations for dance. We facilitate the Dance Artists in Residence network and regularly bring together the dance centres in Scotland to encourage their closer working. In 2007/08 we will work with the widest dance community to investigate long-term approaches to strengthen dance in Scotland.
The formal process of merging our roles and responsibilities with those of Scottish Screen began in January 2007, with the formation of a new board, whose members were drawn from the two existing bodies. We look forward to working with the new board to achieve a smooth transition into Creative Scotland. Together we will continue to develop the vision for the new organisation. |