Horsecross 07:08 going the distance, leading the field
pic: Perth Theatre auditorium culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
Approaching
our third birthday, we are not only firmly on our feet; Horsecross has found its stride.   Iain Halliday, Chairman, Horsecross
introduction “A Dynamic and successful organisation displaying high level leadership and an extremely strong team focus�
pic: Horsecross Community music project
Investors in People assesment 2007
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
introduction
energy, ambition
and vision...
Now in our third year, we are steadily and confidently expanding our scope and remit while focusing firmly on a shared vision for Horsecross. It’s been a joined-up approach throughout; community driven yet internationally inspired, nurturing creativity at every level. Within our own team a range of talents have been tapped into more than ever before. The going’s been good, the reception warm and we’ve been popping into the winners’ enclosure every wee while. Our cultural activity is truly global; from the classrooms of Highland Perthshire to studios in Mumbai and new art beginning life bubbling in Patagonian geysers. Success has been measured in exceeded targets and financial spin-off for the region, in national business awards, in a Pulitzer prize and in the proud faces of children performing their own work to a packed auditorium. Through outreach work and stimulating programming the Horsecross team has encouraged individuals to explore their creativity and experience the arts, many for the first time. The launch of the staff Limelight Awards and the Limelight Academy training programme highlighted the efforts of the entire team, while official recognition came in the form of Investors in People accreditation and a glowing assessment which pointed to imaginative and innovative training provision and in a ‘highly valued’ workforce.
Looking to the future: • Large-scale plans for a bright and accessible, revamped theatre. • The customer and training-focused Limelight Academy will ensure Team Horsecross continues to be a force to be reckoned with! • The global outlook continues: Southern Fried showcases the best of American roots music; Schubertiad brings the romance of Vienna to the Fair City; Polish Spring celebrates the fruits of migration, followed by Tam O’Shanter like you’ve never seen him before. • The new drama drop-in, Horsecross Players, will join Horsecross Voices and Perth Youth Theatre, involving more participants than ever before.
See you there!
Jane Spiers, Chief Executive
classical music “Look at Perth with its new hall, phenomenal audience growth, innovative programme planning and real purpose and strategy. There is much to learn�
pic: Colin Currie
Michael Tumulty, The Herald
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
classical music
astoundingly good... It’s been another headline-grabbing
year on the classical front with stunning performances from world-class musicians and our most ambitious programme yet.
“...astoundingly good, giving Perth Concert Hall another feather in its cap as probably the prime venue in Scotland for the excellence of combined live and electronic sound.” Dundee Courier on Colin Currie
Over the last couple of years a fantastically enthusiastic audience has come onboard supporting us all the way as we develop, experiment and deliver some of the best music on the classical scene. This loyal audience has been particularly vocal this year in its response to our first classical festival and the performances of our artist-in-residence, percussionist Colin Currie. This support is crucial and will continue to inspire us to put together challenging programmes. For depth of programming it would take a lot to beat the new Horsecross flagship Schubertiad festival. Outstanding performances from the Belcea Quartet, Paul Lewis and Mark Padmore resulted in a bulging mail bag from delighted audiences and superb reviews in the press. The contents of the mail bag gave us all the encouragement we needed to plan an even bigger celebration of Schubert for the following autumn, exploring his romantic side in the perfect setting of the Perthshire landscape. Imaginative programming continued with the posing of a thought-provoking question: what if, like Schubert, Beethoven had died at just 31? Thus prompted, the Beethoven before he was 30 season was launched to great acclaim and grew a steady and loyal audience. Resident musician Colin Currie provided another stunning highlight. As one of Scotland’s top musical exports his residency was a great coup for Perth and included a mesmerising performance of Steve Reich’s Drumming masterpiece.
FACTfile: cultural targets
• 35 % of our concert hall audiences continue to come from outwith Perthshire • 12 % from other countries
contemporary music + world Scottish traditions “The special relationship that Perth Concert Hall has forged with Indian percussion master Trilok Gurtu, is one that should be loudly applauded�
pic: Trilok Gurtu
The Herald on Trilok Gurtu
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
contemporary music + world Scottish traditions
loudly applauded... With music audiences established
across the spectrum, the challenge of 07/08 was to push boundaries further, inviting more people to experience more music in more ways. Under the banner of the No Boundaries project, a wealth of ideas emerged, changing how we use our venues and inspiring audiences to delve deeper into artists’ work and to experiment with different genres.
“Best venue of the tour.” Amy Macdonald on the Concert Hall
The Monday Night Thing, a whole new series created for a whole new music venue, opened the doors of Perth Theatre’s Redrooms restaurant to a different clientele, an audience which fancied hearing something a little bit special in a venue intimate enough to truly engage them. Comedy, jazz, singer/songwriters were all on the menu at Redrooms sell-out gigs. Packing them in across the street in The Gannochy Auditorium were the likes of Amy Macdonald, The Proclaimers, Capercaillie, Beth Nielson Chapman, Paul Carrack, Frankie Boyle and Asia. We also secured the only Scottish date for the San Diego alt-rock band Switchfoot on their international tour. Programmed alongside these international artists was a continuation of the Home and Away theme, welcoming back Indian percussion guru Trilok Gurtu to mix it up with the best of traditional Scots music in the form of Jim Malcolm and Session A9. Capercaille gave us a night to remember in a thrilling Home and Away double bill with special guests the Swedish quartet SWÅP. A toe-tapping, sell-out audience brought in the New Year in great style and full of good cheer at the hall in the company of Blazin’ Fiddles. The fiddles were out again at one of the undeniable highlights of the year, joined by the world’s finest pipers and Scotland’s most acclaimed musicians, in tribute to piper Gordon Duncan, A National Treasure.
FACTfile: audiences
• commissioned research confirms that we have good penetration, good loyalty and a diverse audience • 137,000 paying attenders in 2007/8
drama “Ian Grieve’s good-looking and sensitive production hits home like a hammer-blow… hard to watch without weeping”
pic: Of Mice and Men
The Scotsman on Of Mice and Men
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
drama
bloody
good fun... From 70s suburbia to the American west of the 1930s via the dark lanes of 18th century London, Perth Theatre’s drama season continues to attract and challenge audiences in equal measure. Throughout the year attendance numbers per performance increased, with hugely enthusiastic feedback from audience members as well as critical acclaim.
“takes us straight to a world of freak shows and melodrama... bloody good fun. “ The Times on The Demon Barber
The gloriously bawdy and bloody The Demon Barber attracted interest from broadcast and print journalists, adding to the buzz created locally and bringing in a markedly different audience. BBC Radio coverage before and after the production run ensured the specially commissioned play was well and truly on the national radar. A flurry of media attention returned when the curtain rose on an ambitious new staging of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. With award-winning actor Liam Brennan, new music and a stunning set, Ian Grieve’s moving production thrilled audiences, with the younger members benefiting, in particular, thanks to inspiring workshops led in schools by director and cast. Programmed alongside these acclaimed, home-grown productions were touring productions so diverse as to attract very different audiences. The season closed in spectacular fashion thanks to Elaine C Smith and Andy Gray who launched their new production in Perth, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, an uproarious and moving cinderella story. This focus on diversity, challenging new work and broad audience appeal will develop further in the coming year with an eye to the refurbishment of the theatre, better access, space and scope for a wealth of new projects.
FACTfile: drama audiences
In 07/08 we staged 184 performances, attracting 58,025 audience members
“I have seen Steinbeck performed by the best in New York and today was as poignant as anything I have seen. How fantastic that we are able to see such theatre at prices Of Mice and Men audience member. that a family can afford.”
new media art
pic: Woven Poem (Fall) © Alec Finlay, 2007
“Threshold artspace shows no signs of watering down its bold remit in programming stunning and inspiring artwork” Scotland on Sunday
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
new media art
stunning and inspiring...
Threshold artspace has built on
its international reputation this year commissioning ground-breaking work and launching two bold new projects.
Now the proud owner of a collection comprising 70 works from artists around the world, Threshold has taken to the road, touring exhibitions by resident international artist Lala Rascic and Susan Collins whose Glenlandia exhibition kicked off Collect Art! a brand new enterprise.
“Arvo Pӓrt is playing as the rain is falling; Arvo Pӓrt is rain as the playing falls”
from Threshold exhibition
Collect Art! is an affordable way to buy works of art while supporting the local artistic community. Proceeds from the sale of Horsecross-produced, limited edition pieces are reinvested in the exhibition programme featuring local artists. Read More also launched this year, taking visitors deeper into the collection and creating a clearer understanding of each exhibition. The journal of newly commissioned essays is downloadable, free and has already proven a valuable addition to the Threshold experience. The backbone of the 2007/8 new media art programme was its two major exhibitions: Body Language is a fun yet challenging look at unspoken communication. With choreographed performances and improvised documentaries we’re invited to ‘people watch’ and see for ourselves how computer games and cinematic images have turned around the traditional genre of figurative painting. Bon Voyage is a fantastic journey into the unknown taking virtual travellers from whale watching on the South Coast of Brazil to a mudslide-torn town in California and the perhaps more familiar landscapes of computer game Grand Theft Auto. The striking mix results in a brave exploration of fragile environments and our response to a changing climate.
FACTfile: Threshold artspace
• 100,000 people are estimated to have visited the exhibitions in 07/08 • The artspace hosts one of Scotland’s only permanent collections of digital art, now comprising 70 pieces of new work
community + outreach “energetic, fun, interesting, brilliant, noisy and thought provoking�
pic: young people in action at Horsecross
music participant
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
communtiy + outreach
thought provoking... This year participation in all things
Horsecross increased hugely with established projects blossoming and new ventures creating a buzz the length and breadth of the country. Music development projects The highlight of this frenetic year was the extraordinary Soundwaves project which saw hundreds of primary school pupils collaborating with internationally renowned musicians to create brand new music. The Tales and Talas project brought Highland Perthshire schools together with Trilok Gurtu, Session A9 and Jim Malcolm, while for Bang Bop Bash Tom Bancroft and Colin Currie worked with schools in North Perth; both projects culminating in energetic, celebratory performances.
“The Artfull programme clearly helped me make changes, it has made me more positive... I feel more complete”
drama participant
Horsecross Voices, our community choir and In the Mood, our entertainment afternoons for older people, continued to flourish. Operantics, an ambitious new opportunity for singers and instrumentalists was launched with the support of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Drama development projects April 07 saw the beginning of Artfull, involving a 12-month trainee drama worker programme for people recovering from mental ill health. The aim of the project was to build confidence and drama skills and techniques.
FACTfile: Community and outreach • Soundwaves: a total 2037attendances • Community projects: a total 5452 attendances
perth youth theatre
pic: Perth Youth Theatre
“It is about pushing boundaries� PYT participant
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
perth youth theatre
pushing
boundaries... Hosting a high-profile national youth theatre event and preparing to stage our biggest ever youth festival ensured a stimulating and unforgettable year for Perth Youth Theatre.
“I remember laughing and
enjoying myself lots!”
PYT participant
Our unique trainee directors scheme was a huge help in this frenetic time with graduates returning to assist in producing a series of thought-provoking works for the festival. In addition to working with each of the PYT groups, the trainees also supported the council-funded Chaos Youth Theatre, continuing its productive collaboration with Horsecross. Members of the Young Playwrights Group added their talents to the strong body of work lined up for the festival, showcasing their own writing with the help of local actors. Recognition of Perth Youth Theatre’s prominent role in developing the future of Scottish Theatre came in two coups for the organisation. Promote YT (Scotland), the body responsible for the development of youth theatre nationally, chose to bring its annual training event for youth theatre practitioners to Horsecross. The event sold out and exceeded expectations with more than 80 participants from all over Scotland attending a two-day range of workshops, seminars and discussions - our own PYT Seniors were delighted to perform for the event. The Youth Theatre also contributed nationally when they were the only theatre group invited by Scottish Natural Heritage to create a piece of street theatre in a week-long festival highlighting environmental concerns.
“Youth theatre has set me up with skills for life” participant PYT
FACTfile: youth theatre
• 8 youth theatre productions a year • 150 members aged 12-25 • 4 trainee director scheme graduates
conferences “The judges were impressed by the sheer energy, ambition and vision of the Horsecross team.�
pic: conference delegate
Thistle Award judging panel announcing Perth Concert Hall as Scotland’s sector leading business tourism destination 2007
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
conferences
from strength to strength...
For business tourism, there’s nobody better. That was the decision of the judges who this year awarded Horsecross the Scottish Thistle award for business tourism.
In a year in which we hosted more meetings than in the previous targetbreaking two years the award was the icing on the cake for the team. Thanks to tonnes of positive feedback, a load of repeat business and some great press there was no doubting that the conference and events side of the business was still on a roll, but a wee trophy never goes amiss.
“I am very, very pleased that Perth Concert Hall has won this fantastic award. I have been a long-time supporter and recognise the immense contribution Horsecross has made to the local economy and I’m sure the team will go from strength to strength.”
Pete Wishart MP
And the big hitters are still choosing Perth Concert Hall for their national events, with the Liberal Democrats booked for March 09 and the SNP, UCATT, the STUC and the British Legion among the names confirmed for the coming months. As the financial year drew to a close, confirmation that Horsecross’s business success reaches far beyond its striking façade was delivered in an independent study into Horsecross’s economic impact both locally and further afield. Commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Tayside, Perth and Kinross Council and Horsecross, the Ekos report revealed that, together, our two venues boosted the local economy by £3.5 million, generating 138 jobs throughout Tayside and with two thirds of local businesses attributing increased sales to the impact of the Concert Hall. Highlighted in the report was the fact that the conference and events business had exceeded its target number of delegates by 57 per cent. The report concludes: “The Concert Hall was considered by the local and national agencies consulted as a high quality, flexible venue that is a valuable addition to the area in both the cultural tourism and business/ conference markets.”
FACTfile: targets passed • Non-corporate events - 58% above target • Conferences + meetings – 13% above target • Annual financial target surpassed by 8.2%
pic: costumes at Perth Theatre
perth theatre redevelopment
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
perth theatre redevelopment
theatrical gem of its kind...
For five centuries Perth’s been a theatre town, renowned throughout the country for performances fit for a king (as Charles I discovered in 1633).
Now, thanks to a well earned reputation for staging high quality productions, Perth Theatre continues to be a major player and, since 2005, is perfectly complemented by the diverse range of culture, community and conference events over the road at Perth Concert Hall.
“the people of Perth at last find themselves in the possession of a theatre worthy of the city...”
Perthshire Advertiser on the opening of Perth Theatre 7 September, 1900
To strengthen and reinforce this relationship, plans are being drawn up for a carefully redeveloped theatre, perfectly fit for the 21st century and beyond. A loving restoration of our listed Edwardian auditorium will be at the heart of the project with a determined focus to increase both comfort and accessibility while maintaining its original warmth and grandeur. Similar priorities will be applied throughout the building, with a sensitive programme of improvement works envisaged both front of house and behind the scenes. Ease of access and a greater freedom of movement throughout the theatre are core aims for the refurbishment, with the intention of welcoming more people, more often into the space. An integral part of the refurbishment will be the provision of more space for performance and community programmes, extended rehearsal space and enhanced opportunities for ticket sales. A recent economic impact report commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Tayside, Perth and Kinross Council and Horsecross predicts that the redevelopment would contribute nearly an extra £1 million annually to the local economy, approximately 40 new full-time jobs as well as much increased opportunity for community and educational activity.
“If the interior was beautiful by day it was absolutely gorgeous by night with the full glare of the gas setting off every hole and corner, every arch featuring to best possible advantage. A theatrical gem of its kind” Perthshire Advertiser of 7 September, 1900
about us
helping Perth
prosper...
From new kid on the block
to key player, Horsecross Arts Limited is playing an ever increasing role in delivering prosperity to the Fair City and beyond. The findings of an independent study highlighted major economic benefits for Perth and Kinross due directly to the business impact of Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall which last year attracted 177,855 visitors and ÂŁ3.5 million to the local economy. Three years since the keys to Perth Concert Hall were placed in the hands of Horsecross Arts Ltd, the study commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Tayside, Perth and Kinross Council and Horsecross points to exceeded targets, nationwide economic spin-off and the generation of 138 jobs throughout Tayside. Two thirds of local businesses noted increased sales which they attributed directly to the impact of the new venue.
Awards and commendations 2007/08 Thistle Awards
Business Tourism winner and People Development finalist
National Business Awards
Marketing initiative finalists
Tayside Business Awards
Marketing initiative winner
Pulitzer Prize
to David Lang for Horsecross co-commission with Carnegie Hall, New York
Feedback
We positively encourage feedback from our customers and keep an eye out for the local and national press to see how we’re being received. We carry out surveys of audiences and monitor comments and complaints. Very positive feedback also comes in the form of national awards, organised by a whole range of industry sectors and national agencies. We’re delighted to have attracted a number of awards for our efforts to date.
pic: Perth Theatre auditorium
about us
culture + conferences + community + music + new media art + drama
FACTfile: The Horsecross Way Business Mission Vision Value
culture + conferences + community to create a buzz – in our venues, Perthshire and Scotland to keep raising the bar, to inspire entertain and delight, to help Perth prosper to go the extra mile