SKILL UP 10 Report and Evaluation

INVERNESS 2010 EVENT REPORT AND EVALUATION

“There is nothing else like SKILL UP and every year it develops and teaches you things you weren't expecting to learn, always worth while and very enjoyable”

Kindly supported by:

SKILL UP 2010 Participant

Registered Scottish Charity No: SC 035765

Page 1.

Event Summary

SKILL UP is Promote YT's annual training and networking conference for all organisations and individuals who have a stake in youth performing arts and is the biggest event of its kind for Scotland.

SKILL UP endeavours to provide a broad range of quality training experiences that appeal to all levels, skills and abilities, as it is our vision to set a benchmark of practice development that delegates will aim to deliver to their young people.

The event is open to anyone with a vested interest in youth performing arts, regardless of their experience and is delivered in a style which offers individuals the opportunity to develop skills, share practice and experiences, network with colleagues and establish new contacts within the sector.

Through SKILL UP, we have continued to deliver a range of training initiatives that focus on the principle objectives of our ‘Training Framework’ (please see Page 3). These initiatives are based upon the sector's feedback from past events, direct requests for specific training from practitioners and topics that are prevalent to today's youth theatre climate.

Now in its sixth year SKILL UP has grown to become a highlight on many peoples calendar offering relevant and affordable skill development training and networking opportunity to a sector which, by its nature, is widely dispersed and suffers from underinvestment.

The following report offers a summary of our 2010 March event staged in Inverness at Eden Court Theatre and includes feedback from the delegates who engaged in the post-event evaluation process.

CONTENTS: Funding, Partnerships & Support Training Framework Participation Event Programme: PERFORMANCE FACILITATORS WORKSHOPS SUPPORTING EVENTS Additional Evaluation Development

Page 1 & 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 & 7 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10

Where relevant, all evaluation results summarised in this report are based on 27 online and paper based responses from SKILL UP 10’s total participation of 73. For more detailed budgeting / evaluation information please contact Promote YT directly.

Funding, Partnerships & Support In order to have the maximum impact SKILL UP has purposely been a peripatetic event moving regionally throughout Scotland year-on-year. Promote YT has been committed to staging an event which is as diverse as the sector it serves. SKILL UP is accessible to all and is reliant on regional partners to annually provide the finance, support and infrastructure which makes the event possible.

Previous SKILL UP events have been staged in the following locations: Exchange 05 SKILL UP 06 SKILL UP 07 SKILL UP 08 SKILL UP 09

Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Perth and Kinross Scottish Youth Theatre Building, City of Glasgow Drumnadrochit Community High School, Highlands Perth Concert Hall, Perth and Kinross Carnegie College, Fife

Promote YT was therefore delighted to receive the support which allowed it to return SKILL UP to the Highlands staging it in Eden Court Theatre, Inverness. This was made possible through support grants kindly donated by The Highland Council and Hi~Arts / Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Page 2.

Funding, Partnerships & Support continued > The breakdown of EXPENDITURE was as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

5

4

Venue Hire Facilitation Catering Event Structure Marketing / Recording Highland Grants*

6

3

1 2

*Travel and Accommodation grants for Highland based practitioners were kindly provided by Hi~Arts The breakdown of INCOME was as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Participation Fees Hi~Arts / HIE The Highland Council Promote YT (Scotland)

4 3

1 2

Situated on the banks of the River Ness south of the centre of Inverness Eden Court is one of the best equipped arts centres in the country. Eden Court has, since 1997, be running extensive programmes of drama and dance work with young people from across the Highlands and therefore was exceptionally a well placed to partner Promote YT in staging SKILL UP 10.

Ample breakout spaces, airy foyer areas and the fantastic ‘One Touch’ studio theatre coupled with good travel links and local accommodation made Eden Court Theatre and Inverness and ideal location to stage the event.

Delegates evaluated the VENUE as: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Excellent Good OK Disappointing

3 4

1

2

Delegates evaluated ACCESS to the event as: 1.

2.

3.

4.

3 4

Very Good Good OK Difficult 2

1

Page 3.

Training Framework

The Promote YT ‘Training Framework highlights’ the principle areas of practice pertinent to all youth performing arts groups in Scotland regardless of scale, style, status or approach.

Laid out in an accessible form, the ‘Training Framework’ is designed to act as a guide to the sector and each element is supported by Promote YT through co-ordinated skill development designed to advance the standards and provision of youth theatre in Scotland.

Through endorsement of this Training Framework and engagement in SKILL UP, it is Promote YT’s belief that any group or organisation involving young people in youth performing arts will be able to assure their stakeholders that they are committed to the best interests of the young people involved with them.

They will therefore be able to assert the following six statements: 1.

We have the ability to engage children and young people as active participants in our creative process

2.

We understand that process and product are equally and mutually beneficial aspects of our youth theatre activity

3.

We strive to broaden our understanding of technique / approach to enrich the delivery of our youth theatre activity

4.

We have a determination to broaden the access of those participating in our youth theatre activity as creators and audience

5.

We have systems of evaluation in place to better assess our creative and operational output

6.

We have an understanding of current policy and protocol in relation to safe and appropriate youth theatre practice

In pursuit of this ‘Training Framework’ our developmental aim for SKILL UP is to: “Research more intensely the evolving needs of the sector to heighten the impact of the skill development and networking programme facilitated through the annual SKILL UP event”.

Delegates evaluated the evidence of us achieving this aim through SKILL UP 10 as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Strong Evidence Reasonable Evidence Slight Evidence No Evidence

3

4

2

1

“I really feel SKILL UP is a vital part of my training and attend annually.

As I freelancer I do not get many opportunities to attend training courses” SKILL UP 2010 Participant

Page 4.

Participation

Although principally focusing on the youth theatre sector SKILL UP is open to any adult who has a stake in youth performing arts, regardless of experience.

Official bookings were open for SKILL UP 10 three months in advance of the event and delegates paid a sliding scale fee which covered the whole event programme as well as basic meals and refreshments. The fees for 2010 were: • •

£100 full fee / £60 bursary fee for Promote YT members £120 full fee / £80 bursary for non-Promote YT members

SKILL UP 10 was attended by 73 participants from across Scotland and England.

The trend of PARTICIPATION was as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Youth Theatre / Organisation Arts Development Freelance 2 Teaching Student / Graduate

4

3

5

1

“As SKILL UP is very specific to my work I really look forward to learning new skills and being able to converse with like minded people.

I also find working directly with practitioners and organisations is an effective method of engaging with their techniques” SKILL UP 2010 Participant

The geographical range of PARTICIPATION was: Aberdeen / Aberdeenshire Angus Borders Dundee Edinburgh Fife Glasgow Highlands & Islands Lanarkshire Moray Perthshire Stirling West Lothian Other Unknown

5 1 3 7 7 5 5 13 1 3 5 1 5 6 6

Event Programme - THE PERFORMANCE

Page 5.

In an expansion to the traditional SKILL UP format this years event hosted an additional advanced evening on the Friday which allowed us to stage a performance of notable youth theatre work.

Performed by a cast of 10 teenagers Knife was a hard-hitting drama which followed the story of three knives in the hands of three young people.

Knife had been a long time in the making.

In October 2008, as part of their national tour, V.AMP Productions brought their production of Fleeto to Moray. Working in partnership with Moray Council’s Arts Development Team, V.AMP Productions were able to offer the opportunity for local young people to be the gang of youths in the play.

Following their experience in Fleeto the group continued to meet to work with Arts Development Workers and together they devised Knife which was performed to their peers in Moray secondary schools in June 2009.

SKILL UP offered the opportunity for delegates to meet and question the cast of Knife post performance which proved a popular element of the programme.

The inclusion of Knife in the SKILL UP 10 programme was made possible through the kind support of the Moray Council.

Event Programme - THE FACILITATORS

Page 6.

Promote YT were once again delighted to be able to attract high profile national and international specialists to SKILL UP to engage delegates in ‘hands-on’ workshops focusing on their areas of expertise.

Not all facilitators invited to SKILL UP are necessarily youth theatre specialists but all of their skills are deemed by Promote YT to be developmental to practitioners and transferable to practice.

Unfortunately due to the travel disruptions caused by the volcanic ash SKILL UP 10 was unable to host the full programme advertised as Rogaland Theatre Director - Bjørn Ravn Carlsen was unable to travel from Norway.

Leading the main EVENT PROGRAMME were:

SANDY THOMSON (Poorboy) Sandy was CATS Award nominated for Best Director in Poorboy’s first year. She has been involved in creating promenade performances for nearly 20 years. Trained at RADA, Sandy has written, directed, produced and designed work for an incredible range of organisations, venues, places and people. Through her work with Poorboy, RSAMD and the Cultural Enterprise Office she has mentored and supported other artists in both formal and informal structures for a number of years.

MATTHEW MCVARISH (Poorboy) Matthew has an MA in Acting in classical and contemporary text from the RSAMD, which included a residency at Shakespeare’s Globe. He has now worked in TV, theatre and radio for five years, Matthew is also a professional playwright. Following its initial run at the Tron Theatre, his début play 'To Kill a Kelpie' will shortly be revived for a tour of the USA and is being adapted for TV while another sell out play 'A child made of love' is currently being developed into a children’s book.

TALMUD BAH (Second Wave Arts) Talmud became Associate Director of Second Wave (London) in 2003. Since then Talmud he has worked with Second Wave on a number of different creative projects which engage 'hard to reach' young men. The principles of this work involve addressing the reality of young men's lives and enabling them to explore their experiences in a safe creative place. Most recently this work has culminated in the Swagga Partnership Project - a project which has included workshop & Symposiums led by young people with the police, and new plays about status.

Event Programme - THE FACILITATORS continued >

Page 7.

MARCUS ROMER (Pilot Theatre) Marcus is Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre based at York Theatre Royal who tour nationally and internationally. His adaptation of Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy won the TMA award for best production for young people in 2008 and his award winning production of Lord of the Flies performed over 950 shows.

GARY GARDINER Gary Gardiner is a performer, director and facilitator working in contemporary theatre, education and community contexts. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Off The Rails Contemporary Arts.

He also works as an arts consultant developing arts-education practice within schools and community settings. Gary is an advisor and assessor for the nationally accredited Arts Award and now works as the Senior Tutor and Producer of Dramaworks at the RSAMD.

Event Programme - THE WORKSHOPS Staged on the Saturday and the Sunday the three hour SKILL UP WORKSHOPS were the mainstay of the event and the programme allowed for delegates to choose three from the following selection of four workshops delivered over the weekend: SITE SPECFIC led by Sandy Thomson & Matthew McVarish (Poorboy) This active workshop led participants around the building and grounds of Eden Court to demonstrate Poorboy’s skills in site specific theatre and creating stories for space. Using contrasting view points, texture, contemporary and traditional spaces the workshop demonstrated the possibilities for staging youth theatre in unusual spaces, found or sought out.

ENSEMBLE DEVISING led by Marcus Romer Marcus explored different ways of working to find increasing focus, ensemble creation and improvisational devising techniques. During the workshop this developed into an exploration of physical theatre language offering techniques to facilitate this form with young ensemble groups.

EMPOWERING YOUNG MEN led by Talmud Bah This physical workshop focused on exploring practical approaches to working creatively with marginalised young men. The workshop drew on Talmud’s experiences as a multi disciplinary practitioner demonstrating a tool kit of drama, lyrics, movement and capoeira to develop narratives through theatre.

PROCESS AND PRODUCT led by Gary Gardiner Utilising task and challenge based approaches; this workshop aimed to model new forms of theatre making which values participants as creative makers as well as interpreters, as thinking human beings as well as presenters, and as life-long facilitators as well as life-long learners.

Page 8.

Event Programme - SUPPORTING EVENTS The SKILL UP 10 programme was additionally supported by:

MASTER CLASSES (Saturday) For delegates who wanted a little bit more than the SKILL UP WORKSHOPS two optional two hour master classes were offered on the Saturday evening. These were VOICE TECHNIQUE facilitated

by Paul Hudson and STAND-UP COMEDY facilitated by Siàn Bevan.

SKILL UP CEILDIH (Saturday) On the Saturday evening SKILL UP played host to a Ceilidh to promote networking and to allow delegates the chance to relax.

SKILL SHARE sessions (Sunday) A regular and popular feature of SKILL UP, the SKILL SHARE sessions are open forum workshops designed to allow delegates to share, learn and develop techniques, exercises and games for youth theatre from each other. Four sessions were available each focusing on a different area of practice.

Unfortunately networking based warm-up events scheduled for the Saturday morning had to be cancelled to allow for a later starting time due to the travel disruptions.

“As ever I found the whole event incredibly inspiring, refreshing and fun. I was delighted with my workshops and have used several of the techniques and games I learned in my own practice a number of times already” SKILL UP 2010 Participant

Delegates evaluated the SKILL UP WORKSHOPS as follows: 4 3 1.

Excellent 2 2.

Good 3.

OK 4.

Disappointing

1

Delegates evaluated the SUPPORTING EVENTS as follows: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Excellent Good OK Disappointing

4 1 3

2

Page 9.

Additional Evaluation How delegates found out about SKILL UP 10: 1.

2.

3.

4.

3

4

Promote YT Website Promote YT E-newsletter Word-of-mouth Other source 1 2

“I thought the whole weekend worked very well and it was particularly interesting to see how the sector is evolving and gaining more confidence.

I felt this was really evident this year” SKILL UP 2010 Participant

The importance of the reasons for which delegates attended SKILL UP 2010: Developing Skills Very Reasonably Not

Refreshing Skills Sharing Skills Formal Networking Informal Networking

“I think that SKILL UP is an important part of the youth theatre community and feel that it has to develop in order to keep growing” SKILL UP 2010 Participant

How delegates found other elements of the event: Booking Process Excellent Good OK

Event organisation Catering

Poor Value for money

Page 10.

Development

Considering SKILL UP was once again produced during a time of economical challenge (and travel chaos) Promote YT were delighted by the level of support for the event. Eden Court proved an ideal venue for the event and formal evaluation clearly indicates a continued appetite from the sector for the use of high profile facilitation from in and beyond Scotland.

The demographic profile of the participants shows that SKILL UP 10 continued to attract a diverse range of delegates hailing from a wide range of regions and that the event had a direct regional impact with the highest number of delegates hailing from the Highlands.

The total participation for SKILL UP 10 was 73 which was 39% down on our development target of 120 and 29% down on participation at last year’s event which was 103. This can be attributed to: A downturn in the availability of training budgets Travel disruptions Clash of event timings with Easter holidays The cost and practicality of travel to / from Inverness

• • • •

The red line in the graph below plots the trend in participation since Promote YT’s inaugural training event in 2005 (then called Exchange). The blue line plots Promote YT’s developmental targets for SKILL UP participation for 2011.

160 140 140

120 100 103

80

103

100 90

60 40

73 57

20 0

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Is it important to stage another SKILL UP style event in 2011?

2

1.

2.

3.

2010

2011 3

Yes - in the same format Yes - but with a change in format No

1

The availability of regional partnerships and resources will always dictate how SKILL UP is annually produced but, based on the evaluation, Promote YT can conclude that SKILL UP needs to focus on the following developmental areas as we move towards 2011: • • • • •

Increasing participation to diversify attendance and promote sector wide skill development Offering a greater and more focused range of networking opportunities / events The opportunity for delegates to have a wider choice of workshops Workshops to represent the individual challenges associated with working with different age groups Workshops to look at operational and policy skills as well as creativity

SKILL UP 2010 event photography by Camilla Adams All photographs used in this report are the intellectual property of Camilla Adams For more information please go to www.camillaadams.co.uk

For a SKILL UP 2010 DVD featuring images and interviews from the event please contact the Promote YT (Scotland) office directly

SKILL UP 10 Event Report Š produced by Promote YT (Scotland) CEO / Director: Development: Communications:

Colin Bradie Caroline Donald Iain Campbell

Promote YT (Scotland) 22 Palmerston Place Edinburgh EH12 5AL T: 0131 538 0591 E: info@promoteyt.co.uk www.promoteyt.co.uk www.promoteyt.ning.com