Glasgow, March 2012 Event Report Contents Partnerships, Funding and Support
Introduction SKILL UP is Promote YT’s annual training and networking conference for all organisations and individuals with a stake in youth performing arts. It is the only event of its kind in Scotland. Now in its eighth year, SKILL UP endeavours to provide delegates, regardless of their experience or abilities, with a broad range of relevant and affordable professional development opportunities. It is our vision to set a benchmark of practice development which will enable delegates to go on to deliver the highest standard of drama facilitation to the young people they work with. The two-day event is delivered in a style which allows individuals to develop their skills, share their practice and experiences, network with colleagues and establish new contacts within the youth theatre sector.
Venue Participation SKILL UP Programme: > Workshops > Youth Theatre Performance > Social Additional Evaluation Development Credits All evaluation results published in this report are based on a 73% response rate from SKILL UP 2012’s total participation of 83 delegates. For more detailed budgeting / evaluation information please contact Promote YT directly.
The launch of Promote YT’s annual SECTOR SYMPOSIUM in autumn 2011 created a dedicated forum for our sector to discuss and debate current issues. While in previous years we have used SKILL UP as a platform for this kind of activity, the introduction of the SECTOR SYMPOSIUM has now allowed us to concentrate the focus of SKILL UP entirely on training. The following report offers a summary of SKILL UP 2012, which celebrated the Year of Creative Scotland in March at Platform, Glasgow. It includes feedback from those delegates who contributed to the post-event evaluation process.
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Partnerships, Funding and Support In order to achieve maximum impact SKILL UP has purposely been developed as a peripatetic event which relocates to a different region in Scotland each year. Promote YT is 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 financial and infrastructure support which makes the event possible. To date SKILL UP has been staged in the following locations: SKILL UP 2012
Platform
Glasgow
SKILL UP 2011
Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre
Scottish Borders
SKILL UP 2010
Eden Court Theatre
Highlands
SKILL UP 2009
Carnegie College
Fife
SKILL UP 2008
Perth Concert Hall
Perth and Kinross
SKILL UP 2007
Drumnadrochit Community High School
Highlands
SKILL UP 2006
Scottish Youth Theatre
Glasgow
Exchange 2005
Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Perth and Kinross
In 2012 Promote YT was delighted to return to Glasgow with SKILL UP, working in partnership with Platform and with funding support from Glasgow Life. Platform provided in-kind venue support to a total value of £3,410. Glasgow Life provided funding support of £500 cash and £500 towards 5 bursary places.
The breakdown of EXPENDITURE was as follows Facilitation Venue costs / catering Event infrastructure* Marketing / reporting
45% 35% 16% 3%
* Includes transport, delegate packs and networking events
The breakdown of INCOME was as follows Participation fees In-kind support Investment (Glasgow Life)
61% 30% 9%
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Venue SKILL UP 2012 was hosted by our event partner Platform. Located 10 miles east of Glasgow city centre in Easterhouse, Platform is an arts centre which sits at the heart of The Bridge. The Bridge is an overarching name for four co-joined facilities: Platform, John Wheatley College and Glasgow Life's library and swimming pool. Since opening in 2006, Platform has collaborated with and supported many top theatre companies, artists, musicians and dancers to bring a creative programme of international repute to local audiences. Platform has successfully integrated into its surrounding community and has forged strong links with local residents and groups who regularly access shows and events within the building. Platform also offers a year round curriculum of participatory opportunities including music classes, visual arts and crafts classes and the high quality, contemporary, forward thinking Platform Performance theatre and drama programme. Transport to and from the venue was provided by Doig’s of Glasgow and event catering was provided in house by the Glasgow Regeneration Agency cafÊ and externally by Regis Banqueting. Delegate evaluation was as follows:
Convenience of the event* Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor * in terms of travel and availability at time of year
The venue Excellent Good page 3
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
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. Bookings for SKILL UP 2012 opened four months in advance of the event and the delegate fee included two days of workshops, a youth theatre performance, two lunches, an evening meal and refreshments. ÂŁ130 full fee ÂŁ110 membership fee (exclusive to Promote YT members) SKILL UP 2012 was attended by 83 delegates, 100% of whom came from Scotland. The trend of participation from different sectors was as follows:
Youth Theatre
47%
Theatre
11%
Freelance
16%
Youth Work Arts Development
2% 12%
Teaching
2%
Student / Trainee
5%
Other
5%
The gender breakdown of participants was as follows:
Female
85%
Male
15%
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Participation The age range of participants was as follows: 18–30 years
64%
31–40 years
23%
41–50 years
9%
51–60 years
2%
61 years +
2%
Participants’ reasons for attending SKILL UP 2012 were as follows:
100% Not important
80%
Important Very important
60%
40%
20%
0% Developing new skills
Refreshing existing skills
Sharing skills
Networking / Making contacts page 5
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Bursaries 5 delegates were supported by Promote YT through a full bursary. A further 5 delegates were supported by a bursary from Glasgow Life in partnership with Promote YT. All delegates who could demonstrate that they fulfilled the following criteria were invited to apply for a bursary: > Individuals who could demonstrate a genuine need for continued professional development at this point in their career. > Individuals who could demonstrate how attending SKILL UP will impact on their professional practice. > Individuals who could demonstrate a genuine need for financial assistance. Promote YT bursaries were awarded at the discretion of Promote YT’s Board of Directors. Successful applicants were requested to complete a short post-event evaluation form detailing how the bursary award aided their professional development.
SKILL UP 2012 bursary recipients: I always say that if I can only attend one professional development event a year, then it has to be SKILL UP! There is nothing else like it–every year the workshops on offer are diverse, interesting and inspiring. SKILL UP gave me a huge boost in confidence. It made me feel like I am part of a supportive, friendly network and that as theatre makers we all have something to shout about. The workshops were fun, participatory and energetic and all the facilitators were helpful, understanding, patient and passionate about what they do. You learn heaps and heaps and you have to take this opportunity to learn from inspiring practitioners and make links with like-minded theatre makers. SKILL UP offered me unrivalled professional development opportunities. The ability to compare experiences, practice, share skills and learn from others increased my confidence, industry-specific knowledge and employment opportunities. An essential yearly training, networking and skill-sharing event for anyone already working, or wishing to work in a role using drama with young people. I took more from this weekend than a couple of years at university! page 6
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Event Programme Workshops Promote YT programmed two days of high quality, hands-on skill development workshops delivered by a team of new and returning facilitators from across Europe and the UK, each one a practitioner at the very top of their game. Workshops were programmed in order to offer something for everyone and in response to feedback from SKILL UP 2011, this year there was a particular focus on directing. With a total of ten to choose from, the workshop programme was not only more extensive than ever before, but for the first time delegates were also offered more freedom to tailor the route they took through SKILL UP. There was the option of participating in full-day master classes and/or picking and choosing from a wide range of shorter artistic and policy-based workshops. Delegates were invited to select up to four workshops to attend from the following selection:
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BJØRN RAVN CARLSEN Art Director for Children and Youth Theatre, Rogaland Teater, Norway Bjørn has been with the Rogaland Teater since 1990 and took over as Artistic Director in 2002. Most of Bjørn’s work is script based working to his own directing methods based on Stanislavsky. He has directed over 30 plays with participants of all ages. Bjørn is on the board for Norway’s version of the National Theatre New Connections and he is a lead partner in the RE:LOCATION 2012 project hosted by the Rogaland Teater. WORKSHOP: Full-day International Directing Master Class Using theory, practical exercises and group work this master class looked at the ingredients required to make a good production focusing on the physical life on stage. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT / GOOD
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CAMPBELL BELL Freelance Child Protection Trainer Campbell has worked in the voluntary, statutory and third sector for the past 30 years. He has worked directly with children and families and in policy and planning. Over the last 15 years Campbell has delivered child protection training to a wide range of voluntary and community groups. WORKSHOP: Child Protection and the PVG Scheme This workshop introduced the key concepts of child protection and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. Participants gained an understanding of their role in keeping children and young people safe and what the PVG Scheme requires of them in this context. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of SATISFACTORY
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Event Programme
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CAROLINE BOWDITCH Dance Agent for Change, Scottish Dance Theatre Caroline is an independent disabled dance maker and performance artist. She is passionate about using clear ideas and concepts to create robust and multi-faceted work which is accessible to all audiences. In 2008 she was the recipient of a Wellcome Trust Arts Award and she was recently awarded an Unlimited commission to make her most ambitious project to-date which will be presented as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. WORKSHOP: Movement–Making Words Move This workshop explored some of the creative techniques and methods used by Caroline when making her piece proband. During the workshop participants were led through a number of creative exercises, resulting in the generation of a short piece of choreography unique to each individual, based on random and specifically selected words and loosely based on genetics. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT
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CHRIS NAYAK Actor and Youth Theatre Practitioner, Shakespeare’s Globe Chris trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Since graduating he has acted in theatres in the West End and around the UK and off-Broadway in the USA. He has also appeared on television for the BBC, ITV and Thames Television. Alongside his acting career, for the past six years Chris has worked for the Globe Theatre, delivering Shakespeare workshops to all age groups. WORKSHOP: Shakespeare for Youth Theatre Through CPD Globe Education aims to provide participants with active, practical approaches to Shakespeare that will inspire and enhance their practice, using techniques developed in the rehearsal room at the Globe. This workshop looked at how to adapt techniques developed for use in the classroom into other settings. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT
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CLAIRE BLOOMFIELD Artistic Director, Kinetic Artistic Director at Kinetic for the past six years, Claire is a socially engaged theatre maker who has worked throughout Scotland in community, health, education and youth theatre contexts for a number of national organisations. She is one half of creative partnership Fishbowl, creating work ‘where reality meets fiction’ and is also on the Board of Directors of Promote YT. WORKSHOP: The SPARK COLLECTIVE: Using Multimedia in a Youth Theatre Setting The SPARK COLLECTIVE is a creative cohort of practicing youth theatre artists set up by Promote YT and led by members from within. Just like a book group, each month a different venue hosts the collective and members take it in turns to facilitate and run a workshop, share their specialism or simply try out something they’re working on. The Collective’s aim is to provide a supportive platform for skill-sharing, networking and pooling resources. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT page 8
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EUAN TURNER Health and Safety Advisor, Federation of Scottish Theatre Euan has over seven years’ experience working as a health and safety professional in the Scottish arts sector. His clients range from small-scale promoters to the national performing companies, spanning all the major performing art forms, including opera, music, dance and theatre. WORKSHOP: Who Wants to Talk about Health & Safety? This workshop provided industry-specific health and safety advice and guidance for anyone working in the sector. Participants learned how to keep people safe and healthy, meet their legal obligations, meet standards of good management and get ideas of how to develop a positive health and safety culture within their practice. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT / GOOD
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NICHOLAS BONE Artistic Director, Magnetic North Theatre Company Nicholas is Artistic Director of Magnetic North, a company which works with actors, playwrights, designers, composers and other practitioners to develop and produce new work that is articulate and individual. WORKSHOP: Viewpoints ‘Viewpoints’ is a powerful tool for training performers and building ensembles. It was originally developed by American choreographer Mary Overlie in the 1980s as a technique for developing movement and adapted by director Anne Bogart for use in text-based theatre. This workshop introduced participants to the nine viewpoints and how they can be used. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of GOOD
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PETER HUSSEY Artistic Director, Crooked House Theatre Company and Kildare Youth Theatre Peter is a writer, director and drama facilitator and teaches Ireland’s only undergraduate programme in Directing for Theatre (with National University of Ireland). He has produced of the annual Connections festival in Ireland for the National Theatre and is founder of the annual Human Rights Youth Theatre Festival held every year in Newbridge. WORKSHOP: Full-day International Directing Master Class This master class examined the role of the director as a visual artist, exploring ways of making strong visual images using actors and some props. Using works of Renaissance art as a starting point participants went on to discuss some of the basic techniques of composition familiar to visual artists which can be applied to the stage, and to play with space, movement, mass and form to elicit their own principles of composition. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT
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Event Programme
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ROBERT GALE Director, Flip–Disability Equality in the Arts Robert is a trained professional actor and has worked in the area of arts and disability since 2005. As Equalities Officer for the Scottish Arts Council he initiated and developed a number of programmes and projects that enabled arts organisations to engage with disabled people and enabled disabled artists to develop their practice. Alongside Mairi Taylor, Robert established flip–disability equality in the arts to support arts organisations and artists in Scotland who wish to embed equalities within the fabric of their working practice. WORKSHOP: Disability Equality–Process and Practice A practical workshop looking at the initial steps required to create and begin to implement a disability equality policy for your organisation. Following an introduction, participants examined some real life obstacles to fully engaging with disability equality within arts organisations. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT
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XANA MARWICK Performance Maker and Drama Artist, Platform Xana is Drama Artist at Platform, Glasgow, an independent Performance Maker and a founding member of Stadium Rock Arts Collective. She has worked throughout Scotland and internationally and is particularly known for making cross-disciplinary work with young adults and children. Her practice as a performer, director and producer is extremely diverse and has included Live Art performances within the Edinburgh Art Festival, directing youth theatre productions and creating unique and adventurous devised work in a variety of settings. WORKSHOP: Generating Ideas During this workshop Xana shared techniques that have been particularly useful in generating ideas and material in a devised setting and that can also be applied to character and movement development in text-based work. Delegates who participated in this workshop gave an overall rating of EXCELLENT
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Youth Theatre Performance To end the first day of SKILL UP 2012 Promote YT proudly showcased DEBUTANTES, a contemporary youth theatre performance from one of Scotland’s most talented emerging young companies, Creative Electric from Edinburgh.
DEBUTANTES was devised by its all-female cast and their director and explored what it might mean to be a ‘debutante’ in our society nowadays. The interactive performance invited audience members to dance and chat, offering an insight into the lives, beliefs and personalities of each performer. Delegate evaluation of the youth theatre performance was as follows:
Excellent Good Satisfactory OK
Social An evening social event was held at the TRON Theatre bar to allow delegates to network and make new contacts. This venue was kindly provided in kind by the TRON.
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Additional Evaluation The following chart demonstrates how delegates paid for their place at SKILL UP 2012: Individually
21%
Subsidised by a wider organisation
16%
Paid in full by a wider organisation
63%
The following chart demonstrates how delegates rated the organisation of SKILL UP 2011:
100%
80%
Poor Satisfactory Good
60%
Very Good
40%
20%
0% Advanced Booking publicity process
Delegate pack
Venue
Catering
Staff Value for helpfullness money
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Every year I come to SKILL UP, I am reminded of how vibrant, dedicated and connected the sector now is, and I have no doubt that Promote YT has been the driving force behind this. As an emerging artist, it has been wonderful for finding out about people working within the sector and making contacts.
It has helped me think about my future options by talking to like-minded people. As someone beginning their career this event has been very encouraging. I have found it important to network with people from all over Scotland.
Another excellent SKILL UP with a diverse choice of workshops and skilled practitioners from Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad.
This was my first SKILL UP and I have learned so much, met so many inspirational people and have been really inspired by the whole experience. I really think that it is absolutely vital to the development of the sector.
Workshops were excellent; well planned and executed, fun, engaging and educational.
The ninth annual SKILL UP event will take place in April 2013 in partnership with Dundee Rep Theatre. page 13
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SKILL UP 2012 Event Report
Credits CEO / Director: Colin Bradie
Event Partner
Participation & Training Manager: Caroline Donald Event Supporters Communications Manager: Iain Findlay-Walsh Development Officer: Helen Bain SKILL UP Volunteer: Leyla Coll O’Reilly SKILL UP Volunteer: Mel Smith Produced by Promote YT (Scotland)
Contact details Promote YT (Scotland) Out of the Blue 36 Dalmeny Street Edinburgh EH6 8RG 0131 538 0591 info@promoteyt.co.uk www.promoteyt.co.uk
Promote YT receives investment from
This report offers a summary of the evaluative information gathered from the delivery of SKILL UP 2012. If you would like to access more detailed information please contact Promote YT (Scotland) directly. Company limited by Guarantee No SC 269952. Registered Scottish Charity No SC 035765 page 14