A National Theatre of Scotland is to be created, following a decision by the Scottish Executive to allocate a budget of £7.5m through to 2006 for the establishment of a new organisation to commission and stage productions from Scotland?s existing theatrical talent. This approach, which will involve neither the establishment of a permanent company of actors nor a new building, means that the new Theatre will be a ?virtual? body with only a small number of permanent staff, based in Glasgow.
A Chair, a Board and a Creative Director will shortly be appointed to lead the organisation. Their role will be to draw on Scotland?s writing, acting, directing and technical talents to present a range of work across Scotland, Britain and internationally. The National Theatre will be expected to provide strategic and artistic leadership for drama, delivering work of the highest quality, increasing audiences in Scotland and achieving international recognition for Scotland and its artists. It is anticipated that the first production will open early in 2005 and Culture Minister Frank McAveety has pledged to make National Theatre of Scotland productions ?widely accessible to audiences across Scotland.?
The concept of a National Theatre of Scotland featured in the National Cultural Strategy published by the Scottish Executive shortly after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament. An independent working group set up by the Scottish Arts Council (SAC) and the Federation of Scottish Theatre to develop the concept rejected the notion of a building-based company. It concluded that the new Theatre should be a creative producer working with and through the entire Scottish theatre community to achieve its objectives. Detailed financial modelling in May 2001 suggested that, to meet its core objectives, the new Theatre would require funding from The Scottish Executive of £1.81m in 2003/4 and a further £7.6m over the following three years. As recently as December 2002, it appeared that the National Theatre had slipped down the political agenda as Scotland?s First Minister, Jack McConnell, announced that plans had been put on hold in favour of a greater commitment to Scotland?s regional theatres.
However with the Finance Minister?s re-allocation of End Year Flexibility funds, the plans have been made possible. The funding is in addition to the £9m being directed to regional theatre through SAC this year. Heather Baird, Director of the Federation of Scottish Theatres said, ?We are absolutely delighted the money has been put in place for the National Theatre, particularly that the full package recommended by the steering group has been put into place. The Theatre will commission exciting projects of all scales and varieties. The Executive has made a commitment to sustain funding in the long term and we would hope to see, alongside this, a continued investment in Scotland?s existing theatre organisations.?