Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 02 May 2012
02 May 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
National Performing Companies
As we have heard, the national performing arts companies have an important role. Not only do they allow Scots of all ages to experience the very best in theatre, dance, opera, ballet and music that Scotland and the rest of the world have to offer, they have the ability to inspire our youngsters to have a future in the arts. I will direct my remarks to opportunities for children and young people.
One of the most impressive achievements of the national performing arts companies has been the number of youngsters whom they have given the opportunity to experience and participate in the performances that they offer. In June last year, pupils from Dundee’s Craigowl school took part in a fantastic project that the National Theatre of Scotland organised. They collaborated with pupils from nearby schools in Perth and Glenrothes to put on a 24-hour online theatre marathon.
That example is just one of a number of creative youth initiatives that are under way in Dundee at the moment. Just next week, youngsters from Dundee will participate in an evening of short performances at the Dundee Rep theatre, showcasing the best new talent that we have in the performing arts. Indeed, Dundee Rep has excelled under its inspirational artistic director, James Brining. I pay tribute to James, who is shortly to leave us to take up a post in York. He did a remarkable job at Dundee Rep, which is reflected not just in the critical acclaim that Dundee Rep has received during his tenure, but in its exemplary creative learning department, which seeks to develop the confidence and abilities of Dundee’s youth in the performing arts. I wish James the best of luck and thank him, on behalf of everyone, for the work that he has done for Dundee and for the performing arts in Scotland.
I appreciated the minister’s comments, during Sandra White’s speech, on children’s attendance at performances. That is critical, as the minister said. A recent study was undertaken by Caishlan Sweeney at Dundee Rep on behalf of the Northeast Performing Arts Group, which surveyed schoolteachers in the region. Ninety-six per cent of the teachers who responded said that funding bus transport to theatre or other performances was the primary and major existing barrier to getting pupils to performances. All of us in the chamber know how parent teacher associations raise money, and we know that money to fund transport to performances is more readily raised by schools in more prosperous areas in our cities and towns than by those in more deprived communities. I have a copy of Ms Sweeney’s report, which I am happy to share with the cabinet secretary so that she can see the evidence. Indeed, I invite the cabinet secretary to meet Caishlan Sweeney to see whether a collaborative solution across the arts can be found to solve that very real problem of access to performances.
As Patricia Ferguson suggested in Labour’s opening speech, giving the national youth performing arts companies the same status as the national performing arts companies will give us the opportunity to educate our young people and to inspire and encourage them to learn valuable skills through participating more fully in all areas of the arts. The education of youngsters is one of the primary functions of our national youth performing companies. As well as developing their own programmes, they work alongside existing initiatives that make a huge impact on the lives of children in Scotland.
One such educational initiative, which I have talked about in the chamber before, is the El Sistema project—a project that I believe is worthy of further discussion in the chamber. By providing intensive music tuition to some of the most disadvantaged children in Scotland and across the world, El Sistema provides the opportunity for children to learn new skills, increase their confidence and achieve where they would otherwise not have been able to achieve. I know that the cabinet secretary is currently considering evidence from the Raploch project. The project is doing fantastic work in the Raploch—I visited it a few weeks ago and was delighted to see the looks on some of the children’s faces as they rehearsed in their small groups and then came together in bigger groups. Recently, alongside the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, they performed on stage at the Clyde auditorium in the BBC’s music nation event. I visited them three days before they took to the stage, and their excitement was palpable.
Opportunities such as that foster aspiration and a sense of achievement in children. They teach children skills that they will maintain for life, and they offer children the chance to break out of a cycle of poverty that denies them the opportunity to learn in an extra-curricular setting. As some members will know, I have been campaigning for El Sistema to come to Dundee because I believe that it could benefit a great number of children in our city. The instrumental tuition figures in Dundee back that up. In Forthill primary school—a school in one of Dundee’s most affluent areas—the number of children who are being taught music privately is 83. That contrasts starkly with the figure for Sidlaw View primary school, which is in one of the poorer areas of the city, where only four children are learning an instrument.
By extending the status of our national performing arts companies to our national youth performing arts companies, we have the chance to develop a successful working relationship between youth performing companies and projects such as El Sistema, so that projects can be expanded into areas such as Dundee, where they will benefit children immensely. The recommendation is worthy of further exploration and I hope that the cabinet secretary will consider it in her closing speech.
16:25
One of the most impressive achievements of the national performing arts companies has been the number of youngsters whom they have given the opportunity to experience and participate in the performances that they offer. In June last year, pupils from Dundee’s Craigowl school took part in a fantastic project that the National Theatre of Scotland organised. They collaborated with pupils from nearby schools in Perth and Glenrothes to put on a 24-hour online theatre marathon.
That example is just one of a number of creative youth initiatives that are under way in Dundee at the moment. Just next week, youngsters from Dundee will participate in an evening of short performances at the Dundee Rep theatre, showcasing the best new talent that we have in the performing arts. Indeed, Dundee Rep has excelled under its inspirational artistic director, James Brining. I pay tribute to James, who is shortly to leave us to take up a post in York. He did a remarkable job at Dundee Rep, which is reflected not just in the critical acclaim that Dundee Rep has received during his tenure, but in its exemplary creative learning department, which seeks to develop the confidence and abilities of Dundee’s youth in the performing arts. I wish James the best of luck and thank him, on behalf of everyone, for the work that he has done for Dundee and for the performing arts in Scotland.
I appreciated the minister’s comments, during Sandra White’s speech, on children’s attendance at performances. That is critical, as the minister said. A recent study was undertaken by Caishlan Sweeney at Dundee Rep on behalf of the Northeast Performing Arts Group, which surveyed schoolteachers in the region. Ninety-six per cent of the teachers who responded said that funding bus transport to theatre or other performances was the primary and major existing barrier to getting pupils to performances. All of us in the chamber know how parent teacher associations raise money, and we know that money to fund transport to performances is more readily raised by schools in more prosperous areas in our cities and towns than by those in more deprived communities. I have a copy of Ms Sweeney’s report, which I am happy to share with the cabinet secretary so that she can see the evidence. Indeed, I invite the cabinet secretary to meet Caishlan Sweeney to see whether a collaborative solution across the arts can be found to solve that very real problem of access to performances.
As Patricia Ferguson suggested in Labour’s opening speech, giving the national youth performing arts companies the same status as the national performing arts companies will give us the opportunity to educate our young people and to inspire and encourage them to learn valuable skills through participating more fully in all areas of the arts. The education of youngsters is one of the primary functions of our national youth performing companies. As well as developing their own programmes, they work alongside existing initiatives that make a huge impact on the lives of children in Scotland.
One such educational initiative, which I have talked about in the chamber before, is the El Sistema project—a project that I believe is worthy of further discussion in the chamber. By providing intensive music tuition to some of the most disadvantaged children in Scotland and across the world, El Sistema provides the opportunity for children to learn new skills, increase their confidence and achieve where they would otherwise not have been able to achieve. I know that the cabinet secretary is currently considering evidence from the Raploch project. The project is doing fantastic work in the Raploch—I visited it a few weeks ago and was delighted to see the looks on some of the children’s faces as they rehearsed in their small groups and then came together in bigger groups. Recently, alongside the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, they performed on stage at the Clyde auditorium in the BBC’s music nation event. I visited them three days before they took to the stage, and their excitement was palpable.
Opportunities such as that foster aspiration and a sense of achievement in children. They teach children skills that they will maintain for life, and they offer children the chance to break out of a cycle of poverty that denies them the opportunity to learn in an extra-curricular setting. As some members will know, I have been campaigning for El Sistema to come to Dundee because I believe that it could benefit a great number of children in our city. The instrumental tuition figures in Dundee back that up. In Forthill primary school—a school in one of Dundee’s most affluent areas—the number of children who are being taught music privately is 83. That contrasts starkly with the figure for Sidlaw View primary school, which is in one of the poorer areas of the city, where only four children are learning an instrument.
By extending the status of our national performing arts companies to our national youth performing arts companies, we have the chance to develop a successful working relationship between youth performing companies and projects such as El Sistema, so that projects can be expanded into areas such as Dundee, where they will benefit children immensely. The recommendation is worthy of further exploration and I hope that the cabinet secretary will consider it in her closing speech.
16:25
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02738, in the name of Fiona Hyslop, on the national performing companies. I call Fiona Hyslop to speak to...
The Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to debate and celebrate the significant achievements of the five national performing companies during the first five years of direc...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (Lab)
Lab
I am delighted to have the opportunity to debate our national performing companies, and I am sure that the debate will be consensual.Scottish Labour decided ...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
The member might be reflecting some coverage that the audience figures received when they were released. She might also be aware that the chief executive of ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I entirely accept the point that the cabinet secretary makes, but I think that it suggests that the publications that give us those facts and figures need to...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I call Annabel Goldie, who has a very generous six minutes.15:30
Annabel Goldie (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for bringing the motion to the chamber for debate, and I am pleased to speak in the debate because I, too, want to pay tribute to the br...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We come to the open debate, for which we have a little bit of time in hand. Speeches of a generous six minutes can be made by everyone in the debate.15:37
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Unsurprisingly, I open with a quotation from Tennessee Williams, describing the creative process as he saw it. He said:“I believe the way to write a good pla...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I commend the cabinet secretary for bringing this debate to the chamber and I join her in praising the outstanding work of the national performing companies ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I can be more generous.
Malcolm Chisholm
Lab
The same themes can be reiterated with reference to the National Theatre of Scotland and the orchestras. We all know of the outreach work that they do. The R...
Jean Urquhart (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Our big five—Scotland’s five national performing companies—with their singing, dancing, music and storytelling to gladden the heart, are things of which we o...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I align myself with the remarks made by Annabelle Ewing—sorry, I mean Annabel Goldie. She has changed.
Annabel Goldie
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Some errors made in the chamber are justifiable and acceptable, but others are much more difficult to thole.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
That is not really a point of order.
Sandra White
SNP
I accept Annabel Goldie’s explanation, given that we are talking about the performing companies. I align myself with some of her remarks, as I, too, have bee...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
Sandra White makes an important point. I refer her to a report that I think I brought to the Parliament’s attention when answering a question from Annabel Go...
Sandra White
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for that and look forward to seeing that strategy in the future.The link with education is important. It is great that the Roya...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
For a number of reasons, I am delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this debate. I will start by focusing on what I see as the significance of ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I would be grateful if you would draw to a close sometime soon, please.
Claudia Beamish
Lab
I am just about to, Presiding Officer. Thank you.The Scottish Government states that cultural engagement also“helps reinforce our resilience in difficult tim...
Annabelle Ewing (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP)
SNP
I am very pleased to have been called to speak in this debate on Scotland’s national performing companies and, indeed, to follow on from the very considerate...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As we have heard, the national performing arts companies have an important role. Not only do they allow Scots of all ages to experience the very best in thea...
Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to speak in this debate on the work of our national performing companies. All the companies do sterling wor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
We move to the closing speeches. Annabel Goldie has a generous six minutes.16:32
Annabel Goldie
Con
The debate has been interesting and genuinely helpful. What our creative industries and NPCs do for Scotland and our economy has been universally recognised;...
Fiona Hyslop
SNP
I gently point out to Annabel Goldie that we have gone through the credit crunch and the recession. Interestingly, the arts and business figures for Scotland...
Annabel Goldie
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for that observation. I value what the sponsors and fund-raisers are doing; I simply point out that, if we cannot explain that ...
Patricia Ferguson
Lab
I, too, thank colleagues around the chamber for their interesting and thoughtful contributions to what has been a very good and consensual debate. That is a ...