Advancement of the Arts, Heritage, Culture or Science
Discover how ScottishPower has established connections with the likes of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the National Library of Wales, the National Museums Scotland and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company by browsing the ScottishPower Foundation 2015 arts, heritage, culture and science projects below. Our ScottishPower Foundation 2014 arts, heritage, culture and science projects page can also be viewed if you are looking for an earlier project.
Edinburgh International Book Festival
The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one of the biggest literary festivals in the world. Over 18 days in August, the festival runs a programme of author events across a wide range of themes covering fiction, non-fiction and poetry, bringing together authors from Scotland and the rest of the world. As an integral part of the programme there are distinct events for children and schools featuring over 200 renowned children’s authors, illustrators and storytellers.
Funding will support the ScottishPower Foundation Studio, the ScottishPower Foundation Family Day and the ScottishPower Foundation Library Energiser; a competition offering two primary schools a £2,000 investment in their school library, materials to organise their own mini Book Festival and an author and storyteller visit.
ScottishPower Pipe Band
Over the last 25 years, the ScottishPower Pipe Band has showcased piping and drumming at the highest level aiming to promote excellence, encouragement and development for future generations of musicians. As well as achieving global recognition at competition level, the band also engages with aspiring pipers and drummers at a local level in order to develop this rich cultural tradition.
Funding will be used to replenish band uniforms and instruments, cover travel and accommodation costs involved in attending competitions and events within the community and schools.
National Library of Wales
Located in Aberystwyth, the National Library of Wales plays a central role in culture and heritage as one of Wales’s major national institutions.
Funding will support the expansion of the library’s education outreach programme of activities in Welsh schools and communities, to have greater impact and reach a larger number of participants. The project will consist of four individual programmes of activity taking place across Wales during 2015, which will culminate in producing exhibitions showcasing the work that has been carried out. This will not only recognise and celebrate the achievements of the children taking part in the activities but will enable the Library to reach out into the community to share the culture and heritage of the local area.
National Museums Scotland
In 2013-2014 National Museums Scotland welcomed 2.5 million visitors to its four museum sites: the National Museum of Scotland and National War Museum, in Edinburgh, the National Museum of Flight, in East Lothian and the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride. Since opening its Learning Centre in the National Museum of Scotland in July 2011 it has increased schools activity by 50%.
Funding will help to deliver a third phase of ‘Get Energised with the ScottishPower Foundation’ - a science/engineering/technology engagement programme which brings together curatorial, industry and education and engagement experts to create a programme of events and activities for a range of different audiences to investigate Scotland’s future energy needs, focusing particularly on renewable energy.
National Theatre of Scotland
National Theatre of Scotland is regarded as a world-leader in creating participatory arts activity and its award-winning education, outreach and access programmes seek to use theatre to promote cultural understanding, build confidence and transforms lives.
Funding will support Dragon; a spectacular piece of theatre for adults, teenagers and children, which is a unique co-production between the National Theatre of Scotland, Vox Motus and Tianjin People’s Art Theatre (China). The production received glowing reviews when it first played in Scotland in 2014 and won the prestigious 2014 UK Theatre Award for Best Show for Children and Young People.
This unique theatre production told without words, brings together influences from cinema and graphic novels and uses puppetry, illusion, flying technologies and original music to create a theatrical event for the whole family. Following performances at the Edinburgh International Festival, Dragon will tour to Glasgow Citizens Theatre (1–10 October 2015) and Dundee Rep Theatre (14–17 October 2015) and will be a highlight of the National Theatre of Scotland's 2015 programme.
Wigtown Book Festival
Wigtown Book Festival is an award winning 10 day literary festival based in and around Wigtown, each autumn. It was set up 16 years ago to economically reinvigorate the area in Dumfries and Galloway. This year’s festival will feature more than 200 events including a children’s programme and a separate dedicated young people’s festival.
The funding will be used to support the core staffing, office and infrastructure costs required to support the festival.
The Aloud Charity
Only Boys Aloud is an initiative of the Aloud Charity; an umbrella organisation which promotes and develops choral singing as a vibrant and essential element in the cultural landscape of Wales. Only Boys Aloud is currently made up of ten regional choirs of young men aged 14-19 from across the South Wales valleys who meet at their local rehearsal base to rehearse weekly led by Mentors/Music Teachers who are current or previous members of the award-winning male choir Only Men Aloud.
Funding will enable the expansion of Only Boys Aloud across Wales through a pilot project, creating four new choirs in North Wales to enhance opportunities for young people in the area.
Royal Lyceum Theatre Company
The Lyceum is one of Scotland’s leading producing theatre companies. Established in 1965, today it employs a range of skilled and talented artists and theatre professionals and is committed to developing talent across all areas of its work: set design and build; costume making and wardrobe; technical stage; and stage management.
Funding will support the Creative Pathways Programme –a unique innovative, interdisciplinary learning programme for children and their families, prioritizing those based in communities identified as being in need of additional support. The aim to engage them in a range of creative activities inspired by one of The Lyceum’s productions that will be run in November/December 2015.