Like all arts organisations, we’ve been hit with the impact of Covid-19 on our activities. Our plans for 2020 and all our work for the last year or so, is paused, postponed, or cancelled.

Our focus now is on sustaining our creative sector by connecting and supporting our theatre making freelancers to maintain their practice and reimagine new ways of working and new ways to engage our audiences and participants that are safe and responsible.

We want to understand the impact on our sector and the support available for our freelance workforce. Throughout the summer months we will be holding online discussions where we connect freelancers and venues, regularly funded companies, and festivals to better understand the context we are all in.

I’ve included below what we’ve been up to and what events we have planned. If you’re interested in attending our Venues meetings below, please email producing@independentartsprojects.com with a bit about who you are and why it would be helpful to attend.

I’ve also included some things we’re trying to incorporate into our thinking and planning. We recognise that this moment presents significant challenges but also opportunity.

WHAT WE’RE DOING:

  • Monthly check-ins for Freelancers
  • Conversations with Venues
  • Offering advice sessions, answering producing questions and talking to people about ideas for funding and Creative Scotland’s Sustaining Creative Development fund.
  • We’re collating resources, support, information on benefits and sharing those online via Admin Monkeys Facebook group and on our blog.
  • We’re planning a new monthly Admin Monkeys Coffee Morning on the last Friday of each month – where anyone can come and connect with producers or ask silly questions they have about how to make arts projects happen.
  • We’re working with artists to develop a new programme for Independent Arts Projects.
  • We’re thinking about our values and how we can embody them in all that we do.
  • We’ve been doing some crowdfunding – looking for cash support to carry on and look to the future of performing arts in Scotland.
  • We’re reading, listening and thinking – attempting to educating ourselves.

WHAT WE’RE READING AND THINKING ABOUT:

Thank you for reading.
Mhari Robinson