A new Theatre Forum for Scotland met for the first time last month (January 2007). The Forum represents the widest range of interested bodies that have come together to debate issues facing theatre in Scotland in the face of political and structural change in the months ahead.

The group met at the invitation of the Drama Department of the Scottish Arts Council and was chaired by Sheena McDonald, distinguished broadcaster, and former chair of the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. It discussed its role, and agreed comment on the Scottish Executive’s Draft (Scotland) Culture Bill.

The remit agreed by the Forum includes: 

• Debate issues that affect the theatre sector 
• Lobby on behalf of the theatre sector 
• Provide a channel for communication and exchange of information within and outwith the sector 
• Provide a place where new models of working and “big ideas” can be discussed and debated within the context of current trends and practices. 
• Provide a sounding-board for policy development by Scottish Arts Council and Creative Scotland 
• Provide an aspirational model for the sector.

The Forum is intended to provide a context within which the widest group of participants can debate cultural policy and feed into the deliberations of national bodies.