HI~ARTS

HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS PRODUCERS FUND 2008/9

Purpose of Fund

This fund is designed to provide support for professional theatre companies based in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. It is intended primarily to support companies which are new, or which are undergoing a significant process of change or growth. It is hoped that the fund will assist the growth of such companies at what is seen to be a crucial stage in the development of professional theatre in the area.


Eligibility

To be eligible for support a company must:

• Be properly constituted as a non-profit distributing body: as limited company, co-operative, partnership, association, or other form as appropriate. Charitable status is not essential.

• Have an established base in the area covered by the remit of Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

• Include key participants with a proven track record in professional theatre.

• Plan to tour productions in the HIE area (ie not just in one location, or only outwith the area). Such tours may extend beyond the HIE area, but the fund cannot assist direct costs associated with performances outside the HIE area. Productions should open in the HIE area, unless in exceptional circumstances.

• Demonstrate that the project for which funding is being sought represents a significant development or departure for the company.

• Undertake, or commence work on, the project (production, or development stage, as appropriate) in the financial year 2008/9

The following will not be eligible for support:

• Productions which are to be presented in only one venue, or tour only within a local area.

• Wholly voluntary companies (ie performers are not paid).

• This funding is not available to dance companies; although drama productions which involve dancers, or musicians, will be eligible.

All companies are encouraged to adhere to the current ITC/Equity agreed terms and conditions.

How to Apply

• Complete and return the Application Form by Monday 5th May 2008. Applications can be e-mailed or faxed by 5.00 on Monday 5th, but a hard copy with a signature must be submitted thereafter. Applications should be made even if your project does not begin until late in 2008/9. Depending on the level of applications, all of the Fund may be allocated in this one round.

• Applications may be made for:

The mounting and touring of new productions in the financial year 2008/9

or

The development stages of a new project, which will be realised in the succeeding two year period.

• Applications will be considered by a Panel including the HI~Arts Director, the Chair of the Highlands and Islands Theatre Network, and independent individuals. It is intended that decisions will be communicated to applicants in the week of 12th May 2008. All applicants will be informed of the decision by phone on or immediately after that date. Formal offers of funding will be issued within the following week.


Scope of Fund

• For 2008/9 it is anticipated that the Highlands and Islands Producers Fund will total £45,000 contributed by Highlands & Islands Enterprise and drawn from fallback from funding committed in previous financial years. All offers of funding will be made directly by HI~Arts who will also administer payments.

• Grants will not exceed:

£30,000 for the creation and touring of a new production

or

£6,000 for the development stages of a new project.

In each case grants may be made at a lower level, depending on the needs of the applicant and the demands placed on the Fund.

• Any project receiving a development grant under this fund may go on to submit a further application for the realisation of the project to any relevant HIE or SAC fund, including the SAC Lottery schemes if appropriate.

• Applications can be made to remount productions where the remount will result in a significant development for the company (eg touring to new areas, or participating in a festival).

• This Fund does not replace the existing HIE Touring Arts budget. A company may receive assistance from the Highlands and Islands Producers Fund for the cost of developing and mounting a production, and then seek assistance from the HIE Touring Arts budget for the actual costs of touring in the HIE area. As the Touring Arts budget has many calls upon it, such additional funding cannot in any way be guaranteed when an award is made from the Producers Fund.

Appeals

You can appeal against a funding decision only if there was additional information which existed but was not made available at the time the grant was considered, which would have materially altered the decision, or if the applicant considers there has been malpractice. Information on HI~Arts’ appeals procedures is available from the officer contact given below.

Publicity

You should note that it is HIE’s policy to publicise the award of grants. All grants may be announced by either HI~Arts or HIE through the media or other means.

Officer contact:

Further information is available from Robert Livingston, Director, HI~Arts, robert@hi-arts.co.uk , 01463 720884

How to Apply 

• Complete and return the Application Form by 23 February 2007.  Applications can be e-mailed or faxed by 5.00 on Friday 23rd, but a hard copy with a signature must be submitted thereafter. Applications should be made even if your project does not begin until late in 2007/8. Depending on the level of applications, all of the Fund may be allocated in this one round. 
  
  
• Applications may be made for:
  
  The mounting and touring of new productions in the financial year 20067/8, including productions intended for inclusion in the Dràma na h-Alba programme
  
  or
  
  The development stages of a new project, which will be realised in the succeeding two year period. 
  
  
• Applications will be considered by a Panel including the HI~Arts Director, the SAC Drama Officer, the Chair of the Highlands and Islands Theatre Network, and independent members. It is intended that decisions will be communicated to applicants by 5th March 2007. All applicants will be informed of the decision by phone on or immediately after that date. Formal offers of funding will be issued within the following week.

Scope of Fund 

• For 2007/8 it is anticipated that the Highlands and Islands Producers Fund will comprises £90,000 contributed by Highlands & Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Arts Council. All offers of funding will be made directly by HI~Arts who will also administer payments. This indicative budget is subject to final funding decisions by both HIE and SAC which will be made before the Fund Panel meets. 
  
  
• Grants will not exceed:
  
  £30,000 (or, in exceptional circumstances, £40,000) for the creation and touring of a new production
  
  or
  
  £6,000 (or, in exceptional circumstances, £10,000) for the development stages of a new project.
  
  In each case grants may be made at a lower level, depending on the needs of the applicant and the demands placed on the Fund. 
  
  
• Any project receiving a development grant under this fund may go on to submit a further application for the realisation of the project to any relevant HIE or SAC fund, including the SAC Lottery schemes if appropriate. In the case of Lottery schemes, 50% of the development grant (ie, the HIE contribution) may be counted as matching funding towards the SAC Lottery contribution. 
  
  
• Applications can be made to remount productions where the remount will result in a significant development for the company (eg touring to new areas, or participating in a festival). 
  
  
• The Producers Fund is being launched earlier than usual in 2007 in order to assist programming plans for Dràma na h-Alba. This means that, contrary to past practice, the Fund Panel is likely to meet before the Scottish Arts Council has taken decisions on Drama project funding for 2007/8, on March 15th. For this reason, the Panel will prioritise a number of positive decisions, and if one of these companies is subsequently successful in securing SAC project funding, the Producers Fund support will revert to the next company on the list. 
  
  
• This Fund does not replace the existing HIE Touring Arts budget. A company may receive assistance from the Highlands and Islands Producers Fund for the cost of developing and mounting a production, and then seek assistance from the HIE Touring Arts budget for the actual costs of touring in the HIE area. As the Touring Arts budget has many calls upon it, such additional funding cannot in any way be guaranteed when an award is made from the Producers Fund.

Appeals

You can appeal against a funding decision only if there was additional information which existed but was not made available at the time the grant was considered, which would have materially altered the decision, or if the applicant considers there has been malpractice. Information on SAC’s and HIE’s appeals procedures is available from the officer contacts given below.

Publicity

You should note that it is SAC’s and HIE’s policies to publicise the award of grants. All grants may be announced by either HI~Arts or SAC through the media or other means.

Officer contact:

Further information is available from Robert Livingston, Director, HI~Arts (01463 717091), and from Jaine Lumsden, SAC Drama Officer at 12 Manor Place, Edinburgh EH3 7DD (0131 226 6051).

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