The Open Fund for Individuals is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding programmes, supporting the wide range of activity initiated by artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. The overall budget for this fund in the financial year 2021/22 is £5 million.

The Open Fund will support a period of research, development and/or delivery of creative activity for up to 24 months. We will ask you to tell us the start and end date for this activity and to describe the outcomes, benefits and impacts that you wish to achieve.

This fund is designed to support creative activity such as a specific project, production or a period of research and development. It can support an individual’s time where this is related to specific creative outcomes.

You can apply for between £500 and £100,000.

There are no deadlines for this fund – you can apply year-round.

ArtsEd provides the definitive triple threat musical theatre training, enabling students to become confident, creative and committed performers accomplished in each of the three core disciplines of dance, singing and acting. Students are trained in all three disciplines throughout their three years at ArtsEd.

DANCE

teaching features intensive training in the core dance disciplines required by today’s industry: jazz, ballet and tap (supported by weekly classes in pas de deux) and in the first year, contemporary.

SINGING

Students singing is developed in weekly one-to-one technique and repertoire tuition, whilst group sessions prepare them for ensemble work.

ACTING

Teaching encompasses a wide range of styles and techniques, developing students’ confidence in performance and an understanding of the practices behind a well-supported and expressive voice.

PERFORMANCE

Throughout the first and second year, students have the opportunity to apply two or more of the core disciplines in performance in regular ACTING, SINGING and DANCE Projects as well as Acting through Song, Lift Off and short song and dance presentations.

In their final year, each student performs in public productions of two FULL SCALE MUSICALS in either the studio theatre or our state-of-the-art Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre. The performance season culminates in a SHOWCASE production for an invited audience of industry figures including casting directors, agents, producers, directors and choreographers.

A final term of PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WORKSHOPS provides the opportunity to work on new musicals with professional creative teams, and to gain a wide range of additional performance skills. During their graduating year, ArtsEd actively promotes each student to the industry, providing a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the skills they have developed during their training. In addition to public productions, opportunities include ArtsEd exclusive AUDITIONS for major casting directors and creatives, which frequently lead to students’ first professional work immediately after graduating. ArtsEd graduates can be seen in musicals across the West End and UK in major producing houses and touring productions. Seven of our 2018 graduates are making their professional debut in the West End production of Les Miserables including Amara Okereke and Toby Miles, as Cosette and Marius.

Please note that applications made directly to The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation will not be considered.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship will be awarded by the Conservatoire as part of the audition/selection process on the combined basis of merit and financial need. The Scholarship will cover course fees only and will be reviewed on an annual basis.

The BA Musical Theatre programme at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers practical, high level vocational education for exceptionally talented students who are dedicated to becoming highly skilled and employable professional artists. We are unique because we offer a quadruple-threat, conservatoire-level tuition in acting, singing, dance and music.

The Conservatoire offers an extraordinary combination of world class facilities, professional connections, and opportunities for collaboration, at a level and intensity that’s not available elsewhere. Class sizes are small so every student is nurtured and advanced through individual teaching and mentoring.

Students will spend time working with directors and writers on new musical theatre, as well as traditional and contemporary productions and are given as many opportunities as possible to

This is a very special opportunity to obtain an outstanding, relevant and practical Musical Theatre training for those who wish to make Musical Theatre their chosen career.

Please note that applications made directly to The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation will not be considered.

Musicians really benefit from support which enables them to focus on three key areas of their career at the same time: their creative portfolio, their business development and their health & wellbeing. Which is why we provide support that covers each of these vital aspects.

Music creators can apply for financial support of up to £3,000 towards recording and releasing music; helping to build creative portfolios and get music out into the world.

To help musicians build long-term, sustainable plans around their creativity, we also facilitate one-to-one advice sessions from professionals in the music industry on topics chosen by you in your application.

When musicians are busy creating music, it can be challenging to notice when things aren't quite right. As well as the above, supported artists will also receive a health consultation from a specialist to talk through and address any issues.

Collaboration between musicians and creatives such as lighting designers, choreographers and visual artists can make music even more powerful. However, financing these activities can be a barrier to making them a reality, which is why Help Musicians can provide financial support to help develop new ideas and create a collaborative end product with music at its heart.

Musicians can apply for up to £5,000 to undertake a UK-based collaboration between themselves and another non-music artists, for example storytellers, lighting designers, choreographers, technologists, scientists, gaming designers, theatre directors, visual artists etc.

There should be tangible results of the collaboration, such as a body of work created for an upcoming recording or a new performance. Ultimately, the project should push the boundaries of what you do as a music creator or performer, exploring or testing something that you are not currently able to achieve without support.

If you’re looking to take your career to the next level, the MOBO Help Musicians Fund can provide financial support to help you create music, develop your business skills and drive your career forward. The MOBO Help Musicians Fund exists to facilitate these opportunities for musicians making Hip Hop, Grime, R&B, Soul, music of African origin, Reggae, Jazz and Gospel.

Music creators can apply for financial support of up to £3,000 towards recording and releasing music; helping to build creative portfolios and get music out into the world. You could apply for financial support towards a new EP, a series of single releases, a marketing plan around new music or perhaps some content creation to accompany your release.

To help musicians build long-term, sustainable plans around their creativity, we also facilitate one-to-one advice sessions from professionals in the music industry on topics relevant to your career path.

When musicians are busy creating music, it can be challenging to listen to their bodies and notice when things aren't quite right. As well as the above, supported artists will also receive a health consultation from a BAPAM specialist to talk through and address any issues.

Awardees receive:
- £3,000 in financial support towards your music
- one-to-one business advice sessions tailored to your individual needs and delivered via experienced music industry professionals, as coordinated by ThinkMusic
- one-to-one health consultation with British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) professionals, covering all aspects of a musician’s health, including physical and mental health needs and specialist referrals where required

Study Vocals at the Academy of Music and Sound and increase your expressive powers, technique and musicianship through 1-1 tutorials and small group settings taught by a professional vocalist who is still current and working in the music industry.

Our vocational, hands-on courses prepare graduates for life-long careers in the creative industries.

Mountview Technical Production graduates enter a strong network of successful professionals working in lighting, sound and technical production as well as senior management roles. Their work spans large-scale national, West End and regional theatres as well international touring productions, festivals & events, as well as TV, film and media companies.

The Technical Production Foundation Degree is a full-time two-year course with 30 contact hours per week over 36 weeks in each year. With continuous assessment across all the compulsory modules based on coursework and practical show roles, students work alongside professional lighting designers, sound designers, senior technicians and programmers.

Specialisms in Sound, Lighting and Technical Management are built on a robust foundation of transferable skills. Strong emphasis is placed on learning through practice, with workshops in all areas of production arts.

Students can then take third year BA (Hons) top-up in a specialism. This provides greater experience in their chosen field and the responsibility of senior lighting, sound and technical roles. This top-up year is open to non-Mountview Foundation graduates with relevant qualifications or experience.

Technical Production training covers:
- Hands-on training with contemporary equipment
- Technical stage craft skills including rigging and flying and installation of live productions
- Sound studio skills including recording and editing technology and techniques
- Lighting Studio skills including computerised drafting and visualisation software’s
- Understanding and designing lighting and sound systems
- Prepping, fitting, and monitoring radio mic systems
- Planning, prepping and managing lighting equipment for live productions
- Programming and mixing industry standard sound desks on plays and musicals
- Programming and operating lighting desks, including working with generic and moving lighting equipment
- Technical and maintenance skills such as power distribution, soldering and other skills needed by the modern production professional

Mountview’s one-year Diploma in Stage and Production Management enables experienced students and practitioners to gain an advanced qualification and enhance their employability.

Students on this course experience the challenge of a fast-paced production environment, working on a broad range of projects while developing theoretical, creative, critical thinking and practical skills.

The Diploma is a great opportunity for those with existing experience to gain a formal qualification in Stage and Production Management. For applicants currently working in the industry, it also offers the chance to advance their skills, expand their network of contacts, and progress on to the next stage of their career.

GRADUATE DESTINATIONS

Graduates enter a strong network of successful professionals working in lighting, sound and technical production. Their work spans large-scale national, West End and regional theatres, international touring productions, festivals and events, as well as TV, film and media companies.

Production Arts graduates have gone on to work with a diverse range of companies including the National Theatre, Secret Cinema, Hamilton, Mamma Mia and Matilda the Musical.

COURSE LEADER AND GUEST PRACTITIONERS

Our resident team of tutors for this course are supported by industry professionals who work alongside the students on productions. Previous guest tutors have included professionals from:

• Punchdrunk
• Hamilton
• The Globe
• The National Theatre

COURSE DELIVERY
This is a one-year full-time vocational course and is ideal for students who wish to develop their experience and skills in management, theatre production arts or technical theatre through practical work in professional theatre environments.
The course is delivered through:
• Workshops
• Collaborative and independent project work
• Regular appraisals that examine learning methods and set objectives
• Self-directed study
• Practical experience in diverse performance environments, including plays, showcases, site specific projects, large scale musicals and film

Students also undertake work placements with external organisations, allowing them to develop a network of professional contacts and gain valuable experience. Previous placement destinations have included Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Globe, Wiltons Music Hall, National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Park Theatre and the Barbican.

SHOWCASE
Students are given integral roles on both Mountview productions and professional placements. This provides excellent opportunities to showcase skills, gain important industry contacts and develop personal networks, all of which are key to your career progression.

The BA (Hons) Live Event Management degree is a groundbreaking programme with the ever-changing live music ecosystem at its heart. Developed in consultation with key bodies of the live events industry, this highly practical contemporary course will connect you to the cutting edge of the fast-moving and constantly evolving live events sector. You’ll be encouraged to look to the future to see what’s possible, as you collaborate on real-world projects and build impressive creative, business, management and innovation skills.

Designed for the next generation of entrepreneurs in the multi-billion-pound UK live events industry, you’ll develop a host of practical, theoretical and creative skills in live production, event management and arts curation. Immersing you at the heart of the industry, you’ll gain the knowledge and abilities you need to run creative live music events across your professional career.