24 Feb 2021
Due to further funding we are thrilled to support our local community through our free holiday food programme.
Due to further funding we are thrilled to support our local community through our free holiday food programme.
Starcatchers Scotland’s National Arts and Early Years Organisation has launched a new fundraising scheme, Forward for Families, to provide theatre seats for very young children and their families in need across Scotland.
Platform is delighted to be one of the first three venues in Scotland to be part of this new scheme, which has an initial fundraising target of £800 and will directly benefit 45 families across the three communities involved. The other venues are The Byre Theatre in St Andrews and Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling.
A recent study suggests more than 200,000 children are growing up in poverty in Scotland. Scottish Government Social Research consistently evidences that access to theatre and cultural experience enriches lives and impacts positively on health and well-being. However a Starcatchers audit of audience participation suggests 72% rarely engage in cultural experiences with their babies and many have never engaged with their local community arts venue.
Forward for Families asks those that love the theatre to pay forward a ticket, allowing another family in their community or further afield to engage in the shared-experience. Donations start at £5, which is a step towards a full ticket, £10 to buy a big or little seat, £20 to admit an adult and child or £40 to include four seats.
The fundraising will allow a certain number of seats to be allocated within the Scottish tour of Starcatchers and Edinburgh based dance company Curious Seed’s new dance, live music and theatre experience new dance, theatre and live music production MamaBabaMe – aimed at babies aged 18 months – 3 years and their parents and carers. MamaBabaMe arrives at Platform on Saturday 10 – 11 June and tickets are also on sale to the general public. See here for more details.
The pilot phase of Forward for Families will test how audiences respond, with the aim of the fund being embedded into Starcatchers touring model, providing seats for families at future productions at venues across Scotland.
The fundraising campaign will run from Monday 10th April – Friday 19th May. Donations can be made here and also by textgiving by sending STCR00 [amount] to 70070.
