Creative Scotland reinstates Birds of Paradise’s Regular Funding
Birds of Paradise Theatre Company are relieved to learn that Creative Scotland have reinstated our company’s RFO funding – particularly during our 25th anniversary year – allowing us to continue to advocate, celebrate and promote disability in the creative sector.
We want to thank our colleagues, friends and supporters in pushing for disability to be represented in the recent funding announcement. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who passionately advocated for us and for disability arts; writing emails, compiling statements, tweeting, prodding and poking – on our behalf and on behalf of our colleagues.
What does this mean for Birds of Paradise?
The short term
In the short term, the funding reinstatement means that our planned co-production of My Left / Right Foot: The Musical, presented with the National Theatre of Scotland, can go ahead this Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
It also means that we can widen the reach of our work by engaging with partners such as Bobath Scotland, who support children and adults living with cerebral palsy.
The long term
In the long term, being a Regularly Funded Organisation means that Birds of Paradise can continue to strategically work over the next three years; realising the company’s ambition to support and champion disability focused work.
Such work includes supporting upcoming disabled artists, and engaging with the arts sector in improving equality of access for disabled artists, staff, participants and audiences.
We very much hope that the Open Projects Fund and the Touring Fund at Creative Scotland will encourage new companies and innovation in this area.
The future
These past few weeks have shown us that a great number of people look to us to tell their stories, and we’re very keen to build upon the support that we’ve received.
While we are aware that a number of conversations need to be had, we will continue to work constructively to address the ongoing concerns that disabled people have about their presence, participation and representation within the arts and wider society.
We remain committed to championing access, diversity and inclusion.
Once again, we are eternally grateful to you all for supporting us.
Thank you from the bottom of our BOPing heart.
