Annual Report 2013-14

Toonspeak’s Mission:

We create unique, exciting theatre that releases young people’s potential, expands imaginations and inspires change within our communities.

We aim to ensure that young people:

1. Have increased imaginative skills

2. Have increased aspiration and attainment

3. Are more confident communicators

4. Have a broader understanding of themselves and the world

5. Have a sustained involvement in the arts

A Word from the Chair“It is hard to believe that another year has gone by! Toonspeak has seen significant changes within our staff team. Rachel Smith took up the permanent position of Creative Learning Director. We were joined by Molly Goyer Gorman to cover the role of Development Officer as Emily Bennett left to take up maternity leave. In Spring 2014, we bid a fond farewell to Sarah Longfield, who left Toonspeak after 12 years of service. We owe her our sincere thanks for the dedication and commitment she has shown to Toonspeak over the years. I am pleased to say that with a review of the role completed, we will be welcoming Skye Loneragan as our new Artistic Director from August 2014 and look forward to further success in delivering our ambitious programme.

So many highlights to mention: the successful launch of our new interactive website; the 87 Miles playwriting project in partnership with The Ryan Youth Theatre in Stranraer; Lockdown – an exciting immersive performance with a large cast of new and experienced Toonspeakers; and the launch of Toonspeak Tuesdays, our new weekly drop-in sessions. Then there are the many individual successes through Arts Awards, Shine and Young Leader Drama Training. A quick word as well about our theatre trips and Theatre Critics projects: I believe we are leaders in providing opportunities for young people to see and talk about theatre and we will ensure that this remains a core part of what we do going forward.

So another exciting year begins, bring it on! “ Carole Williams, Toonspeak Chair

Glasgow City Council - 28%

Big Lottery-26%

Other income (Trusts & Foundations, donations, commissioned projects etc.) - 24%

GHA - 7%

The Henry SmithCharity - 5%

Children in Need4%

AmbITion Scotland 4%

Drama and Theatre activities - Direct Costs 91%

SupportCosts -9%

Lloyd’s TSB Foundation for Scotland - 1%

Finance

Expenditure 2013-14Income 2013-14

What’s new with Toonspeak?2013-14 saw the successful implementation of some big changes at Toonspeak…

Our artistic programme was separated into the following three strands, each representing a different way in which young people can engage with theatre:

CENTRE STAGE: projects which make unique, exciting theatre to share with audiences large and small, and which build young people’s skills in performance and other aspects of theatre-making.

FRONT ROW: projects which develop young people’s critical appreciation skills and reflective practice by watching, talking about and learning from professional theatre and other arts events

GREEN ROOM: a Creative Learning Programme designed to develop young people’s creative and transferable skills, increase confidence, explore topics, generate volunteering opportunities and provide recognised qualifications.

We also now have a set of company artistic values which inform all of our work.

New website

In June 2013, Toonspeak launched a colourful new interactive website, designed by Pooka Pro following extensive consultation with our young people.

New Evaluation systemToonspeak piloted a new evaluation system, designed with assistance from Evaluation Support Scotland. The success of all of our work is now measured against 5 Key Outcomes and 20 Success Indicators, which each have a variety of data sources. These Outcomes are as follows:

1. Young people have increased imaginative skills: we measure participants’ skills in areas such as creative ambition, coming up with ideas and problem-solving.

2. Young People have increased aspiration and attainment: we monitor the number of young people who complete our projects. We survey past and current participants to gauge if they are making plans for the future. Formal assessments are carried out through Arts Award qualifications.

3. Young People are more confident communicators: we monitor young people’s articulacy and ability to be understood in performance via Observation Checklists completed by project staff.

4. Young people have a broader understanding of themselves and the world: we use sources including ‘case study’ interviews with individuals to gauge whether young people are able to re-flect on their work and whether they exhibit a wider frame of reference.

5. Young People have a sustained involvement in the arts: we use our Client Relationahip Management Database to track young people’s progression across all our projects. We survey participants to see whether they are attending arts events on their own initiative.

LOCKDOWN: The Challenge

Toonspeak’s summer 2013 production was set in a dystopian world envisioned by our young people. Over 30 young people came together to create a world where six girls (aided by an army of ‘Keepers of the Peace’) rule with a rod of iron over ‘the underclass’... Almost 300 audience members attended the five performances in St Paul’s Church (Blackhill) and took part in ‘The Challenge’.

87 MilesThe distance between Glasgow and Stranraer is 87 miles. Toonspeak and The Ryan Youth Theatre (Stranraer) overcame this distance with a play-writing exchange project. From September 2013 onwards, young people aged 16+ from Toonspeak took part in programme of workshops with professional writers. They went on two residentials to Stranraer and, in collaboration with the Ryan Centre Youth Theatre, created a fantastic play based around overheard conversations on a bus.

Just for One DayFrom January to March 2014, Toonspeak held weekly workshops in Maryhill and Blackhill. 47 young people from these workshops came together to create an interactive outdoor performance in Springburn Park, exploring the fantasies and realities of heroism.

“Everyone can be a hero. Everyone has a hero inside them.”

Toonspeak continued to offer free trips to high-quality theatre and arts events to our young people and our partner groups.

Theatre Trips

Theatre CriticsTwo groups of young critics completed Toonspeak’s Theatre Critics programme. They went on a series of trips to see professional theatre, and attended post-show reflection sessions led by theatre critic Gareth Vile. Film reviews from our young criticscan be viewed on Toonspeak’s website.

Arts Award

Toonspeak provided Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold Arts Award courses. Six young people from our Townhead group achieved an Explore Arts Award. All our five Bronze Awards candidates passed with flying colours after a term of intensive work, with the assessor from Trinity College London commenting: “this was clearly a high quality arts experience that was well documented.”

Toonspeak ran its drama leadership training programme three times for a total of 16 young people. This includes two courses for our partner groups PEEK and Ignite Theatre, and one open access course. A staff member from a partner group commented: “I noticed a real change in confidence in our young people since completing the training. They are now more able to deal with challenging situations, and show more of a sense of authority when working with groups.”

Young Leader Drama Training

Toonheid Speaks!

Toonspeak’s weekly workshops in Townhead continued, in partnership with SiMY Community Development. A total of 38 young people participated in the drama and film skills workshops, completed Arts Awards, attended theatre trips and made short films which were shared online.

Toonheid Speaks!

Toonspeak’s weekly workshops in Townhead continued, in partnership with SiMY Community Development. A total of 38 young people participated in the drama and film skills workshops, completed Arts Awards, attended theatre trips and made short films which were shared online.

Toonspeak TuedaysFrom December onwards, Toonspeak held weekly drop-in sessions at its studios every Tuesday afternoon. These alternated between creative masterclasses, facilitated workshops and informal youth-led sessions. Toonspeak Tuesdays included a Hawaiian shirt photoshoot with a professional photographer, a workshop on sectarianism and a music session where young people wrote their own song.

We held two youth consultation sessions, one in August 2013 and one in December 2013. Open to all young people, these sessions provided our participants (and potential participants) with an opportunity to feed back on what they did/did not enjoy about our projects, and to help plan Toonspeak’s future activities.

Toon In, Speak Out Consultations

Charity of the Year!In recognition of our work in 2013-14, Toonspeak was delighted to be awarded ‘Charity of the Year’ at SCVO’s Scottish Charity Awards in June 2014. Our Young Board Director Jasmine Main commented: “We are thrilled to win this incredible award. We would like to thank our staff, volunteers and board for all their hard work in making our organisation even better over the last year. But most of all thanks to all our talented and imaginative young participants who really make Toonspeak Young People’s Theatre.”

Goals for 2014-151. Create a devised, co-written large-scale performance and live art event , which gives young people experience of working in collaboration with a film-maker, theatre director, musician, dance artist, and published/produced writer.

2. Provide support for young artists to take their own work forward and on tour through productions such as the 87 Miles new writing project, and initiatives such as Arts Award.

3. Enhance understanding of and exposure to potential industry opportunities through a new international bursary & the new Technical Theatre Skills Summer School.

4. Co-ordinate a new social media strategy designed to increase participation through the arousal of curiosity.

5. Implement the newly designed Evaluation System which supports further funding and future collaborations with professional artists.

FundersNone of our work would be possible without the support of our lovely funders...

The Henry Smith CharityThe D’Oyly Carte Charitable TrustThe Merchant’s House of GlasgowCashback for CommunitiesThe Gordon Fraser Charitable TrustThe Hugh Fraser FoundationThe Kennyhill Bequest FundThe Moffat Trust