Dance in Scotland has made significant process over the past 10 years and particularly since 2002 when the Scottish Arts Council set out a vision for dance in Scotland, its Dance Strategy 2002-2007. This is visible through achievements, such as: (i) ambitious new buildings for dance - Dance Base: the National Centre for Dance of Scotland and The Space in Dundee; (ii) growing accomplishments of Scottish Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre (sdt); (iii) increasing audiences for dance; (iv) and the diversity and vibrancy of work being created by independent choreographers.

However, while much as been achieved, many gaps remain. The infrastructure for dance is still at a relatively early stage of development, and entering and sustaining a career in dance in Scotland can be extremely challenging with limited opportunities for progression.

The Scottish Arts Council Corporate Plan identifies priorities for 2007-2009 and it will work within these priorities to achieve vibrant and sustainable dance provision in Scotland.

1 Increase the scope and quality of support for artists - the Scottish Arts Council will prioritise investment in artists for the development of choreographic practice. It will respond to creative approaches to making work through: (i) increased funding for choreographic research and development; (ii) the introduction of a Choreographic Fellowship; (iii) partnerships with dance centres and their support for choreographers; (iv) professional development grants; and (v) creative producers bursaries. The Scottish Arts Council's investment in the creative process will lead to increased opportunities for choreographers, collaborators and dancers. Its hope is that through this focus on choreographic practice it will be possible to begin to establish a pathway through the profession, creating the environment where choreographers are able to sustain careers. The Scottish Arts Council wishes to enable distinctive, original choreographic voices to flourish in Scotland. The outcome will be the rich diversity of new work created, performed and ultimately enjoyed by Scottish audiences. The Scottish Arts Council has identified the following areas of work, and during 2007-2009 it will investigate how most effectively to support: (i) international working and exchange; (ii) dance on screen; (iii) dance and disability; (iv) routes into and through the profession; and (v) live art development.

2 Secure the foundation of Scotland’s artistic development - the Scottish Arts Council has agreed funding at an enhanced level on a five-year cycle for four dance Foundation Organisations, whose reach and role have a national and international impact. They are organisations with bold artistic visions and a commitment to engaging people in the arts. The Scottish Arts Council will use its Quality Framework to help them to develop best practice in all areas. They are: citymoves – the dance agency for the North East of Scotland; Dance Base: the National Centre for Dance of Scotland; Scottish Dance Theatre (sdt); and YDance (Scottish Youth Dance) – the development agency for dance and young people. The Dance Department also leads on three cross-art form organisations which have foundation status: Edinburgh International Festival; Eden Court Theatre, Inverness; and Tramway in Glasgow.

3 Create flexibility to support the new and the innovative - the Scottish Arts Council wishes to create an environment where the new and the innovative can flourish, and has set up a pool of project and programme funding, which will allow more flexible investment, of up to three years. The available budget for dance in 2007-2009 will go some way towards this. From April 2007, Plan B, Stammer Productions and X Factor Dance Company will receive support to realise ambitious artistic programmes of work over two years. It will fund New Moves International to produce New Territories - Scotland's International Festival of Live Arts, the innovative festival of interdisciplinary performance which brings high-quality international work to Scotland. It hopes to strengthen the partnerships between venues and dance companies to ensure that audiences can experience a range of high quality dance performance. The new Performing Arts Promoters Fund will be important in achieving this. The Dance Department leads on two funds which increase opportunities for audiences across the performing arts. Stage 1 funds large-scale venues to programme an ambitious range of high-quality performances and the Cross Border Touring fund, run in conjunction with the other UK arts councils, enables large dance, theatre and opera companies to tour more widely. During 2007/08 the Scottish Arts Council will investigate the development of Creative Hubs as a model for encouraging innovative practice across art forms.

4 Create opportunities for participation in the arts - many people in Scotland dance, whether through dance classes or in social contexts such as ceilidhs. The Scottish Arts Council's Foundation Organisations, the dance centres and the growing network of dance development posts, play a key role in creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to take part. It will also support the Scottish Traditions of Dance Trust (STDT), as the national development agency to encourage participation in traditional dance forms. The physical nature of dance, which cuts across government agendas such as health and wellbeing, presents great potential to develop further opportunities in dance. However, until dance is taught in all schools throughout Scotland, opportunities for young people to access and progress in dance will continue to be restricted. The Dance Department will continue to work with the Scottish Arts Council Education Department and the wider dance sector to promote the importance of dance in education.

5 Build a culture of co-operation with partners and the arts community - the Scottish Arts Council will continue to collaborate with a range of partners in the delivery of its aspirations for dance. It facilitates the Dance Artists in Residence network and regularly bring together the dance centres in Scotland to encourage their closer working. In 2007/08 it will work with the widest dance community to investigate long-term approaches to strengthen dance in Scotland.

6 Make the transition to Creative Scotland - the formal process of merging the Scottish Arts Council's roles and responsibilities with those of Scottish Screen began in January 2007, with the formation of a new board, whose members were drawn from the two existing bodies. Scottish Arts Council staff look forward to working with the new board to achieve a smooth transition into Creative Scotland. Together they will continue to develop the vision for the new organisation.

The dance budget for 2007/08 was £2.33 million, which included £1.29 million allocated to Foundation Organisations. In addition to the dance budget, the Dance Department leads on the Scottish Arts Council's investment of £2.88 million in three cross-art form Foundation Organisations (see 2 above) and other initiatives.

Details of all Scottish Arts Council funding and awards schemes, including current deadlines and applications forms, can be downloaded from the Scottish Arts Council website.