Projects for which we are seeking support
There is a range of ways in which you can support Scottish Opera. Here are some of the diverse projects for which the Company is seeking support from businesses and individuals. The funds required for these projects vary greatly, as do the benefits available for supporters. To find out more about any of these projects, please contact Jenny Kempton on 0141 242 0553 or email jenny.kempton@scottishopera.org.uk
Production Sponsorship
Opera Unwrapped
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera
Under 26 £10 tickets
Education Activities
Open Day at the Scottish Opera Production Studios
In-kind Sponsorship
Production Sponsorship
Scottish Opera performs in four of Scotland’s cities with productions in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness. These are major productions providing top-level publicity and visibility for supporting individuals and organisations.
However, for large numbers of people in Scotland, who do not live close to the large metropolitan areas, Scottish Opera’s touring performances are an excellent opportunity to see live performances in their own community. Performances are staged in venues from small theatres to school and village halls.
Essential Scottish Opera – Opera Highlights
Every year, four talented, young singers and a pianist embark on a winter road trip, performing popular opera highlights in the furthest reaches of Scotland. In 2009 the tour visited 15 venues from Girvan to Orkney, playing to nearly 2,000 people.
Autumn Tour
Scottish Opera hits the road once a year with a piano-accompanied, fully staged and costumed tour, performed in smaller venues around Scotland. 2008’s hugely popular Autumn tour of The Merry Widow visited 25 venues from Kelso to Stornoway, playing to more than 6,000 people. This year our touring production is Janacek's Katya Kabanova.
Benefits of sponsoring Essential Scottish Opera and the Autumn Tour include widespread visibility as part of an extensive marketing campaign and direct contact with audiences in all areas of Scotland. These performances often sell out and get considerable media coverage from local press.
‘reaching more communities than most European opera companies dream of’
Financial Times
Opera Unwrapped
A key element of our audience development programme, Opera Unwrapped presentations are the perfect introduction for those who have never been to an opera before. Featuring The Orchestra of Scottish Opera, singers and backstage crew, these free hour-long events give you the chance to learn what is involved when putting on a major production and let you in on some theatrical secrets.
Opera Unwrapped presentations are free of charge to encourage people from all parts of the community to attend, so sponsorship is needed to cover the costs. This is a great way to support a high profile community initiative and involve clients, staff and their families.
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera
Opportunities to support The Orchestra of Scottish Opera include ‘chairs’ in the orchestra funding towards essential equipment and transport, and in-kind sponsorship, plus the St Andrew’s in the Square concert series.
St Andrew’s in the Square Concerts
The St Andrew’s in the Square concert series has become a highlight of Glasgow’s musical calendar. Four times a year the beautifully restored Georgian church provides an intimate and atmospheric setting for great music, superbly played by The Orchestra of Scottish Opera under distinguished guest conductors.
The Sunday afternoon concert series has its own range of elegant publicity materials (leaflets, programmes and press ads) that could carry the sponsor’s branding. A sponsorship package could also include an allocation of complimentary tickets and other benefits linked directly to The Orchestra of Scottish Opera; for example, the engagement of orchestral musicians for recitals and events.
Under 26 £10 tickets
Scottish Opera is working hard to develop its audiences for the future by encouraging families and young people to experience opera. Scottish Opera’s Under26 ticket offer allows young people to book any seat in the house for performances in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness for just £10. Since 2006, more than 5,000 Under26 £10 tickets have been sold – not just any old seat, some of the best seats in the house.
This hugely successful audience development initiative needs a partner to further raise its profile and deliver more opera adventures to young people. The sponsorship would also underwrite the reduction in box-office income, which results from this important project. This programme is marketed directly to young people in Scotland through an extensive and savvy individual marketing campaign. This campaign includes a highly visible presence on Scottish Opera’s website, a funky print campaign, and direct contact with young people at events such as university freshers’ weeks.
Education Activities
Scottish Opera has the longest established education department of any European opera company. Each year, 45,000 people from all over Scotland are involved in our education activities. Opportunities range from ‘create an opera’ classes, touring operas for Under-5s, Primary School tours, vocal masterclasses for high-school students, courses for budding opera practitioners and adult opera workshops.
These projects are ideal elements of a creative Corporate Social Responsibility programme. Sponsorship benefits could include a bespoke creativity day for staff, clients and/or families. All sponsorship packages are tailored to match the key objectives of the sponsor.
Open Day at the Scottish Opera Production Studios
Once a year, Scottish Opera throws open its doors to the Production Studios in Glasgow and gives members of the public the opportunity to explore ‘behind the scenes’ free of charge. Visitors can get a close-up view of a set, see how special effects and lighting work on stage, try on costumes, join a conducting or singing class, take part in story-telling sessions and enjoy a concert by The Orchestra of Scottish Opera.
The Open Day is a key event in our audience development programme and has its own range of attractive print advertising the event, which could carry the sponsor’s branding. There are also opportunities to display the sponsor’s branding in different areas of the Production Studios over the course of the day and at the concerts.
In-kind Sponsorship
From timber to toilet roll, make-up to marker pens, forklifts to fabric, Scottish Opera is always on the lookout for in-kind sponsorship. An increasing number of businesses support Scottish Opera by providing in-kind goods and services. In return these companies receive sponsorship benefits tailored to suit their specific needs.
