Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre Launch New Digital Platform REP STUDIOS

Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre launch REP STUDIOS, a new digital platform showcasing a season of theatre, dance, and music, celebrating Dundee's distinctive cultural voice within a wider world facing change and evolution driven by these unique times.

REP STUDIOS provides employment for 84 Scottish based freelancers over 5 months and builds on last year's digital output which employed 55 freelance artists and creatives.

The first season of REP STUDIOS includes 80th anniversary season hit SMILE, award-winning musical ISLANDER, two digital premieres from Scottish Dance Theatre, a fresh focus on music events, and a new Mini-Festival THIS IS FOR YOU DUNDEE.
Tickets for SMILE go on sale on Tuesday 6 April at www.dundeerep.co.uk.

Rep Studios further cements Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre's identity as one creative organisation with a strong commitment to public service. This new digital space will feature new work from both companies' ensembles, co-productions and work conceived specifically for online sharing, including some of the highlights from Dundee Rep's 80th anniversary season, cut short by the global pandemic.

This new online platform is designed to reach and engage wider audiences thanks to its digital and accessible nature, recognising that the arts should return stronger, while placing equalities, environmental and civic responsibility at the forefront of recovery.

The first season of Rep Studios will present everything from dance, musicals and gigs, through to folklore, storytelling and footballing legends - all reflecting the wonderfully diverse communities that give Dundee its distinctive voice, which resonates with audiences far afield.

This season of work is made possible by support from our core funding partners Creative Scotland and Dundee City Council together with the support of the Scottish Government through the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.

As well as the much-loved Dundee Rep Ensemble, who recently celebrated 20 years, and Scottish Dance Theatre's company of international dancers, 84 Scottish and Scottish-based freelance arts professionals are involved in this first season, ensuring much needed work for the highly skilled workers fundamental to the creative ecology within the sector, all of whom have been hit extremely hard by the global pandemic.

Launching the first season of Rep Studios today Artistic Director (Dundee Rep) and Joint-Chief Executive Andrew Panton said: "Using technology in the way we have has of course been a necessity during this global pandemic. When an arts organisation is forced to close its doors but needs to continue to talk to audiences, then digital platforms are the only way. It is that very necessity however, that has given rise to innovation, allowing us to now reach wider and more diverse audiences, offer more accessible content, and explore a range of hybrid artistic forms of output that we simply wouldn't have considered 12 months ago. Rep Studios therefore gives us the chance to share stories which are firmly rooted in our fantastic, creative city but which speak to the wider world. We hope football fans around the world will join us to enjoy something they couldn't in person when they tune in to see our 80th anniversary season hit Smile, about Dundee footballing legend, Jim McLean.

"We know for sure there is a range of content available online but we hope with Rep Studios we can offer something really distinctive that will stand out and also live well beyond the end of this current pandemic."

In addition to Smile, the first season of Rep Studios will see Scottish Dance Theatre creating new work specifically for the digital medium - one of them live-streamed from within the venue. Dundee Rep will also collaborate with Eden Court and Helen Milne Productions to present Islander with music and lyrics by Finn Anderson. Music plays a central role in the season, including a new collaboration with Scottish artists Dawn Sievewright and John McLarnon on the premiere of Mixtape and a special live stream from the Rep stage with Kathryn Joseph and other Dundee-based musicians in an event entitled Area of a Circle.

In May This is for you Dundee, is a free to access mini-festival of new work created by 26 Scottish-based freelance artists as a way to respond to the times we are living in. Each of these 6 brand new pieces of performance is designed to engage directly with our city and provide an opportunity to connect with people and place.

Tickets for Smile will go on sale next Tuesday, 6 April.

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