Starcatchers’ Annual Report 2021/22 details a ‘jam-packed’ year of positives

Flexibility, passion and resilience characterised Starcatchers’ activity in 2021/22 as the team continued to deliver community programmes, staged productions and creative skills training the across Scotland, despite the ongoing the challenges of lockdown restrictions.

Starcatchers’ 2021/22 Annual Report, released this week, details the organisation’s work in the rollercoaster year. Headline achievements include:

· 397 early years practitioners inspiring over 15000 children

· Three new productions reaching over 2700 audience members via 37 performances,

· Seven community engagement programmes reaching 198 families across five local authorities

Read the Annual Report 2021/2022

The year’s report includes more on Starcatchers’ return to in-person performance with Spike! A Dinosaur Tale, as well as hybrid digital/in-person performance Mixed Up; the importance and successes of community engagement projects Expecting Something, Creative Kin, Where We Are and Moray Babies; and the company’s continuing professional development programmes for artists and early years practitioners, Creative Skills and Playspace.

Reflecting on 2021/22, Chief Executive Rhona Matheson said:

‘As we move towards the incorporation of the United Nations on the Convention of the Rights of the Child into domestic law, it’s vitally important that rich early arts and culture experiences are not a nice ‘added extra’, but are an intrinsic part of growing up in Scotland. This calls for investment locally and nationally in the understanding that the outcomes of our work lay the foundation for our children to learn, grow and achieve throughout their lives.

Despite ongoing challenges, 2021/22 has been a year of positives. Our work advocating alongside our partners around the country for the voice of Scotland’s youngest citizens continues, and we look forward to a future for them filled with arts and creative experiences bringing inspiration, joy and magic to early childhood in Scotland.’

For more information on any of the projects or productions detailed in the report please get in touch with the team at info@starcatchers.org.uk.