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Acting Up

Through performance, dance and writing, the Edinburgh-based Acting Up project will make use of the physical and collaborative nature of theatre and dance to improve mental and physical fitness, encourage teamwork, communication and leadership amongst the over 50s.

As well as improving the group’s physical and mental wellbeing, Acting Up aims to publicly challenge the negative stereotypes often attached to older people by today’s society. Feeling that their experience counts for nothing and that they no longer have the ability or opportunity to play a meaningful role in society, the over 50s can become isolated and ignored. By using the experiences of this age group with their many and varied life skills, we want to unlock their potential by encouraging them to have their voices and choices heard where it matters.

Professionally led workshops will include lighting, set design, wardrobe, digital arts, film for theatre, performance and production skills which will enable participants of Acting Up to get their messages across to a wide range of audiences and to work with young people to share their experiences.

Run by Scotland's Learning Partnership, Acting Up will target those living in deprived areas of Edinburgh, and East, West and Mid Lothian to cover a wide range of issues including low self esteem, lack of coping skills, poor housing, poor health and low income.

As well as performances to be held at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, the project hopes toculminate in a new work, based on the words and stories of the older people from across the region, to play at the Edinburgh Festival.

What the group says:

Why should people vote for you?

We want to give older people the same chance to be visible and make their experiences count, just as the younger generations have. By using theatre we know we can give a powerful tool for the future, help transform lives and give back lost confidence to over 50s.

What will you spend the money on?

We will spend the money on providing workshops to encourage performance and skills development in all aspects of theatre from drama to music, from technology to costume design and we will perform the new theatre shows at the Edinburgh Festival in 2010.

Scotland's Learning Partnership website

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