Three of Scotland’s largest performing arts organisations – Capital Theatres, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Eden Court Highlands – have today launched a unique opportunity to support Scottish theatremakers and create accessible new work for young audiences. The multi-year Wee Ones Winter Commissions project will produce three small-scale festive productions to be performed across the country throughout the next three years.

This creative call-out is seeking festive-themed productions for children under seven, families and school groups. Each production will be developed with access as a core consideration, creating specially tailored experiences for children with additional support needs.

The chosen productions will open in December 2025 and be restaged in 2026 and 2027, giving each show a run at all three venues across three years: The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen, The Studio in Edinburgh and Eden Court in Inverness.

This exciting collaboration plays a vital role in nurturing Scottish artistic talent by offering producers and writers all the support, resources and budget required to put on a show. This includes production and running costs, funding to remount the show in subsequent years, technical and front-of-house support and a full marketing campaign.

The Wee Ones Winter Commissions builds on the success of the Early Years Festive Commissions in 2021. Featured were Barrowland Ballet’s The Gift, which won the 2023 CATS Award for Best Production for Children and Families; Unicorn Christmas Party written and performed by Sarah Rose Graber and Ruxy Cantir and nominated for Best Production for Children and Young People in the 2024 CATS Awards; and The Enormous Christmas Turnip by Ivor MacAskill and Rosana Cade. In 2022, Barrowland Ballet and Capital Theatres co-produced The Unexpected Gift, a highly interactive and inclusive dance theatre show created for children with complex needs, inspired by The Gift.

Scottish theatremakers are invited to submit an expression of interest by 5 May outlining their artistic idea, details about the team involved and ways in which the production will be suitable for all children, including those with additional support needs. The commissioning team will select a shortlist of projects by 15 May. Applicants will then be asked to submit further details about their production, with a £250 contribution offered towards the time spent developing the proposal. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to discuss their proposals in a Zoom interview on 29 May and the selected projects will be announced in early June.

Fiona Gibson, Chief Executive of Capital Theatres said:

“We are so thrilled to continue our journey of commissioning fantastic new work for our young audiences and their adults with the Wee Ones Winter Commissions. With such a great canon of award-winning work resulting from the first round, we were delighted to witness the impact and sheer joy the four shows brought to all three theatres across Scotland. Collaborating with our friends at Eden Court and Aberdeen Performing Arts has been a real pleasure and this innovative model sits at the heart of our vision to support and develop the Scottish theatre sector. We are so looking forward to sharing some more extraordinary new festive productions with our audiences this festive period.”

Sharon Burgess, Chief Executive at Aberdeen Performing Arts said:

“Aberdeen Performing Arts is thrilled to be continuing our commissioning partnership with Capital Theatres and Eden Court after our hugely successful collaboration in 2021 which resulted in three fantastic new productions for young audiences. These shows have since been seen by thousands of audience members across Scotland and received much love and acclaim. We look forward to receiving the proposals for the three-year commissions and continuing our track record of adding a little bit more sparkle to our young audience’s festive celebrations.”

Rebecca Holt, Chief Executive at Eden Court said:

“Eden Court are delighted that we are able to continue building on the success of our collaboration with Aberdeen Performing Arts and Capital Theatres to bring three new pieces of performance to life for family audiences over the next three years. We were so impressed with the quality, diversity and audience impact of our previous collaborations that we can’t wait to see what the next three years will bring.”

The Wee Ones Winter Commissions project is supported by funding from Creative Scotland.

For further information or to apply for the Wee Ones Winter Commissions, visit:

Wee Ones Winter Commission – Call Out