The EQU[AL]ITY Project, led by National Theatre of Scotland’s Producing Fellow Leah Byrne, is seeking 14 individuals who identify as having a characteristic they feel ‘others’ them on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion forms.

Designed to explore how Scottish theatre might start to think – and act - differently about diversity and tokenism, this project will use two focus groups to broaden our understanding of the specific challenges faced by certain communities around EDI. Both focus groups will be led by NTS Producing Fellow Leah Byrne and involve group discussions reflecting on the findings gathered from her research so far, space for participants to reflect on their own experiences and insights, and a guided ‘theatre game’ that lets participants suggest their own models or approaches for dealing with diversity and tokenism by navigating a fictional scenario in real time.

These sessions will take place on Tues 1 and Wed 2 September 11am – 2pm at, National Theatre of Scotland's Headquarters, Rockvilla. Applications open on Mon 10 August and close on Fri 21 August, 5pm.

Focus groups are limited at 7 places per session, and applicants will be selected to ensure a range of experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. Applicants won’t be assessed on the quality of their written statements: these are just used to give us a sense of who you are.

Who is this For?

Individuals with experience of working within the Scottish theatre system who:

• Are aged 18+
• Identify as having a characteristic they feel ‘others’ them on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion forms*
• You can have a creative, technical, or multi-hyphenate practice

*This can include but isn’t limited to: marginalised genders, sexualities, races, economic backgrounds, linguistic backgrounds, and abilities/access requirements.

How is my Attendance Supported?

Each participant will receive:

• £212.92 fee for a 3-hour session
• Reimbursement of travel costs
• Tea, coffee, and light refreshments

How to Apply

To apply, please submit an Expression of Interest form.

You'll be asked to answer a few short questions about your practice, experience and why you’d like to take part – it should take no more than 4-6 minutes to apply.

If we receive more applications than available places, participants will be selected in order to ensure a range of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences.

Expressions of interest will close at 5pm on Fri 21 August 2026 and applicants will be contacted by 5pm on Mon 24 August 2026.

Access

Rockvilla is an accessible building, including:

• Full wheelchair access throughout the building
• Two quiet spaces available throughout the day
• Gender-neutral and single-occupancy bathroom facilities

Access support for the focus groups is available on request, including support for caring responsibilities and BSL interpretation.

For any questions about the focus groups or access requirements, please contact Leah by emailing leah.byrne@nationaltheatrescotland.com.