Why does the National Theatre of Scotland exist?

The National Theatre of Scotland's vision is to be a 21st century theatre without walls for everyone, that puts Scotland on the world stage and places culture at the heart of society.

We are a registered charity, core funded by the Scottish Government. We also rely on the support of our generous donors, sponsors and funders to maximise the work we do across the country.

Together, we aim to make exceptional, audacious, collaborative theatre that represents the complexity of modern Scotland, and to take that theatre to our communities and to the world.

We are committed to empowering artists and theatre makers to make excellent, pioneering work with the power to break down barriers, offer different perspectives, and drive understanding and empathy.

Your support helps us to...

  • Make big shows and wee shows to take all over Scotland, from the grandest theatre stages to the tiniest village halls
  • Share stories which reflect the diversity of Scotland – its people, places and history
  • Remove barriers that block some people from taking part - poverty, ethnicity, geography, disability, gender, sexuality, age
  • Invest in co-productions with Scotland’s many excellent theatre companies and artists
  • Nurture and support Scottish theatre artists to explore and develop their practice
  • Represent Scotland on the international stage
  • Reach audiences near and far, on tour, on cinema screens, and across digital platforms
  • Create world-class drama and education resources for every school in the country

It’s a huge remit and we need your support more than ever to deliver.

Here are the different ways you can support…


National Theatre of Scotland is registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), the independent regulator and registrar of Scottish charities. Established in 2005, OSCR’s work as Regulator ultimately supports public confidence in charities and their work, setting and encouraging high standards in fundraising to increase public confidence in charitable giving. In registering and displaying their logo, we demonstrate our commitment to the highest fundraising standards, treating the public with respect, honesty and clarity in all our fundraising activities, underpinned by an accessible fundraising complaints procedure for members of the public.