Backstage Pass

This event is a collaboration between the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Backstage Pass is a FREE creative careers event for 15-19 year olds, designed to showcase the breadth of opportunities in the performing arts. It gives young people a rare chance to speak directly with arts organisations about the programmes and opportunities they offer.

The event grew from the Youth Assembly 2023–24, whose members planned and hosted a version of Backstage Pass at the RSNO Centre in November 2024. Backstage Pass is entirely youth-led, both in its planning and delivery, involving all five of Scotland’s National Performing Companies, and tailored specifically for 15-19 year olds.

Young professionals also play a central role, sharing their journeys and insights to highlight the many different pathways into the performing arts through our panels. The topics will include:

• Freelancing - what it is and how to get started
• Arts beyond the stage - the power of the arts in communities, healthcare and other settings
• Backstage roles and how they are vital to the success of a show
• How roles such as marketing and finance work in the creative industries
  

To inform the content of the day, the RSNO and SCO have run focus groups with secondary school pupils across Perthshire. These conversations have helped us to identify the questions and concerns that young people have about what a career in the arts could be and how together we can conquer the barriers they face.

There is still time to register your place for either the 10am to 1pm session or the 2 to 5pm session - simply follow the link!

We also have a limited travel bursary pot for school groups. Teachers or school staff can get in touch with Jasmine Munns (jasmine.munns@sco.org.uk) for more information.