Scotland’s National Performing companies commit to gender equality

Scotland’s National Performing companies have signed up to the Scottish Government’s pledge to have 50% women board members by 2020.

Minister for the Scottish Parliament Angela Constance praised the announcements by Scottish Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and the National Theatre of Scotland, saying the organisations are “helping us shatter the glass ceiling once and for all”.

Sector-wide

The announcements follow news of Creative Scotland becoming the first public body to gender-balance its board, but come just months after the release of an independent survey which found that women in Scotland held 38% of artistic leadership roles and wrote 39% of plays in 2014/15.

Since the 50/50 campaign was launched, 185 public bodies, third sector organisations and private companies in Scotland have signed up to the commitment.

Alex Reedijk, Scottish Opera General Director said: “Scottish Opera is pleased to be involved in 50/50 by 2020 and determined to meet the campaign objective. We are already moving towards addressing the gender balance in leadership by recommending for appointment two further female board members later this year.”

Dame Seona Reid, Chair of National Theatre of Scotland said: “I very much welcome the 50/50 by 2020 initiative and congratulate the Scottish Government on its first year anniversary. The National Theatre of Scotland is firmly committed to gender equality on boards, and we are proud to be nearly there already.

“I believe firmly that diversity within board membership leads to significantly enhanced decision-making and quality of debate.”