Securing Mull Theatre's home, expanding our creative space, and creating vital early years provision to support island families and strengthen our community for generations to come.
Description
Who are we?
An Tobar and Mull Theatre (AT&MT) is a vibrant multi-arts centre on the Isle of Mull and the only producing theatre in the Hebrides. As a hub for artistic excellence, cultural expression, and community connection, we play a vital role in our island's creative and social ecology. We aspire to be an island voice holding space for island experience in global culture at a time when the voices of rural communities are drowned out. Through our wide-ranging programme of theatre, visual arts, creative learning, and music, we serve:
Local and visiting artists, providing space, time, and collaborative opportunities to experiment and grow.
All school-age children on Mull, providing arts engagement and curriculum enrichment.
Young people, creating pathways in the creative industries and amplifying youth voice through the arts.
Older adults, including those living with dementia and other long-term conditions, supporting wellbeing and inclusion.
AT&MT has been recognised as a leader in community-based arts practice by the Federation of Scottish Theatre and as an essential part of local infrastructure by the Mull and Iona Community Trust. The value of our community outreach, arts provision, and advocacy for rural communities is reflected in the thoughtful feedback we continue to receive from our local community:
“Engaging directly with one’s local community and peers is a valuable experience as it provides opportunity to share ideas and experiences and reinforces connectivity across our islands. I feel that this type of outreach work [AT&MT’s community outreach programme] is fundamental to a thriving cultural ecology on Mull and Iona” – Studio Cèilidh participant
“Because of Mull’s geography and lack of public transport many youngsters have difficulty accessing creative activities [...] The work has been taken to them through schools and location theatre. This ensures equality of access.” – Long-term Community Members
What do we want to do and why?
To secure our future and deepen our impact, we are launching an ambitious development project that responds directly to the needs of our island community. At the heart of this project is the purchase of the land beneath Mull Theatre and extension of the building to include dedicated creative workshop spaces for artists and visiting practitioners and an on-site crèche and early years facility to support families and broaden access to the arts.
This project is essential to:
Protect the future of Mull's only professional theatre and the only producing theatre in the Hebrides. Currently operating under a lease, securing ownership of our site will give us long-term stability and the confidence to plan boldly.
Address a critical shortage in early years childcare. Mull faces a well-documented lack of affordable and accessible childcare. This project offers a creative, community-centred solution that support parents and caregivers to participate fully in island life and the creative sector.
Nurture the next generation of artists and islanders. The crèche and workshop spaces will be designed with care, learning, discovery, and cultural enrichment at their heart.
Grow the island's creative ecology and promote the artistic excellence of Argyll and Bute on a national and international level. New workshop spaces will allow us to host more artists-in-residence and facilitate peer exchange. It will also offer affordable rehearsal and creation space for local and visiting artists, and extend our ability to deliver training, workshops, and events that connect Mull and Argyll and Bute to the wider cultural landscape of Scotland and beyond.
Strengthen community wellbeing. As we emerge from the social and economic challenges of recent years, this development supports community recovery through creativity, care, and collaboration.
Who are our partners?
We will work in partnership with:
Local early years providers, ensuring the crèche is child-centred, safe, and rooted in best practice.
The Forestry Commission, to navigate our land purchase and ensure the building extension is designed with care and attention to our beautiful natural surroundings.
Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT), to ensure the facility is bespoke and meets the needs of our island community.
Our Community Advisory Group, to ensure that local voices and lived experience remains at the heart of the project.
We believe that access to the arts, like access to care, should not depend on geography. This project is about more than bricks and mortar, it's about building a future where creativity, care, and community thrive side-by-side. With the support of our partners and funders, we're excited to take this next step in our journey, ensuring that AT&MT remains a place where island voices are heard, nurtured, and celebrated for generations to come.
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