Play Pieces Launches Crowdfunding campaign to fund Shorts

Play Pieces Shorts is now entering it's third year and we've always done it on a song and a prayer. There has never been a budget for Shorts. Venues have given space for free and there has never been any marketing to speak of. In short, Shorts now has the chance to get a bit of funding behind it to do something really exciting. What is Play Pieces? Play Pieces is a social enterprise with the aim of making theatre accessible to everyone. This involves putting on theatre in spaces not associated with traditional theatre. Shorts puts on pieces of theatre that are 2-15 minutes long, in a scratch style and has been performed in an office space as well as a vintage clothing shop. This year we would like to use Inverness Museum and Art Gallery but this will incur costs. The other way we make theatre accessible is for the people creating it. There aren't many opportunities for someone who writes plays to get read them to an audience, or to get actors involved in bringing their work to life. Not in this way. So it's a great way for artists and theatre creators to network with each other, discover their peers, as well as see their work performed. As a result of shorts we have seen 2 theatre companies be formed and productions head off to the Edinburgh Festival, all as a result of the chance to showcase their work.

Why are we crowdfunding?
Play Pieces Shorts has no funding. It grew out of an idea and just the desire to get it done. This year we have been offered the use of Inverness Museum and Art Gallery but this means we need to pay for staffing costs to manage the space as it will be staying open later than normal. We have no money for publicity and face stiff competition from the many other things on in the city that do. Now entering it's third year we have never had the chance to formally document all the work that goes on as part of Play Pieces Shorts, all the great talents involved, especially the students at the early stages of their careers. It would be great to get a camera person in to film both nights, to create DVDs for all the artists involved as they do this voluntarily. It would also be amazing to get a director in to work with them before the events to just network them with another professional, gain some insight into the professional theatre world and more experience in the hands of a director.

What we can do with your help
Play Pieces Shorts is completely unfunded. In the past it's been delivered in venues that haven't charged us and all publicity has been word of mouth and social media. Now we have the chance to use a really exciting venue and take the event to a higher level but we need some modest funding to do this.

• If we raise £250 we can use the venue
• If we raise £500 we can also get fancy marketing
• If we raise £800 we can get a director to work with the artists
• If we raise £1500 we can document the event with photographs and film.

We really need to raise all this money so we can create a really exciting show, along with a legacy of the DVD for everyone involved and our kind supporters. So please help!