FST’s Strategic Framework

About us

FST is the membership and sector support body for professional dance, opera, and theatre in Scotland. We advocate, connect across, and lead necessary change within the performing arts, enabling a thriving sector that that is integral to a vibrant, diverse, and equitable Scotland.

We represent a network of around 200 professional performing arts organisations and individuals throughout Scotland including main house producers, presenting venues, touring companies, companies working in schools and communities, companies producing and presenting work for children, dance companies, local authority venues and educational establishments.

Strategic aims
Our long-term aims are enshrined in our mission statement: to advocate, connect across and drive necessary change in the performing arts.

Our five strategic aims for the period 2025 – 2028 are:

1. Be a more informed, vocal, and effective advocate, speaking up for the sector with boldness and conviction, highlighting its contributions to Scotland’s culture, economy, society, and wellbeing.
2. Significantly increase our capacity to gather and analyse data and develop evidence-based insights that inform our advocacy and action.
3. Improve the diversity and enhance the participation of our members by transforming our membership model, and the ways we connect and engage with one another.
4. Amplify our impact by developing more innovative and effective ways to drive change for people in the sector.
5. Forge stronger, long-term alliances with key stakeholders and external partners to meet the evolving needs the sector, encouraging shared responsibility for sector support and development.