Choreographer and facilitator Saffy Setohy, working with dance artist Joanna Young, has been creating a new performance celebrating the art of protest with P5 & P6 pupils from St Teresa’s Primary School in North Glasgow. They have been running weekly creative workshops in the school as part of Fly The Flag, a unique annual nationwide celebration of human rights. This year Fly The Flag is highlighting Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the right to protest and has invited young people across the four nations of the UK to co-create work with leading theatre artists and associates around this theme. The workshops at St Teresa’s will culminate in a special performance for the local community on 17 June at the Cowlairs Labyrinth in North Glasgow.

The presentation in Glasgow, forms part of Fly The Flag’s UK wide engagement project, bringing young people together locally to celebrate and remember that human rights are for everyone, every day.

The project launches the National Theatre of Scotland’s new Neighbourhood Project, which will creatively focus on building relationships and creating work with communities close to the National Theatre of Scotland’s building, Rockvilla, in North Glasgow.

Paul Fitzpatrick, Director of Creative Engagement, says:

“What does it mean to be a good neighbour?

We are interested in what it means for the local community in North Glasgow to have a National company located on their doorstep, and what that means to us at the National Theatre of Scotland. The first part of the project was spending time meeting with our neighbours in the local community to find out about them and what they do.

We are excited now to create a series of short artistic projects in and with the community and delighted that our friends at St Teresa’s Primary School will be “flying the flag” first for their neighbourhood at the Cowlairs labyrinth.

Each project will let us learn more about where we are based, in a unique way, and will inform how National Theatre of Scotland artists might work most creatively and impactfully with our neighbours”

Saffy Setohy, National Theatre of Scotland Associate Artist, says:

“I am delighted to be working on Fly the Flag this year. The Right to Protest and Assembly feels crucial in times of deep division and inequality. Art is our protest, and I'm excited to amplify the children's ideas and voices.”

Fly The Flag is co-produced by Fuel, the National Theatre, the National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre Wales, and The Mac. The lead artist for the UK-wide project is Jenny Sealey, Artistic Director of Graeae Theatre.

You can learn more about Fly The Flag here.