The Merchants House of Glasgow has awarded a grant of £3,000 to Eco Drama in support of its Out to Play project. The funding will support the expansion of Eco Drama’s work in Glasgow primary schools, giving more pupils access to engaging outdoor learning experiences that combine creativity, drama and environmental awareness whilst building confidence and essential skills.

A representative said “Eco Drama is extremely grateful to the Merchants House of Glasgow for supporting our Out to Play project. The grant will allow us to work with more children across Glasgow primary schools, giving them the chance to connect with nature through creative, outdoor, drama-based learning. Across a five-week residency, pupils explore themes like biodiversity, clean air, and climate action while developing confidence, communication, and collaboration skills.

The funding enables our Drama Artists to work closely with pupils and their teachers, providing weekly sessions, CPD support, and a structure that helps embed creative outdoor learning into long-term school practice. Thanks to this support, pupils who face the greatest barriers will have access to an empowering programme that builds confident learners, skilled educators, and a lasting legacy of creativity and environmental stewardship.”

Out to Play is a transformative outdoor learning programme that uses drama and storytelling to connect children with nature, boost confidence and support learning in a creative and inclusive way. Now in its tenth year, the project has reached more than 10,000 children and 3,000 teachers across 89 Glasgow primary schools and nurseries, many located in areas of significant deprivation.

Through immersive five-week residencies, professional Drama Artists work alongside pupils and teachers in school playgrounds, delivering curriculum-linked sessions that explore environmental themes through creative play. Each residency is tailored to the unique environment and needs of the school, encouraging curiosity and emotional connection to nature while building core skills in communication, collaboration and confidence. This approach is particularly effective in urban settings, where children may face barriers to outdoor learning and the arts due to poverty, limited access to green space or safety concerns.

Eco Drama is a Scottish eco-friendly theatre company creating theatre productions, training courses and creative learning projects for children, schools and communities. Its Out to Play residencies ensure that creative outdoor learning is embedded into long-term school practice, leaving a lasting legacy beyond the residency itself. The organisation’s work takes place in schools, theatres, community venues and festivals throughout Scotland and beyond. To date, Eco Drama has worked with more than 100,000 children and young people and their communities and is proud to be Scotland’s longest-established ecological theatre company.

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