The next generation of artists and innovators will see their creative visions become a reality thanks to £30,000 of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland funding.

The Make It Happen Fund supports the early-stage career development of recent graduates and covers everything from creating new work, testing concepts to forming start-up companies and staging events.

Earlier this year, the fund doubled the number of awards to 20 and raised the value of each grant to £1,500, up from £1,000 in previous years.

WATCH: Composition graduate Ollie Hawker talks about Make It Happen funding

Deborah Keogh, Head of Engagement at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “Financial awards like Make It Happen are crucial for giving our most recent graduates the time and space they need to explore the viability of their ideas, experiment with new collaborators and develop their creative portfolio.

“Too often, emerging artists  face the challenge of balancing creative ambition with financial pressures. With Make It Happen funding, we can contribute small amounts of  seed funding so our graduates can focus on their craft, experiment freely and build confidence in creating new work and expertise in accessing a complex funding system.

“We know from our previous awardees that these small seed funds can be a catalyst for a range of important next steps, securing other funding, accessing in-kind space and sponsorship.

“Our Make It Happen Fund awardees ultimately contribute to the cultural and social fabric of our communities.

“We’re excited to see how our latest recipients will use the support to bring their ideas to life and to share those stories in the coming months.”

Meet the Make It Happen recipients

Catherine Allison, BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2022

Flos Collective CIC, directed by Catherine Allison, Esme Stewart and Pippa Blundell, supports women, non-binary and artists of other marginalised genders through events, exhibitions and workshops. Funding will be used for their first funded workshop series to encourage artistic growth and connection.

Catherine said: “The Make It Happen Fund is an exciting opportunity to build Flos Collective CIC and continue to provide opportunities for artists in Glasgow to develop their arts practice and meet new people. It is such a great feeling to know that the panel wants to support this project, and this has given me a boost of confidence.”

Ankna Arockiam, PhD, 2024  

Funding will support the recording of a single and promotional material to highlight the collaboration between Indian (classical) and Scottish traditional music, which is still relatively niche within both the Scottish and Indian music scenes.

Ankna said: “Naad-hara sees the coming together of five accomplished musicians and singers from India and Scotland. Boldly fusing our rich traditions of folk music with cultural integrity and an adventurous musical streak, we draw on the depths and individuality of the two cultures and combine them with new compositions and improvisation through song, tunes and soundscape.”

Connor Bristow, BMus Composition, 2024

The Something with Sound project is a series of workshops with high school pupils in Inverclyde exploring sound. Connor will engage young people in the basics of sound technology to generate a unique audio experience to be showcased to parents, guardians and guests.

Connor said: “Make It Happen funding means that I get to run this kind of experimental community project that might not be picked up otherwise. It will also provide an excellent springboard for further opportunities in the future. Additionally, a school that rarely gets this kind of opportunity will have an interesting art project thanks to the funding.”

Bishop May Down, BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2023    

Conversations with Eve is a live conversation between human and computer, co-created with artificial intelligence. The show is about ‘love, home and existence in the end times, experimenting with how the digital and corporeal can speak, listen, and dance together’. The fund will support research into the social context of AI and newly developed open-source tools, as well as a creative development residency intersecting somatic practice and interactive tech.

Bishop said: “I’m very happy to be in receipt of Make It Happen funding to support Conversations with Eve, which will allow me to update the work for presentation in 2025.”

Eleanor Dunsdon, MMus Traditional Music, 2023    

Eleanor and Gregor Black (MMus Traditional Music 2023) are a harp and percussion duo, blending traditional with contemporary, and drawing on jazz, folk and classical genres to challenge perceptions of the harp. Their music has been championed on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Scotland and RTÉ Radio 1.

Eleanor said: “I would like to thank the Make It Happen Fund for helping to kickstart my performing career with Gregor by allowing us to make high-quality promotional videos to send to venues and festivals, helping promote our music and elevate our online presence. Having the opportunity to grow my promotional repertoire is invaluable at this stage of my career.”

Zeo Fawcett, BMus Composition 2022          

Guys idk if my body is into me :/ is an experimental audiovisual project exploring transmasculine bodies experiencing gynaecological care. Using POV handheld footage from hospitalisation, the film highlights the experiences of trans men in healthcare.

Zeo said: “Receiving Make It Happen funding is so validating for my practice. It allows me to step away from full-time work to create Guys idk if my body is into me :/ at a higher quality, expanding my project and collaborating with a wider team for the first time. The foundation I built with Dave Fennessy, Alistair MacDonald and Trent Kim at RCS during my Composition degree continues to shape my work, and I’m so excited to take this next step in my journey.”

Robyn Faye, MFA Classical and Contemporary Text – Acting, 2022

Magic 8 is a three-minute short film shot on Super 8, which aims to explore what happens when making a queer connection in a stereotypically ‘straight’ space.

Robyn said: “I have a particular interest in working with celluloid not just because of the beautiful look it provides, but also because of the theatrical element it adds to the creation; you have to prepare differently when you have limited takes. But working with celluloid is currently an expensive way to create work, and I am very grateful to the Make It Happen Fund for allowing me to expand my skills in this medium.”

Coggin Galbreath, MA Musical Theatre – Performance, 2022           

BIG MILK is an investigative cabaret by Patti Boo Rae, delving into ‘the sinister story of industry lobbies in the United States, specifically, of how the National Dairy Council and the National Rifle Association turned America into a nation of milk-guzzling gun owners’.

Coggin said: “The Make It Happen Fund has given me the resource to be bold and boundary-pushing, while also developing key skills currently missing from my practice. This is an investment in me at a crucial stage in my career, and I can’t wait to make it count.”

Roo Geddes, MA Jazz – violin, 2024

After ten years performing around the world with his own ensembles including Roo & Neil, Awkward Family Portraits and with artists like Rod Stewart and Dougie MacLean, Roo Geddes has begun work on his debut solo album, Hearth. The record features original compositions, arrangements and works by his grandfather, performed on his great-great-grandfather’s violin.

Roo said: “I’m delighted and honoured to have been granted this award, which will allow me to record this body professionally in a top-quality studio, ensuring that the recording process does full justice to this collection. I’m really looking forward to releasing this record and establishing solo music making as an exciting new facet of my career.”

Jen Kelly, BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2022   

Breakout is a music theatre and contemporary performance piece that delves into the intersection of mental health, skin conditions and self-image. It will be reworked, using the original work-in-progress created at RCS as a springboard for a focused research and development phase.

Jen said: “As an emerging artist, this funding will be an important step forward in my career. It will allow me to start building a creative team for my project, giving me the chance to bring on board new collaborators and ensure they’re paid fairly for their contributions. It will also create opportunities to connect with artists, venues and theatre companies, opening doors for new partnerships and collaborations.”

Mona Khanzaya, BA Filmmaking, 2022          

Saoirse don Palestine is a documentary exploring the effects of the Troubles on the people of Northern Ireland and how these experiences shape views on the Israel-Palestine conflict. It will examine ‘deep-set binaries and loyalties that persist, offering an intimate investigation into how historical trauma informs generational perspectives on contemporary geopolitical issues.

Mona said: “I’m from Northern Ireland but also grew up in other countries. I saw NI as a peculiar place navigated through doublespeak under a discernible political unease. Funding will go towards a very personal project to understand and share this phenomenon I’ve been witnessing around these parts I now call home.”

Stephanie Lamprea, Doctor of Performance, 2024

Speaking Towards One Another is a project to research, develop and share a scratch performance of a new interdisciplinary work for singer, actor, live electronics, and British Sign Language (BSL). The work will be co-composed by Stephanie Lamprea and Amble Skuse and performed by Stephanie (soprano), Amble (live electronics) and actor Yuki Neoh.

Stephanie said: “In this project, we aim to explore digital technologies and multiple art disciplines to disentangle gender biases within representation of the spoken and signed female voice. Funding will allow for the successful creation of a thought-provoking work about female expression, showcasing innovative ways to collaborate in sound and theatre-making with hearing and D/deaf artists.

Florence Logan and Romi Sarfaty, BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2024

Touch Tales is a series of community-centred workshops in collaboration with Glasgow-based organisations. It’s part of their research Radical Touch, which explores ‘the touch practices, aesthetics and rituals of girl/womanhood, mothering and female friendship in order to change the way we communally care for each other’.

Florence and Romi said: “Looking outside and seeing the carelessness of everyday touch, the loneliness crisis, the alienation and aggression caused by insufficient forms of online connection, and the fear of intimacy since the pandemic – it’s evident that we need to relearn how to care collectively.”

Peter McCormick, BA Acting, 2023

Breaking is a new play that follows the obscure world record attempts of an Adrian Mole figure, whose desire to be noteworthy detaches him from his own sense of self-worth.

Peter said: “Funding will support my collaboration with two incredibly imaginative and talented creators to explore and design how the character can undertake genuine world record attempts each night and utilise the audience in his manic drive for recognition. It will also allow me to research and interview influencers and vloggers to explore the pressures and push for recognition and urge to stand out.”

Sean McGarvey, (BA Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2022    

Sean will embark on community outreach within Auchinairn, working with a group to build DIY frames. As they hold the frames, Auchinairn and its natural landscape will be seen through them, exploring place and who gives it value.

Sean said: “The Make It Happen Fund has come at an ideal moment for me. It will help bridge the gap between student theatre maker to a professional performance practice within a meaningful community environment. I will rekindle a new and exciting relationship between my childhood community of Auchinairn and fulfil an intention to share experience with this place that has meant so much.”

Sharon Mackay, Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in the Arts, 2023

Three French Hens, Two Turtle Doves and a Bandage on a Skinned Knee is a devised comedy piece about two overconfident students tackle cooking Christmas dinner for their families.

Sharon said: “The generous support from the Make It Happen Fund makes it possible to have a week’s paid research and development time on the project in a rehearsal space with an incredible collaborator. Having the time and space to develop your own creative voice without the pressure of ‘getting it right’ is incredibly rare and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to build my confidence in such a supportive space.”

Megan McRitchie, BA Filmmaking, 2023

Is There Any Space on the Moon for Me? is a comedic, retro-inspired music video for the band Girls Speak French. Inspired by John Waters and early 2000s pop-punk videos, it’s a blend of ‘humour, nostalgia and rebellious charm’.

Megan said: “I am incredibly grateful to the Make It Happen Fund for supporting our project, which has been a long-time dream. This funding marks my first commissioned film as a director, a pivotal step toward my career goals, and it provides the band with their debut music video, helping them reach new audiences. This support not only elevates the project but also allows us to fairly compensate our creative team, which is increasingly essential in today’s challenging industry climate.”

Alex South, PhD, 2024             

Keening is a multi-artform project responding to a recent mass stranding of long-finned pilot whales on Lewis (Outer Hebrides). A participatory event at the stranding site is planned for July 2025 to involve ephemeral sand sculptures and the performance of music informed by pilot whale vocalisations and Gaelic keening traditions.

Alex said: “This is a vital award – by funding the research and development of its musical elements in collaboration with Nerea Bello and Katherine Wren, it takes us an important step closer to achieving the ambition of the full project.”

Dominic Williams, BMus Composition, 2021            

Remote is an electronic/folk fusion EP by Dominic and Pippa Blundell. With Dominic as the producer, and Pippa as the primary vocalist, it will synthesise spaces through electronic processes like combining artificial resonances with the acoustics of the room that Pippa will be recorded in.

Dominic said: “The record release will be incredibly useful for our portfolios and allow us to be heard by a wider audience, as well as exploring the impact of electronic music on neurodivergent communities. We look forward to reaching more communities on both a professional and personal level to further our research and writing on larger platforms.”

Tsoi Huen Wong, BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice, 2024    

Anticlockwise utilises anticlockwise circular movements to explore the meaning of resisting entropy, resisting the draining of life that insists on moving towards the less complex.

Tsoi Huen said: “The Make It Happen Fund supports Anticlockwise to grow into a more developed performance project, allowing me to continue collaborating and sharing movement practices and cultural backgrounds. This is a crucial first step for me in establishing myself in the Scottish arts scene.”

Find out more about the Make It Happen Fund including eligibility and how to apply at the Creative Enterprise Development Studio

Main image: Naad-hara