Education Programme
Scottish Opera's Education Department was founded in 1971, making it the longest-established education and outreach unit of any opera house in Europe. It has helped to change the face of arts education in Scotland and is committed to engaging an ever-growing number of people in the art-form of opera, using a unique programme of performance-based projects and workshops to cater for a wide cross-section of the community, both at home and abroad.
One of the most important projects undertaken by the Department is the annual
Primary School Tour - principally aimed at 8-11 year olds - which visits around 130 primary schools around Scotland every year, reaching around 13,000 children. It is the biggest performance-based expressive arts programme in Europe for children of primary age, and has been used widely as a model in other expressive arts programmes around the world.

The Scottish Symposium is presented annually (since 1996), bringing together the leadership in the Scottish community in the United States and providing a platform for discussion of issues of importance to the country. Guest speakers from Scotland have proved to be a major attraction.

The Foundation was instrumental in establishing The Scottish Coalition and in the creation of Tartan Day as a national observance for Scots-Americans.

The Scottish Information Network conducts research and answers questions from the public at no charge in all areas of Scottish interests.

A Scottish Music Shelf has been established in association with the Sarasota Music Archive at the Selby Public Library in Sarasota, Florida. Donations of books, recordings and memorabilia are welcomed.

An exhibit of outstanding Scots and Scots-Americans has been created and is shown at appropriate venues around the country as a public service.