Showcase the Street

Over the last ten years, we have invested over £12 million through our Social Investment programme to help social enterprises deliver pioneering and impactful business ideas that also look to address local issues and needs. But with Foundation Scotland, it’s more than just money. We care about the future of the projects we support. From grant funding and repayable finance to expert guidance from our investment team - this is a partnership.

SPOTLIGHT ON.... Showcase the Street

Showcase the Street is based in Dundee and was established in 2003 to support young people – and the wider community – living in areas of deprivation or in rural areas, to access a variety of arts and sports. They provide classes in dance, vocal skills, audio work, animation and media.

They work with around 3,000 young people each week across 15 towns in Scotland, providing community dance and football classes, as well as projects working with disengaged young people and employability programmes.

The Foundation Scotland relationship with Showcase the Street began in 2015. Having already developed two Dundee-based warehouse units into dance studios, a learning centre, and two indoor 3G pitches with offices and meeting rooms, Showcase wanted to develop an adjacent warehouse into a multi-purpose indoor sports centre, complete with a specialist floor.

This new sports centre would allow them to provide a much-needed community focus with a sustainable income stream.

In 2015, Foundation Scotland support contributed to the redevelopment of this warehouse, including the installation of a specialist multi-surface floor, and general improvements and renovations. One of the functions of this area is now a much-used Roller Hockey Rink.

Then, in 2018, Showcase approached Foundation Scotland for investment to develop a technology hub which would help people build their problem-solving skills and confidence, support education programmes and improve employability opportunities. They believed that technology and Virtual Reality experience had great potential for social impact through educational games and specially developed apps and games that would allow young people from deprived areas to access situations and experiences that would otherwise not be available to them.

With multi-funding and loan support, Showcase developed this idea into a virtual reality (VR) hub and technology experience centre, with a focus on using VR, Robotics and Technology for entertainment and education.

Showcase continues to be a thriving social enterprise, providing dance classes, technology spaces and sports facilities accessible to everyone. They offer employability skills training courses to young people aged 15 – 24 who are looking to progress into employment, further education and training or volunteering opportunities. And they also hire their range of facilities at affordable prices to welcome as wide a variety of community groups as possible.

In 2015, Foundation Scotland supported Showcase the Street with a blend of grant and loan funding of £125,00 over ten years.

In 2018, Foundation Scotland supported Showcase with a further £60,000 of grant/loan funding.