Announcing…our Arts Award Festival Investments Programme

Date Created: 27th Jun 2016

Following an investment opportunity for Festivals, Carnivals and Melas in the South East to deliver and embed Arts Award in their work, we are delighted to announce that we are supporting the following organisations:

“As an independent charity, we take great pride in bringing the arts to Kent. The Festival attracts an audience of 60,000 people of all ages to over 200 free and ticketed events, including music, theatre and dance, comedy, science, exhibitions, walks, and talks.”

Artswork will be supporting Canterbury Festival as they run Arts Award activities as part of their family programme, taking place during October half term in the Spiegeltent. To find out more, go to www.canterburyfestival.co.uk or contact Niamh@canterburyfestival.co.uk for further information.

Photoworks, Brighton

“As an Arts Award Supporter, Photoworks is well placed to support young people to achieve their Arts Award at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. We deliver a year round programme of learning & participation workshops, events and activities with schools, community and youth groups, some of which are available to young people working towards their Arts Awards. Get in touch to find out more about how you can take part.”

We will be supporting Photoworks in their work with Brighton & Hove Library Service during this year’s Brighton Photo Biennial (taking place in October). Find out more at https://photoworks.org.uk/project-news/arts-award/ or contact juliette@photoworks.org.uk

Readipop, Reading

Reading music and arts charity Readipop believe in the “positive difference [music makes] to the lives of people in need”. They develop and deliver projects that bring together a diverse range of musicians, artists and performers with participants and audiences.

Artswork will be supporting them in their delivery of Arts Award sessions for children and young people at this year’s Readipop Festival, running from the 8^th-10^th July 2016. Find out more about the Festival and the rest of Readipop’s work at http://www.readipop.co.uk or contact rob@readipop.co.ukfor more information.

Brighton Digital Festival

Brighton Digital Festival is a celebration of digital culture that takes place across Brighton and Hove every September. The programme plays host to a “curated stream of arts and education activity”, as well as many events organised and produced by individuals. At its core, the Festival’s commitment is to “widening access and engagement with big ideas in contemporary digital culture”.

We will be supporting the Festival as part of their Education Commissions, delivered in September 2016 and September 2017. To find out more, go to http://brightondigitalfestival.co.uk/about/ or contact hello@brightondigitalfestival.co.uk for further information.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Background: Arts Award and Festivals

Festivals, Carnivals and Melas provide a unique opportunity to extend the offer of Arts Award to children, young people and their families. Recently, the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, in partnership with Trinity College London and Culture Works East, became the first UK Festival to be accredited as an Arts Award Supporter.

Discover Arts Award is an introductory award designed for ages 5yrs and above. It is ideally suited to a Festival, Carnival and Mela environment, whether family orientated, or as an activity for children whilst in attendance.

The three parts to Discover are:

Taking part in arts activities
Experiencing artists and their work
Sharing discoveries with others

Discover can be achieved over 1-2 days and through a variety of approaches, guided by trained arts professionals, volunteers or parents. Training to become an Arts Award adviser, and the opportunity to work alongside professional artists, performers and musicians, is a fantastic experience for volunteers. This approach is often supported by the development of resources and guided hand-outs, which not only enable children and families to complete the award in their own time, but provide a resource for events that can be used year after year.