In October, Arts Council England launched the Cultural Education Challenge. It is a call to arms, and urges arts and cultural organisations and the education sector to come together to offer a consistent arts education for all.

As the South East Bridge Organisation, we work to connect children and young people in the region with great arts and cultural experiences - and have a wide number of ways to help schools, children and young people’s organisations and arts, cultural and heritage organisations rise to the Cultural Education Challenge.  

Find out how to get involved here...

Image: Gary Weston

Artswork is offering Teaching School Alliances across the South East the opportunity to seek investment to enable them to develop and implement an innovative arts and cultural partnership programme. This investment will facilitate them in taking a leading role in a regional approach to support, inform and influence significant change and development for arts and cultural education in the next two years.

Find out more here...

As part of Artswork’s Teaching Schools Investment Programme, schools in the Westdene Teaching School Alliance worked in partnership with Photoworks, South East Dance, Brighton & Hove Library Service, Fabrica, Audio Active, Little Green Pig and Culture Shift to investigate how arts and cultural engagement can support school improvement priorities. Specifically, they developed two strands of activity to address current school priorities of closing the attainment gap and planning for the new Primary Curriculum.

This powerpoint presentation outlines the programme: its aims, scope, areas of focus, descriptions of partnership activities, Arts Award activities, benefits, learning and challenges.

Download the resource here...

Artswork has invested in in an e-learning partnership led by the New Theatre Royal Portsmouth that enabled students from schools across the area to have the opportunity to work with theatre professionals to explore and explain the various aspects of theatre.

The partnership includes The Kings Theatre, Portsmouth Cultural Trust (Portsmouth Guildhall), Mayflower Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Old Salt Theatre and Highbury College.

Find out more...

Back in May, we published a news story written by one of the young people involved in the Make Your Mark project, Becky Etherington. 

Facilitated by Artswork, the project’s aim was to help young people in the local community to gain self-confidence, self-expression and learn new skills that would help them in the future.

Making Space and Big World Impact have now released a film detailing the project.

Watch it here...

From this Autumn, we have several Child Protection courses taking place across the South East.

From safeguarding to policy writing, these course provide practical information and advice on the most important issues faced by youth organisations and those working with them.

Find out more... 

Some of the Artswork staff decided to dress up for their lunch hour in support of @BBCCiN #childreninneed

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The day, taking place on June 3rd (during half term), will aim to connect communities and generations with an inspirational celebration of music across the UK. There will be large scale musical events and locally-organised activities, from intergenerational singing and a bold, imaginative musical relay to classical & pop fusions.

Find out more about how to get involved...

Child Protection & Safeguarding in the Arts

Southampton

Wednesday 9th December 2015

Book your place

Youth Arts Project Management: a six-day accredited course

Gateshead

23rd-24th February, 5th-16th March, 12th-13th April 2016

Book your place

Developing Partnerships in the Arts & Cultural Sector

London

Wednesday 24th February 2016

Book your place

Behaviour Management and Youth Arts

Manchester

Wednesday 24th February 2016

Book your place

Child Protection Policy Writing

Brighton

Thursday 25th February 2016

Book your place

Creative Facilitation

Bristol

Thursday 3rd March 2016

Book your place

Funding your Youth Arts Project

Norwich

Thursday 10th March 2016

Book your place

Youth Arts Project Management (6-day accredited)

London

Wednesday 20th April - Wednesday 15th June 2016

Book your place
 

Find details on all our upcoming training courses and events here

This month, we launched the first edition of our new South East Schools Arts Paper!

Copies are currently winging their way to schools across the South East Bridge region, and there will be copies to pick up at upcoming events too. Read it online here

We would love for you all to get involved on social media and tell us how you’ve been involved with Artswork, and how we may have helped you.

Find out more...

These schools have helped to shape the new Artsmark and are leading the way for well over 100 South East schools who have already registered to take part in the new Artsmark programme. There's never been a better time to sign up your school too!

Find out more here...

"We wanted to create a fresh space to interact with teachers, students and arts education professionals. We've been exploring how the arts and creativity can bring people together, break down barriers, encourage empathy and inform the way that we view the world around us."

Visit the Schools Hub here...

The British Film Institute (BFI), Screen South and The Maidstone Studios have come together once again to create a life changing opportunity to support young filmmakers in Kent. They are looking for 20 young people with a passion for filmmaking and great ideas for short films to take part in the Kent BFI Film Academy.

The Academy programme runs over 8 Saturdays from the beginning of December 2015 to end the of February 2016. Young people only have a small admin fee of £25 and bursaries for this fee are available.

Find out more...

"The Huge History Lesson is a challenge to students of all ages, everywhere: choose a museum object, carry out a historical enquiry and share your findings with us in your own special way. The winners will get the chance to tell the world about their object and also receive an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience at the British Museum!"

Find out more...

@ArtsworkLtd Seek out opportunity and advice. People are always willing to help. I think traineeships and apprenticeships are so important!

— Chichester Theatre (@ChichesterFT) November 18, 2015

Nov 18th was #LoveTheatreDay!

Read the full conversation here

We want the voices and views of young people to directly help us shape our work. We are looking to bring together a group of creative, driven and enthusiastic young people to engage with us and influence us. We need people who will get creative and get involved, with the first task being to name the group itself!

For a full description of the role and to find out more, see here...

Through our Partnership Investment work, we are assisting Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to look for arts and cultural organisations in the county, to work in partnership with the providers of short breaks and childcare for disabled children. 

Find out more about how to apply here...

Beginning 10th December, Surrey Music Hub are running a series of specialist music training sessions for engaging with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Find out more...

Follow us as we share images from the programmes and projects we're engaged with.

Why not subscribe to our English National Youth Arts Network (ENYAN) newsletter too?

See the latest issue here