Festival Bridge: An introduction At Festival Bridge we believe that a cultural education is a vital ingredient in the lives of all children and young people. We know that by participating in a rich and varied cultural education, children and young people develop the creative, communication, leadership and collaborative skills seen as crucial by employers, both within the fastest growing sector in our economy, the Creative Industries, but also beyond this to all work places. The value of cultural education is recognised by Ofsted within the spiritual, moral, social and cultural criteria and by the government as a matter of social justice. At Festival Bridge we work from the fens of Cambridgeshire to the coastal towns of Suffolk, from the city of Peterborough to the sandy heaths of Breckland and everywhere in-between. Everywhere we travel we find a rich and wide-ranging cultural education offer. Across the area, artists and cultural organisations are providing world class opportunities for children and young people. Unfortunately, access to these rich cultural experiences is not always equitable. Festival Bridge champions children and young people’s entitlement to access, enjoy and understand the rich cultural offer available to them. We intend to end this inequality by forming partnerships and supporting the institutions which can bring about this change.
At Festival Bridge we are inspired by Arts Council England’s Cultural Education Challenge. Launched in Autumn 2015 with ministers from the Department for Education and Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Cultural Education Challenge is a call for the arts, culture and education sectors to work together in offering a consistent, and high quality, arts and cultural education for all children and young people. The Cultural Education Challenge aims to ensure that more children and young people can create, compose, and perform; visit, experience and participate in extraordinary work, and be able to know more, understand more, and review the experiences they’ve had. Since 2012 we have developed partnerships across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk, which are already delivering a positive impact on the cultural education landscape. In this brochure we provide a small overview of our offer to those working in cultural education; a starting point for working together. We know that we are most effective when we work in true partnerships so please feel very welcome to contact me or any of the Bridge team to discuss how we can help you take on the Cultural Education Challenge. Michael Corley Head of Festival Bridge
bridge@nnfestival.org.uk 01603 877750 @NNFBridge NNFestivalBridge
nnfestival.org.uk/festival-bridge
Education Providers:
How we support you to meet the Cultural Education Challenge • We are the first port of call for any educator wanting to develop the cultural education offer in their setting • We have unrivalled local networks that can connect cultural education professionals to resources and opportunities which can enhance their practice • We are the area’s experts in the delivery of Local Cultural Education Partnerships, Artsmark and Arts Award • Our Culture & Arts Leaders in Schools and Academies (CALSA) programme is growing a network of peer to peer leadership across the region
“Festival Bridge’s Artsmark Development Day allowed us to both celebrate the success of our arts so far and have time to reflect on our next steps. We are on our way to providing even more excellent and inspiring creative arts in our curriculum and beyond. Exciting times ahead!” Debbie Gould/Head teacher/ Duxford Primary School
Artsmark Designed by schools for schools the Artsmark process will enrich, develop and strengthen your school’s arts provision. It can provide evidence of how a school is meeting its social, moral, spiritual and cultural Ofsted requirements. Artsmark also celebrates your school’s strengths and helps you to share them with the wider world.
Festival Bridge We are the champions of children and young people and their enjoyment and understanding of place, art, drama, music and dance across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk. Festival Bridge is one of the 10 national Bridge organisations who have secured investment from Arts Council England and the Department for Education.
By joining the Artsmark programme you will become part of a community where you can share ideas and practice. Start your Artsmark journey at: www.artsmark.org.uk/registration Arts Award Arts Award’s set of unique qualifications support children and young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. Arts Award has five levels; Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold are nationally recognised accredited qualifications, Discover is an introductory level award. Arts Award gives the opportunity to anyone aged from 5 years old to 25 years old to set their own personal challenges and to connect with the wider arts world through the art form of their choice from fashion to film making, pottery to poetry. Children and young people not only gain art form knowledge and understanding but also develop leadership, creativity and communication skills enabling them to progress into further education and employment.
CALSA Festival Bridge has developed the Culture and Arts Leaders for Schools and Academies (CALSA) initiative in which specialist cultural education leaders are now embedded across the region providing peer to peer support for settings looking to develop their cultural education offer.
Working at an organisation to organisation level, Festival Bridge creates and facilitates partnerships and networks which improve the cultural opportunities and activities for all our region’s children and young people.
We create and develop Local Cultural Education Partnerships to deliver the Cultural Education Challenge We support schools to develop their arts and cultural offers through Artsmark We develop recognition and accreditation for children and young people’s achievements through Arts Award We create and share best practice, research and ideas As part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Festival Bridge has an ethos of excellence, collaboration, cross sector working, a strong network of contacts and deep local knowledge.
Festival Bridge’s Governor Training Programme Currently delivered through the governor services teams in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk & Suffolk, this training is designed to equip governors with the tools they need to support school and academy improvement through Cultural Education.
GET STARTED NOW bridge@nnfestival.org.uk
bridge@nnfestival.org.uk 01603 877750 @NNFBridge NNFestivalBridge
nnfestival.org.uk/festival-bridge
All photography – JMA Photography. Except Pirate fish – Tina Warner, Teens in jumpsuits – Tim George. Design – specialdesignstudio.co.uk Print – Gallpen.co.uk
How we help places respond to the Cultural Education Challenge
YOUNG FENLAND CULTURAL CONSORTIUM PETERBOROUGH HERITAGE, ARTS AND CULTURAL EDUCATION (PHACE) AMBITION To nurture and support a generation of culturally confident, active and knowledgeable children and young people across Peterborough. THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS • More children and young people are confident to take the lead, to be creative and to be entrepreneurial • The arts and cultural offer is better connected, highly visible and easy to access • More adults have access to professional development and learning in arts and culture
ENJOY: GREAT YARMOUTH
AMBITION To enable young people in Fenland to aspire, achieve and take the lead, in and through arts and culture. THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IN 10 YEARS IS • There will be an effective body of home-grown cultural leaders living and working in Fenland • Clear pathways are in place for more young people to engage in arts and culture and progress to taking the lead in arts activity • More decision makers advocate and plan for arts and culture • The arts and cultural infrastructure is better connected and provides sustainable access to a diverse range of activity for young people
Peterborough
• Festival Bridge is leading the development of Local Cultural Education Partnerships (LCEPs) across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.
AMBITION To see more children and young people in Great Yarmouth taking part in an exciting and inspiring range of cultural education activities. BY 2018 THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS Children and young families are better able to navigate their local cultural offer, having raised aspirations and taking pride in where they live.
CITY OF LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
MY CAMBRIDGE AMBITION To ensure every young person in Cambridge is able to confidently construct their own cultural life, drawing on and feeling connected to the whole of the City in which they live THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS • More children and young people are able take the lead in developing their cultural lives • The arts and cultural environment is highly visible and easy to access • More institutions, adults and young people understand and are committed to the importance of arts and culture for Children and Young People
• To help us achieve Bridge goals we work with arts and cultural organisations and venues, Music Education Hubs, museums and heritage organisations. We also work with schools, academies, colleges and Higher Education institutions. We work with local authorities, multi-academy chains, cultural networks, charities and youth organisations. We work with senior leadership and also early career practitioners. We want to work with you.
• LCEPs work from the ground up to define and implement activity which will make long term change in the cultural education offer • Festival Bridge look to support the development of LCEPs by co-investing with other partners
AMBITION From the early years through to adulthood we pledge to support every child in Lowestoft to be able to regularly: • Create; Compose and Perform • Visit; Experience and Participate • Know; Understand and Review THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS To ensure this opportunity is available to all, from 0-19, the Lowestoft Rising Local Cultural Education Partnership has formed to bring together communities, formal and informal education, cultural practitioners and most importantly every child and young person.
Suffolk
AMBITION To develop a hub for young people’s creative enterprise, at Alconbury Weald, a new community of 5000 homes on an old RAF and USAF Air Base. THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS • More young people, parents and schools knowing about the role of creativity in the world of work • An increase in young people knowing and taking up opportunities for work within the creative industries
• We’re encouraging countywide leadership to challenge, inform and ensure the best outcomes for children and young people
• A partnership of organisations and individuals looking to radically enhance the opportunity for children and young people to engage in cultural education in their locality
LOWESTOFT RISING
Norfolk
Cambridgeshire
TOP SECRET AT ALCONBURY WEALD
• There are 7 LCEPs currently in the region with more to come
What is a Local Cultural Education Partnership?
LCEPs are delivering now towards long term change
AMBITION To ensure UNESCO City of Literature is for Young People – and become the UK’s first artform-led Local Cultural Education Partnership. Building on Norwich’s rich heritage of nurturing and supporting early-career writers, we aim to make literary and literacy education accessible, engaging and inspirational for young people (aged 5-18) across the city and the wider region. BY 2018 THE CHANGE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS • Greater student involvement in planning, programming and research • Growth and development of existing programmes, partnerships and collaborative projects. We aim to increase youth engagement by 25% • Match funding levered in from a range of trusts and foundation
The partnerships have long term ambitions and exciting activity has already happened towards achieving them. As examples of the impact an LCEP can quickly make: • Young people collaborated with a theatre company to create a live event in the UK’s newest listed building – a nuclear bunker • Education and cultural providers have worked together to develop local strategies for children and young people’s entitlement to arts and culture • A cultural education pledge has been written by schools for their locality
• A cultural education passport for children and young people is being developed to help track and encourage cultural participation • New peer to peer networks have been created for teachers • Young ambassadors programmes and work opportunities such as apprenticeships are enabling young people to be cultural leaders • New collaborations are giving children & young people more opportunities to take part • New investment is being brought into the area to increase the opportunities available for children and young people
• A new county-wide poetry competition attracted 50 entries from young people in just 6 weeks
JOIN NOW bridge@nnfestival.org.uk
bridge@nnfestival.org.uk 01603 877750 @NNFBridge NNFestivalBridge
nnfestival.org.uk/festival-bridge