Outputs from ‘Rural and Coastal Local Cultural Education Partnerships: Overcoming the challenges and creating success’ held at People Place Potential: The Cultural Educations Leaders Conference on Wednesday 8 November 2017 Workshop in progress:
Delegates were asked to consider the four key challenges to running successful Local Cultural Education Partnerships in Rural and Coastal Areas and what might be done to overcome them. Delegates’ thoughts are shown on the following pages.
Difficulty in engaging schools/academies:
Talk to each individual school to find out what they want/need. Think summer reading challenge – what can be offered outside school day? Use the career leads. Senior Leaders / Governors? Work with Festival Bridge Education Managers – find out about CALSAS. Establish a timeline that works. Find your ‘in’. Think about approaching a group (e.g. MAT/pyramid). Present your products clearly – timing/flexibility/supplementary – what can be offered and how can it be adapted? Co-delivery with teachers. Take the offer out to schools and eliminate travel costs. Plan early – school budgets spent by February. Promote CPD benefits for teachers – WIFM trough partnership work. Offer to parents/families – market to them. Local relationships. Do staff in schools know? Manage the school receptionist. Know the current climate – academies. Read the vision on school website to see how you match. Know your local target group. Collaborate with other organisations.
Limited financial and other resources
Saturday arts club for each school (no time in timetable). Build better relationships/understanding with school before offering more. Build community-based support – don’t over ‘academise’ the arts (barrier building is bad). Dispel myth that art is an ‘extra’. Shared resources map. Skilling up – ability to write good funding applications. Link up and share expertise to write good bids. Rural philanthropy. Look for partnerships to reduce burden on one body. Young people at the centre.
Deprivation and isolation
Costs £400 for bus to venue – go to the community instead. No infrastructure for travel or fees – go to them. Limited for extra-curricular. Bussed into schools. Churches, schools and village halls have space. Five ways to well-being – got to be incorporated into schools’ priorities. Knowing your assets – utilising what’s already there
Fragmented / voluntary –led arts and cultural sector with a lack of investment and leadership
Work collaboratively Communication / willing to be infomed Value (money / time / commitment) Volunteers are gatekeepers Creating access Schools and parents Engaging in mutually beneficial relationships The process can be the impact. Support. Consistency. Identify a key leader – funding them / structure – who? Specific goals/measures Long term ambition / aspiration Quality and aspiration