Our focus areas
Our focus areas
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State of the Arts
A view of the state of play for the arts and creativity in education, youth work and enrichment activities for youth engagement, increased particiatpion and careers in the creative industries
We want to understand:
- What are the creative activities and opportunities in the arts that young people want to take part and enjoy .
- What is driving the decline of opportunities for young people to participate in the arts, the extent of the decline and its impact on young people, and how this can this be turned around.
- What resources and facilities are needed and the benefits they bring the benefits they bring, to increase participation in the arts.
- Youth Voice: what young people want from creative activities and opportunities in the arts and culture.
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Equality of Access
How to break down the barriers and create inclusive opportunities for access to the arts – national and local responsibilities and the role of and support from the creative industries.
We want to understand:
- What the barriers are that young people face to access the arts in their local area: affordability, travel, lack of community provision, safety and safeguarding, cultural sensitivity.
- The extent creative activities and opportunities in the arts are inclusive for all and culturally sensitive, and the barriers to take part.
- Youth Voice: what the lived experience is of young people wanting to participate in the arts, in particular from disadvantaged backgrounds or discrimination.
Learning through the Arts
How to boost learning through non-academic routes in the arts, including the benefits of access to creative spaces and quality facilities in community settings.
We want to understand:
- What are the benefits of the arts for personal and social development and life skills, including mental health and wellbeing.
- What are the benefits and skills gained from the arts that support future employment, including careers in the creative industries.
- What is the role of enrichment and out of school activities for creative, technical and transferable skills; with a particular focus on the performing arts.
- Youth Voice: the extent to which creative opportunities and experiences of the performing arts in particular shape a young person’s career choices and how they are supported in those choices.
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Digital Experience
How and where young people can learn and perform in the digital and real realms, including access to the careers in the creative industries, supported online.
We want to understand:
- How positive digital resources can be used in education and to support non-academic routes for learning and career opportunities.
- How greater engagement with the online world impacting on young people’s experiences of the arts and opportunities for participation and performance at ‘traditional’ venues.
- What makes for a positive digital experience and what are the new and most innovative areas for the performing arts in particular.
- Youth Voice: young people’s and parents’ experiences of digital media and online resources, and what would help enhance their experience.
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Creative Partnerships
How to bring together the creative industries, youth and education sectors, to break down barriers and increase opportunity in the arts for disadvantaged young people, and a talent pipeline supported by the creative industries.
We want to understand:
- How we can increase participation in the arts and scale up career awareness to improve access pathways for disadvantaged young people in particular.
- What more can be done to support young people’s opportunities and experiences in the arts and to grow new audiences and talent pipelines for the creative industries.
- What part the arts and creative spaces and facilities play under the statutory duty for local authorities to secure ‘educational and recreational leisure time’ for young people in their local area.
- Youth Voice: young people’s interest in, opportunities to take part and experiences of the performing arts in particular, that is school-based, after school and in community settings.
Cross-cutting Themes
How we will know what are the benefits and impact of the boosting young people’s access to the arts and out of school activities.
From each of the focus areas we want to understand:
- Youth voice and experience of the arts
- Increased participation by disadvantaged young people
- Innovation and collaboration between the arts, education and youth sectors
- Technical and transferable skills
- Employment and career pathways
- Greater diversity and representation in the creative industries
- Evaluation and impact measures
