Cultural Education Award Winners
The Hollins School
Winners of the Innovation & Leadership in Education Award 2024
The Hollins School uses its award-winning 'Cohesion through Creativity' programme to foster unity, confidence, and cultural understanding in students by providing high-quality arts education.
Through this pupil and community centred platform, high quality and exciting creative opportunities are accessible to all young people – allowing them to not only witness and feel the transformative impact of arts and culture, but to also become artistic contributors on their own terms.
School leaders recognise that young people from particular backgrounds - for example, black, South Asian and refugee - are underserved when it comes to arts and culture provision.The Hollins' pioneering programme challenges this by focusing directly on the needs and interests of the young people themselves, with tailored initiatives that ‘empower, inspire and transform’.
The school works in partnership with artists and art organisations to develop innovative creative projects. Pupils are able to co-produce empowering content, discover amazing artistic disciplines and use creativity to express their feelings and emotions.
"I’ve benefited by learning to be more confident in myself and in my worth."
Participant
What this looks like in practice
SPECIALIST LEADER IN CULTURAL EDUCATION - a designated member of staff who is responsible for the successful delivery of creative projects, and an internal budget allocated every year.
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COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS - well-established long-term relationships with artists and arts organisations across the UK.
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YOUTH-LED ARTISTIC PRODUCERS - pupils are extensively involved in planning, gaining valuable experience, as well as supporting and inspiring their peers.
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FUNDING / FUNDRAISING - successful in seeking funding and fundraising for creative projects.
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DIGITAL PLATFORM - designated social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram & X) that showcase creative endeavours.
Examples of collaborations
"The project has help me feel more confident in myself and it has helped me find new ways of expressing myself and my emotions."
Participant
Making a difference for students
Pupils taking part in the programme demonstrate:
- an increased desire to engage and participate in the arts
- improvement in self-esteem, confidence and creative expression
- a change of attitude towards the perceived value of the arts
- empowerment to be heard and seen through the production of community based creative content