We are Curious Minds

Our vision is for a future where being creative and experiencing brilliant culture is a regular aspect of EVERY child’s life and learning.

Since 2008, Curious Minds has been connecting children and young people, teachers and youth workers with incredible artists and creative practitioners; giving them access to information, expertise, space and resources to facilitate collaboration and innovation in the field of creative and cultural education.

We are an ambitious charity that works to bring about positive and lasting change. We provide strategic support to the cultural education workforce and deliver learning and development programmes that help diversify and professionalise the field of cultural education. We use the terms ‘Backbone Organisation’ and ‘Field Building Catalyst’ to describe how we work across multiple sectors to support, develop, champion and mobilise the cultural education workforce to achieve collective impact.

We achieve national and international reach but focus our work in the North of England. Our team draws expertise from across the education, culture, public and private sectors.

Curious Minds is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, which means we receive funding from taxpayers to help ensure all children and young people have access to the transformative benefits of creativity and culture.
You can discover more about our ambitious 7-year strategy ‘Into a Curious Future’ here:
Into a Curious Future

Our values and how we live them

The 7Cs

1WE ARE CURIOUS
  • We look for opportunities and solutions (e.g. for income generation and organisational development)
  • We are open to new ideas, come up with new ideas and am willing to try new things.
  • We aim for best practice and, whenever possible, next practice in our areas of work - to be trailblazers.
2WE ARE COURAGEOUS
  • We are willing to be challenged about our own work and to challenge others where we can offer positive solutions for change.
  • We are ambitious for ourselves and for the organisation, are proactive and take the initiative. We don’t just talk about it, we do it!
  • We are comfortable with complexity; willing to start the journey without a map.
3WE CELEBRATE
  • We celebrate our own and our colleagues’ successes, whether little or big.
  • We are strong ambassadors for Curious Minds, proud of the brand and promote it widely.
  • We are strong ambassadors for arts and culture for children and young people and celebrate their successes too.
4WE COLLABORATE
  • We are not sole traders. We are aware of the impact we have, and can have, on others’ work and actively contribute to the success of colleagues.
  • We communicate well and are fully present at meetings. We contribute meaningfully to team discussion and planning.
  • We are committed to enabling creative collaboration and work positively towards this goal.
5WE CARE
  • We are respectful, courteous and aware of the impact our actions and emotions have on others. We express feelings and control our emotional responses appropriately.
  • We care about children and young people and believe in the value of arts, culture and creativity.
  • We value resources - financial and physical - and use them wisely, keeping in mind issues of equality, accountability and transparency.
6WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUS
  • We plan our workload to manage our time and achieve our goals.
  • We come prepared to meetings and think before we speak/act.
  • We deliver on commitments, give attention to detail, arrive on time, present ourselves professionally, meet deadlines and respond promptly to enquiries.
  • We are reflective, reflexive and willing to adapt.
7WE ARE CREDIBLE
  • We are honest and truthful.
  • We know our stuff and keep up to date with the latest developments. We say when we don’t know something and are willing to learn.
  • We are confident and professional, knowing when to speak and when to keep quiet.