Artsmark School Celebrations

On the 11 February Curious Minds will be holding a celebration event for schools right across the North West who have achieved Artsmark and Artsmark Gold status during round 12 & 13 of Arts Council England’s flagship programme – Artsmark –  a programme that enables schools and other organisations to evaluate, strengthen and celebrate their arts and cultural provision to their students and pupils. It is delivered by Trinity College London and Arts Council England’s 10 regional Bridge organisations drive participation, one of which is Curious Minds.

Over the last two rounds, 397 North West schools have achieved Artsmark and we have invited them to a celebration event on Tuesday 11 February 2014 at the Pyramid & Parr Hall, Warrington.

Here they will be joined by representatives from some of the North West best arts and cultural organisations, some of whom have been great cultural partners in helping them achieve their Artsmark status.

The day will see over 100 teachers and 70 schools being celebrated for being champions of arts and culture in their schools and an example to other education settings through their offering of excellence in arts and cultural provision for their students and pupils.

The day’s programme will focus on how essential art and culture is to the Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development of children and young people, which Ofsted requires schools to support. Sam Cairns from the Cultural Learning Alliance will talk to the delegates about the evidence base for cultural learning. A panel of education and cultural leaders will discuss the value of collaboration and the need for quality and will take questions from the delegates.

As well as a series of inspiring workshops, which teachers and the arts and cultural organisations present can take part in, Curious Minds will be awarding a number of schools with special Bridge outstanding achievement awards – the winners of which will be decided from a specially invited panel from Trinity College London and Curious Minds.

We’ll have a full report on the celebration in our next e-bulletin. But we would like to take this opportunity to say congratulations to all the schools that have achieved Artsmark in round 12 and 13 and good luck to all schools (and other settings) that are working their way through their round 14 submissions. Remember Curious Minds, as part of our role as the Bridge organisation for the North West, is here to support you through your application for Artsmark. If you would like support please contact alice.demba@curiousminds.org.uk or call 01282 435835