The English government today announced a £150,000 pilot of the Cultural Citizens Programme, funded from Arts Council England's existing grant-in-aid, designed to target disadvantaged communities and increase access to the arts.
The scheme, which was first announced by David Cameron in January from a proposal in the government’s Culture White Paper, will be launched next month in Liverpool and Blackpool; Birmingham; and Barking and Dagenham. It is expected to run for the duration of the upcoming school year.
“Arts and culture is an integral part of British society - it boosts tourism, improves our wellbeing and provides a source of local pride and identity,” said Karen Bradley, in her first speech since becoming culture secretary.
“We want to ensure that it is available to everyone, no matter what their background.
“The Cultural Citizens Programme will open doors for hundreds of young people across the country, so they can enjoy our fantastic arts and culture scene, and gain the skills to build careers in this thriving sector.”
In Liverpool and Blackpool, Curious Minds will work with 200 local 11-14 year olds to engage with organisations including Tate Liverpool, the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology in Liverpool and the Museum of Liverpool.
In Barking and Dagenham, A New Direction will lead on working with five secondary schools to provide visits and opportunities in partnership with 30 local arts organisations.
And in Birmingham, Kids in Museums will partner with 20 arts organisations to get 200 young people taking on roles including tour guide in galleries and social media officer.
The pilot is the first phase in a scheme envisaged to last four years and roll out across England to include 14,000 young people. It is led by Arts Council England, with support from Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Bradley’s speech, delivered at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall before visits to Tate Liverpool and the Museum of Liverpool, stressed that arts and culture “has a value that goes beyond the economic” and must be “available to everyone, not the preserve of a privileged few”.
Bradley said she would be working closely with education secretary Justine Greening “to make sure that no child is left out of this country’s magnificent and extraordinary cultural inheritance”, and with justice secretary Liz Truss “to see how arts and culture can be part of prison reform”.
The government is working hard at rebalancing funding between London and the regions, she added, citing initiatives such as the Great Place Scheme to embed arts, culture and heritage in local decision-making, and the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018.
Links and downloads
Cultural Citizens Programme
Culture secretary Karen Bradley's maiden speech
The scheme, which was first announced by David Cameron in January from a proposal in the government’s Culture White Paper, will be launched next month in Liverpool and Blackpool; Birmingham; and Barking and Dagenham. It is expected to run for the duration of the upcoming school year.
“Arts and culture is an integral part of British society - it boosts tourism, improves our wellbeing and provides a source of local pride and identity,” said Karen Bradley, in her first speech since becoming culture secretary.
“We want to ensure that it is available to everyone, no matter what their background.
“The Cultural Citizens Programme will open doors for hundreds of young people across the country, so they can enjoy our fantastic arts and culture scene, and gain the skills to build careers in this thriving sector.”
In Liverpool and Blackpool, Curious Minds will work with 200 local 11-14 year olds to engage with organisations including Tate Liverpool, the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology in Liverpool and the Museum of Liverpool.
In Barking and Dagenham, A New Direction will lead on working with five secondary schools to provide visits and opportunities in partnership with 30 local arts organisations.
And in Birmingham, Kids in Museums will partner with 20 arts organisations to get 200 young people taking on roles including tour guide in galleries and social media officer.
The pilot is the first phase in a scheme envisaged to last four years and roll out across England to include 14,000 young people. It is led by Arts Council England, with support from Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Bradley’s speech, delivered at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall before visits to Tate Liverpool and the Museum of Liverpool, stressed that arts and culture “has a value that goes beyond the economic” and must be “available to everyone, not the preserve of a privileged few”.
Bradley said she would be working closely with education secretary Justine Greening “to make sure that no child is left out of this country’s magnificent and extraordinary cultural inheritance”, and with justice secretary Liz Truss “to see how arts and culture can be part of prison reform”.
The government is working hard at rebalancing funding between London and the regions, she added, citing initiatives such as the Great Place Scheme to embed arts, culture and heritage in local decision-making, and the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018.
Links and downloads
Cultural Citizens Programme
Culture secretary Karen Bradley's maiden speech
