Broadening effective interaction between cultural organisations and schools
About
The Wiltshire & Swindon Cultural Education Partnership (W&SCEP) aims to improve educational, cultural and social outcomes for children and young people.
It does this through broadening effective interaction between Cultural Organisations (including libraries, arts and heritage) and Schools, in places where it is most needed. It is a response to the Cultural Education Challenge set by Arts Council England.
The Arts Council England Cultural Education Challenge Video
The Cultural Education Challenge was launched in 2016 and is about building local partnerships to curate dynamic and local plans that bring arts and culture to all children and young people.
“We want every child to have the chance to visit, experience and participate in extraordinary work, and be able to know more, understand more, and review the experiences they've had.
The Cultural Education Challenge asks art and cultural organisations, educational institutions and local authorities to come together to drive a joined-up art and cultural offer locally, to share resources and bring about a more coherent and visible delivery of cultural education.” ~ Darren Henley, Arts Council England
Steering Group
When the Cultural Education Challenge was launched, hundreds of organisations and individuals from the region gathered to develop a plan. In 2017, a steering group of these 9 organisations emerged to deliver the plan.
The W&SCEP is also proud to represent and work with the wide range of arts, cultural and heritage organisations and practitioners across Wiltshire and Swindon, many of whom can be found on the Cultural Providers Directory.
Create Studios a digital and media organisation in Swindon
Pound Arts Trust a multi-art form organisation in Corsham
Prime Theatre theatre for and by young people, based in Swindon
Trowbridge Town Hall a cultural & civic organisation in Trowbridge
Wiltshire Creative a pan-arts organisation bringing together Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Arts Centre
Wiltshire Council and specifically the arts service
Wiltshire Music Centre a music venue in Bradford on Avon
Wiltshire Music Connect the music hub for Wiltshire
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre a heritage organisation in Chippenham
Six school leaders, representing both primary and secondary levels, have worked with the W&SCEP as Cultural Champions to develop this relationship.
As key stakeholders in the partnership these colleagues have advised on and supported solutions to the cultural provision challenges that schools face. They have also actively encouraged innovation and collaboration between cultural providers and schools and participating in developing the W&SCEP’s future action plans and key regional priorities.
The W&SCEP is embarking on the next phase of development to achieve the following outcomes:
More schools engaging in cultural activity, following the Open Fund projects
A legacy of skills, understanding and capacity within schools to continue cultural learning engagement in the longer-term, plus increased understanding and capacity within cultural organisations to meet schools’ and pupils’ needs
Schools enabled to make more informed choices about which cultural providers to engage with and on what basis - supported by a new cultural providers directory added to the website in autumn 2021
Increase in schools on their Artsmark journey and take up of Arts Award
During 2021 and beyond, the W&SCEP will develop a number of initiatives to enhance cultural education.
It will engage with more Cultural Champions with special areas of interest and will provide opportunities for schools to engage in innovative education activity that promotes health and wellbeing.
Cultural education providers will take part in training that will encourage Arts Award engagement; support inclusion and work more effectively with SEN/D and deaf children and young people. Additional resources and professional development opportunities for all those involved in cultural education will be developed including case studies, network events, and conferences.
The W&SCEP will be exploring the longer term impact as a central hub for cultural education and its sustainability through a partnership membership model.
