BATH FESTIVALS WINS ARTS AWARD’S GOOD PRACTICE AWARD

The Learning and Participation team at Bath Festivals is thrilled to announce that they have been awarded a Good Practice Centre Award by Arts Award.

Bath Festivals has been recognised as a national centre of good practice for its work with children and young people. As well as producing its three major festivals, Bath International Music Festival, The Independent Bath Literature Festival and The Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival, Bath Festivals also runs a busy year round Learning and Participation programme.

Belinda Kidd, Chief Executive of Bath Festivals says:
“This is a fantastic endorsement of the quality of Bath Festivals’ learning and participation programme. We’re really proud of the young people who’ve won Arts Awards through their involvement with our projects, and it will be great to help even more young people gain this important recognition of their achievement in the future.”

The Good Practice Award recognises the work Bath Festivals does to support young people working towards their Arts Awards, a national scheme to recognise the achievements of young people in engaging with the arts.

Bath Festivals engages with thousands of young people every year, by running the largest dedicated children’s literature festival in Europe, and by delivering a host of education projects across all three of its festivals, and year round. Activities include enlisting a team of Young Curators from Wellsway School in Keynsham to help programme and present events at the Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival, working alongside best-selling children’s authors, and offering musical opportunities to young people in challenging circumstances across Bath & NE Somerset and South Gloucestershire as part of the Building Bridges project.

Arts Award’s unique qualifications support young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. The programme develops their creativity, leadership and communication skills. Open to anyone aged 7 to 25, Arts Award embraces all interests and backgrounds. Through working towards an award young people learn to work independently, helping them to prepare for further education and employment.

Good Practice Centres are chosen from a range of sectors, including schools, youth and community centres and the arts and cultural sector.

Louise Betts, Bath Festivals Learning & Participation Manager says:
“We are delighted to have been selected as an Arts Award Good Practice Centre and look forward to working with more young people over the coming year to help them explore the arts and achieve their Arts Awards. We’re grateful to all the supporters who help to fund this vital work, and also to all the other local arts organisations we work with including The Holburne Museum, the egg theatre and Suited and Booted Studios, and partners such as B&NES youth service, the library service, Bath Spa University and many others.”  

Notes for Editors:

1. About Bath Festivals

Bath Festivals believes that festivals lift the soul and raise the spirit, make people feel good about the place they live in, and contribute significantly to the economy. Our leading music and literature festivals make the most of the world heritage city of Bath. We bring inventive, memorable and popular events to our many different audiences. We deliver inspiring work with children and young people, and provide support to the arts in our local area.

Bath Festivals produces the Bath International Music Festival, the Telegraph Bath Children’s Literature Festival and the Independent Bath Literature Festival, delivers a year round learning and participation programme for children and young people, and runs the Bath Box Office, serving over 120 other cultural organisations in and around Bath.

Bath Festivals earns a significant part of its income from box office sales and sponsorship, and, since the creation of the music festival in 1948, has also relied on grants, donations, and charitable giving in order to secure its national and international reputation and the contribution it brings to Bath’s creative and cultural life. Bath Festivals is currently funded by Arts Council England through its National Portfolio programme and also receives support from Bath and North East Somerset Council. 

2. About Arts Award and Trinity College London

Arts Award supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. Young people aged 7-25 of all abilities and interests can gain an Arts Award through any arts, media or cultural activity. Through Arts Award, children and young people can get recognition for their artistic achievements and enjoyment of the arts.

Arts Award has five levels*, four of which are accredited on the QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework). The award assesses personal creative development and helps to prepare young people for further education and employment. Young people develop their art form knowledge and understanding, alongside their creative, communication and leadership skills. Trained Arts Award advisers (usually a professional artist, teacher or youth worker) support young people to achieve their aspirations. For more information about Arts Award, call 020 7820 6178 or visit www.artsaward.org.uk

Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England working with 10 regional Bridge organisations.

Trinity College London is a leading international examinations board that delivers over 500,000 assessments each year. Recognised by Ofqual, Trinity College London examinations extend across music, drama, and into English for speakers of other languages, with assessment at every level from beginner to higher-level qualifications. For more information on Trinity College London, telephone 020 7820 6100 or visit www.trinitycollege.co.uk

* Gold is accredited at QCF 3 Level (which also carries 35 UCAS tariff points), Silver at Level 2, Bronze at Level 1 and Explore at Entry Level 3. Arts Award Discover is an introductory level which is not accredited on the QCF.

3. About Arts Council England

The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2011 and 2015, we will invest £1.4 billion of public money from government and an estimated £1 billion from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country. www.artscouncil.org.uk

A downloadable version of this press release is available here.