News and Ideas
The latest news and thinking from Real Ideas – the Arts Council Bridge Organisation for the South West of England
Spring Webinars
Real Ideas Spring Webinars for Teachers The 4Cs – creativity, culture, connection, community – are at the heart of Real Ideas’ curriculum thinking. Our aim is to outline the practical activity on offer and create communities of practice around the 4Cs to support...
Native Creatives
A great opportunity from our friends at Festival Bridge...
Creative Assistant Fellowship with the Bristol Beacon Venue
Are you interested in producing or programming artistic/creative events, and want to begin a career in an arts venue or creative organisation? The Creative Assistant Fellowship at Bristol Beacon could be for you! This role is about on the job learning, so you do not...
Free Online Master Classes with Bristol Old Vic Theatre
Are you curious about entering the world of theatre-making? Want to try something new and different? Feel inspired and unleash your creativity with Let’s... The Bristol Old Vic have launched some FREE online masterclasses for young people and adults. Let’s… online...
Rhythm Circle Digital Games Project
Rhythm Circle Digital Games Project The Rhythm Circle Digital Games Project has just finished creating 3 online music games. Whether you are a school teacher delivering whole class music lesson or a family looking for enrichment activities, these games are useful...
Doorstop offer the best bits of their Bronze Arts Award as part of Arts Award Week
See how Doorstep's Arts Award went as they completed their bronze Arts Award! The participants all worked towards a musical production of 'Alice in Wonderland." They managed to execute the show, however many young people had to complete their Arts Award during the...
Find out how Lighthouse in Poole are finding their Arts Award journey
Read all about how Lighthouse in Poole have found their Arts Award delivery journey #LoveArtsAward Last year we at Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, decided to start our Arts Award delivery journey. Having been a supporter centre for years, we decided it was...
Schools Anthology- Save Our Seas!
Schools Anthology – Save Our Seas! Each year the University of Plymouth creates an anthology celebrating the talent of the city’s young people. They're on the lookout for submissions from students, from which the best will be selected and published in the anthology....
Taking Arts Award online in Gloucestershire #LoveArtsAward
How a creative network came together to make it happen 2020 was supposed to be a year of celebration for Arts Award in Gloucestershire. A group of diverse organisations from festivals to museums and libraries met at The Everyman Theatre in December 2019 to join forces...
Creativity Exchange
Creativity Exchange: A New Online Community to Encourage Teaching for Creativity This February Arts Council England (ACE) have launched Creativity Exchange, a new online community to encourage teaching for creativity across the curriculum. Designed for school leaders,...
Developing Digital
Following our autumn webinar exploring what was working in the shift to online delivery for the cultural sector, and this webinar explores the latest developments and best practice examples 6 months on. This webinar will also feature an introduction to Badge Nation, a...
Disrupt: Community, Art, Social Justice and the Pandemic
Open Call for Creative Proposal DISRUPT is a brand new digital arts festival taking place 8-9 July 2021. The event will explore how the performing arts has supported and collaborated with communities during the pandemic, and how a year of uncertainty and change has...
Can you help us help young people ready to start their careers?
It’s a really challenging time for many as we’re all acutely aware. However, for young people who have left school, education, university who find themselves in a hugely difficult economic climate, their careers, building skills for their future and maintaining energy...
Pavilion Dance South West 2021 Call Out
Pavilion Dance South West proudly presents Origins 2021- a digital performance platform for young dancers, schools & youth dance groups across the South West to showcase their creative dance film work. Applications are now open for Origins 2021, hosted by Pavilion...
Follow The Sun
BATH SPA UNIVERSITY HOSTS ONLINE LITERATURE AND WRITING SUMMIT: FOLLOW THE SUN Travel the world without leaving your home and join a dynamic summit of writers, artists and scholars at Follow the Sun, an online literature and writing conference hosted by Transnational...
Some of Their Favourite Digital Things
Software Cornwall have compiled a list of some of their favourite computer science and online learning resources aimed at kids and adults alike to help you through the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these resources are free and best of all, they are all fun and creative!...
Artist call out for digital commission in Gloucestershire Libraries
Interested in working in a digital and virtual format with library staff to co-create and deliver a series of creative interventions with children, families or young people? Libraries are needed more than ever as we cope with Covid 19. Children and young people have...
Tall Tales for Tiny Tots Are Back!
Plymouth-based Above Bounds Theatre Collective are back to ease some of those lockdown struggles with another series of weekly storyelling sessions for under 7s and their families. Join Vicki from Above Bounds in a fun, imaginative and welcoming space for...
Latest Support From SoundWaves Network
The SoundWaves Network is a three-year early childhood music education programme incorporating a strong element of training for the current and future early childhood workforce in the South West. It has just announced two more 'Sounding Board' online Zoom learning and...
Discover! Creative Careers
Discover! Creative Careers in National Careers Week 2021 (1-5 March) is an opportunity for teachers to give their students insight into the range of roles that exist across the creative industries. Featuring virtual tours of some of the UK’s leading businesses...
Pop Up Project’s 10 Stories to Make a Difference
For 10 years Pop Up Project have been delivering reading, writing and illustration experiences to over 100,000 children and young people, many in deprived areas and challenging circumstances. They're also working to build a more diverse next generation of children’s...
Michael Morpurgo’s Tales from Shakespeare
Register now for the RSC's free Schools' Broadcasts of Michael Morpurgo's Tales from Shakespeare The Royal shakespeare Company's free Schools' Broadcast series continues in 2021 with five new broadcasts sharing the work of former Children's Laureate and best-selling...
Faina & The Snow Beast
See below from all-female theatre company, Scratchworks Theatre Company! Most recently, after our Christmas tour of 'The Snow Beast' was cancelled due to Covid-19, we decided to turn it into an audio adventure using Emergency Funding from Arts Council England. ‘Faina...
Blog on national organisations research
Blog on national organisations research: Read the survey here. In early 2020 the ten Children and Young People Sector Support organisations (ACE Bridges) commissioned a piece of research into how we could work more effectively with national organisations for the...
WOW! Said the Owl | Little Angel Theatre’s digital performance
This December, Little Angel Theatre is putting on digital performances for EYFS/KS1 children of our production WOW! Said the Owl, based on the book by Tim Hopgood. For the cost of £300, schools can book to have one pre-recorded digital performance for their EYFS/KS1...
The Thriving Communities Fund
Delivered in partnership with the new National Academy for Social Prescribing (as well as NHS England and NHS Improvement, Sport England, Natural England and others) this is an exciting new scheme for us that builds on the ambitious commitments we make around health...
It’s Artsmark Celebration Week 9th – 13th Nov
It's that time of year again! Every year Artsmark host Artsmark Celebration Week to shout out about the fantastic achievements of schools and advocate for cultural education across the curriculum. Read more from our amazing Artsmark schools. ...
Tall Tales for Tiny Tots (Online sessions for Families)
Do you ever wonder if there’s a world waiting for you in your wardrobe, or a castle on the top of your roof? Ever wanted to know what it’s like to go to space, or swim to the bottom of the sea? Vicki from Above Bounds invites you to join her in telling some tall...
Great opportunity from Plymouth College of Art and Atlantic Youth Creative Hubs
International Creative Jam - City & Nature from Portugal to Plymouth! As part of the Atlantic Youth Creative Hubs (AYCH) we are offering an opportunity to participate in physical and virtual workshops and activities of the 3-day AYCH International Creative Jam....
Teachers’ Events
Upcoming events you might be intereted in... The Roche Court Educational Trust have some excellent upcoming events that may be of interest. The Trust is committed to providing teachers and art educators with opportunities for networking, exploring methods of making,...
Celebrating 15 years’ of Arts Award
At Real Ideas Organsiation, we're thrilled to be a part of Arts Award. We love nothing more than hearing all about young people discovering their 21st century skills. To celebrate 15 years' of Art Award is a huge success. Below you'll find a blog from Bodmin...
Funding opportunity for a small locally-based creative project through REVERBERATE
Re-discover, re-imagine, re-create Reverberate is part of Shout Out Loud, English Heritage’s national youth engagement programme, and being delivered in partnership with Sound Connections. Shout Out Loud is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Kick The Dust...
National School Survey Results
With the world a little topsy-turvey at the moment, the Bridge England Network (which we are proud to be part of) wanted to gather the general feeling from schools regarding their needs and their aspirations for students throughout the new school year starting in...
Ideas Factory with Shout Out Loud
Shout Out Loud is running two Ideas Factory sessions next week on Wednesday 19th August to ask young people what they think is important about heritage and what they think a youth heritage engagement programme should look like. This will be a great opportunity for...
Make a Music Video with West End Stars
Golden Toad Theatre has gone green in collaboration with West End stars, Courtney Stapleton (Six) and Joe Griffiths-Brown (Hamilton), are encouraging children to engage in theatre through song, dance, and a little bit of gardening! With their touring musical stage...
Free Online Music Production Course for 16-25 NEET
Creative Youth Network are continuing to provide online sessions, learning and opportunities for young people to stay connected, keep creative and provide aspiration for the future. One programme, which is becoming more important than ever due to unemployment rising...
National School Survey
The pressures educational leaders and professionals, are under is undeniable. It has been inspiring to witness how education settings and their communities have worked together to engage children and young people during the challenges of COVID-19. In particular we...
International Agatha Christie Festival – Story competition
Are you an aspiring writer? Show off your talents with a story competition from the International Agatha Christie Festival. More information below: Calling all young writers! We want you to write a story of no more than 1,000 words, and submit it to the IACF 2020...
Kindness & Inclusivity in our Schools in 2020
To mark the end of Pride month, Pavilion Dance South West will be hosting two special events with Andrew Moffat MBE. Both events will be taking place next week, Tuesday 30th June, and will be discussing the importance of kindness & inclusivity in the current...
On Air with Soundart Radio!
In need of some extra creativity for the kids? Soundart Radio is inviting young people to be a part of their radio show! The show will be reflecting back on your own lockdown experiences. All you need to do is record yourselves for 5 minutes! You could discuss your...
Stars Support New UK Youth Theatre Offer for Young People
Stars of stage and screen including Jodie Prenger, Mark Gatiss and Jo Joyner are just a few of the professional actors contributing to a digital workshop programme now available in the areas thanks to a digital programme being launched by Prime Theatre. The company is...
Refugee Week is coming – Activities for Children and Young People
Refugee Week 2020 kicks off on 15 June, and children and young people everywhere are invited to take part, at school or at home. The festival is happening virtually for the first time this year and the theme is ‘Imagine’, which is an invitation to all of us share the...
RIO Online Artsmark Development Day
Artsmark registered? Ready to start your journey? Sign up for one of our online development day sessions between now and the end of term! Artsmark development days provide the essential training for education settings who have registered for Artsmark but not yet...
From Lockdown With Love – bringing people together through creativity, art, music and much, much more. Are you getting creative whilst we’re in lockdown? Share a photo of your creations with us using #FromLockdownWithLove to share a message of love, hope and unity....
Some of our Favourite Things
This week's favourite things! Royal Opera House – Serene Swan Headdress Real Ideas’ Bluff it Into Film – Get creative with archive Tate Kids – Soap Carving SS Great Britain – Stuff to do at home Links to ideas, activities and support for children and families during...
Crowdfunder’s Pay It Forward Campaign
Pay it Forward: support for small businesses during COVID-19 pandemic In light of the sharp downturn in income felt by small businesses across the UK due to COVID-19, Crowdfunder and Enterprise Nation will provide the tech and tools to enable small businesses to...
B-side Curators and Artists Mentoring Programme
NEW ARTISTS MENTORING PROGRAMME From March 2020 - March 2021 b-side will train, mentor and support 5 young visual artists from the Borough of Weymouth & Portland (and surrounding areas) to develop, try and test new creative ideas that are specific and/or...
Youth Folk Sampler Days Coming This Summer
The English Folk Song and Dance Society are very excited to announce that they are providing more Youth Folk Sampler Days this summer. Aged 12-18? Play an instrument confidently? Want to take part in an inspiring day of music making? Sign up for a free place at the...
Big Emotions – Mindful Music for Little People
Big Emotions: Mindful Music For Little People Big Emotions: Mindful Music For Little People by Laura Loft, is a new creative wellbeing resource aimed at EYFS & KS1. A beautifully illustrated story and creative journey through Little Boy’s imaginative inner world...
Bristol Old Vic RE:SOURCES
Bristol Old Vic have now launched four online resource packs for KS2 teachers. These are intended to help allow small and rurally isolated schools benefit from working, whether directly or indirectly, with a large city-based arts organisation. The Old Vic have worked...