News and Ideas
The latest news and thinking from RIO – the Arts Council Bridge Organisation for the South West of England
Artsmark: Not What You Think It Is
When I mention Artsmark to most teacher friends and colleagues they initially pull a bit of a face. What they don’t realise is that, with significant advice from schools, it was completely re-designed and relaunched in 2015. It is still Arts Council England’s creative quality standard but re-framed as a powerful curriculum review and support tool, designed to help ensure that arts and creativity are at the heart of a broad and balanced learning experience for young people.
The EBacc is Failing Both the Arts and Itself
In the latest House of Commons report on Culture, Media and Sport, the impact of the EBacc on music education is listed as a “threat to the talent pipeline”. Whilst the report hesitates to admit any concerns from ministers themselves, it highlights a variety of issues...
Creative Making Residencies – Gloucester and Matson Libraries Commission
Create Gloucestershire, Art Couture Painswick and Gloucestershire Libraries and Information Service are looking to commission two innovative artists to deliver a creative making residency programme over a three month period in Matson and Gloucester.
£15,000 Grants Available For Teachers
SHINE’s Let Teachers SHINE competition is offering up to £15,000 to teachers who have brilliant ideas to help disadvantaged children succeed in English, maths or science.
ACE plans to match crowdfunding for Music Education Hubs
In response to a 2017 pilot project that found arts and heritage crowdfunding donations increased by 17% when the project was match-funded, Arts Council England is planning to develop further projects to support Music Education Hubs (MEHs) nationwide with match funding.
Artsmark – Find Out More!
Interested in Artsmark, but want to find out a bit more before taking the plunge? Pop along to one of our free, informal sessions.
Is Anybody Listening?
Just before Christmas it seemed there was positivity in the air for arts in education. And yet it seems the January gloom has darkened expectations again, with a number of recent reports once more highlighting the perilous state of the arts in schools.
Young Roche Artists
Do you know a young person who is a keen artist? Would they like to develop their understanding of art concepts and practical making skills? Are they between the ages of 13 and 18? Then Young Roche Artists is for them!
National Orchestra For All
The National Orchestra For All is a unique, mixed ability orchestra made up of 100 musicians aged 11-18 from across all four countries of the UK.
How Did We Get Here?: The Dangers of Sidelining Creative Education
It seems we have drifted into a world where ongoing funding for all schools and colleges has been replaced by initiatives, projects and schemes that make great announcements but do little to deal with real issues.
The National Theatre’s Drama Teacher Conference
The National Theatre’s Drama Teacher Conference is 2 days of inspiring professional development, exploring theatre practice through workshops, discussions and masterclass with a variety of fantastic theatre-makers. The weekend is taking place 21 – 22 February 2019.
Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival
Real to Reel: The Craft Film Festival is the first UK festival dedicated to craft and film. The Crafts Council offering secondary, 6th form and college students under 16 to chance to submit a film for free.
Voices – Creative Writing Competition
Voices, a creative writing competition for children in care and young care leavers, is back for 2019 and open for all your incredible entries until midnight on 10 February 2019.
Freelance Community Producer At Create Gloucestershire
Freelance Community Producer - Creative Trade Route This brief is for a freelance Community Producer to contribute ideas and experience to shape a new Creative Trade Route (CTR) which will run up and down the Painswick Valley and connect a range of cultural venues...
Porthmeor Young Artists
Aged between 13-18 and want to make art? Then Porthmeor Young Artists is for you!
Shape My City
Shape My City is a year-round programme involving 15-19 year olds in design and place-making.
Primary Colours: Fabian Society Report on the Decline of Arts Education in Primary Schools
The Fabian Society have today published a new report, Primary Colours, which reveals that two thirds (68%) of primary school teachers in England say there is less arts education now than in 2010, and half (49%) say the quality of what there is has got worse.
Work experience in the creative industries
With the cultural and creative industries adding approx £92billion to the UK economy, it is hard to ignore the financial value and opportunity for employment that the creative sector brings to the country. It is also argued, ‘highly creative’ jobs are immune to the...
Teacher Training for Btec Tech Award in Performing Arts
Pavilion Dance South West are delighted to introduce this course, new for Winter 2019 and designed for teachers of BTEC Tech Award in Performing Arts with a Dance focus.
Light in the darkness?
It may just be early Christmas cheer, but RIO consultant Gary Futcher has seen some glimmers of hope for the arts in education this past week.
Britain’s creative industries break the £100 billion barrier
New figures reveal Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s sectors are now worth £268 billion.
This philistine government is betraying the arts
In a sharply pointed piece on arts policy, Guardian columnist Hannah Jane Parkinson evokes the spirit of Jennie Lee, the first minister for the arts in 1964, in attacking what she sees as a ‘cultural deficit’ and ‘philistine times’ at the heart of government today.
Arts Council England announce £700,000 for Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 programme
A major cultural programme funded by, amongst others, £700,000 from Arts Council England that includes a music theatre collaboration between UK and US communities with local artists Seth Lakeman and Nick Stimson, spectacular new events, including the Mayflower Week and Ocean Festival and community engagement through education, arts and culture, sport and volunteering
Arts Matters
RIO consultant and former headteacher Gary Futcher has heard all the debates about arts education but now feels it’s time for action.
Happy International Men’s Day, Especially to Men in Primary Schools
This International Men’s Day, RIO consultant Lewis Gerry want to give some recognition to any and all men working in schools, particularly primary.
Autism-friendly Opening at Cornwall’s Regimental Museum
Cornwall’s Regimental Museum are holding a festive ‘Relaxed Opening’ – an adapted opening for people with autism, so they can enjoy the museum at a quieter pace!
BFI Film Academy Residential Programme 2019
The BFI Film Academy Residential Programme 2019 is now open for applications!The courses which will be run during the February 2019 half-term include; animation, screenwriting, documentary filmmaking and animation and VFX. The Craft Skills residential...
Ashburton Questingle
This Sunday, head to the Bank Youth Project for Play Torbay’s ‘Ashburton Questingle’ event – an outdoor mystery and story quest for all the family!
‘For Remembrance Day, Celebrate Creativity in Schools’
Pupils need creativity skills more than ever, says Professor Bill Lucas in a TES article as he highlights a Remembrance Day project.
The National Creative Learning Awards Are Now Open
Nominations for the National Creative Learning Awards are now open, the charity The Creative Learning Guild have announced.
Bristol to Host Channel 4 Regional Hub
Bristol is to host one of two new Channel 4 Creative Hubs alongside Glasgow, while Leeds will be home to the channel’s new National HQ, it has been announced.
4MinuteFilm Challenge
The 4MinuteFilm Challenge is your opportunity to have a go at making a short film with young people you work with, about a sculpture in your area and receive £100 bursary to help you along the way!
Loss of small music venues is handing control of culture to robots, MPs told
The poor economic model for those running small music venues is handing influence over the UK’s cultural tastes to streaming service algorithms.
Nesta announces Cultural Impact Development Fund
Nesta launches the Cultural Impact Development Fund, a new £3.7m social investment fund for arts, cultural and creative organisations bringing positive change to their communities.
‘Primary Creative Computing’ – A Free Webinar
In a complex digital world, Arts Award & A Little Learning are teaming up to run a creative computing webinar & give you some ideas to use in the classroom.
Culture needs a ‘5-a-day’ campaign, MPs hear
A committee investigating the positive impact of culture and sport on mental and physical health heard that a lack of funding and the absence of a joined-up strategy prevent initiatives becoming more widely available.
When It Comes to the Arts in Schools, It’s a Health Issue…
RIO Consultant and former headteacher, Gary Futcher, ponders a healthy prescription for arts and culture in schools. On World Mental Health Day it was chastening to listen to campaigner Natasha Devon speaking on Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme. For all the...
Community Trails Success Shows Lasting Impact of Cross-Curricular Community Projects in Schools.
Over a 2 year period, Beaford in North Devon worked with eight primary schools and six artists to explore how creative learning can be embedded into different rural settings through a programme combining arts, heritage, environment and community engagement.
AGE 16 – 19? LOVE FILM? Apply for the BFI Film Academy Bristol
You get to: make great films, work with professional filmmakers, be part of a crew and make good friends, gain skills and confidence and find out how to get into working in film. You can make a documentary or a live action drama (with animation) Find out...
£5m Youth Performance Partnerships to boost performing arts
Five Youth Performance Partnerships will be created to bring arts organisations and schools together Five Youth Performance Partnerships will be created in England to give young people greater access to the performing arts, Secretary of State for Digital,...
Artsmark: Time to Say YAAAAY!
This Artsmark Celebration Week it’s time to say congratulations to the 45 south west schools and education settings who have gained their Artsmark awards over the past year! Artsmark is the creative quality standard for education settings accredited by...
New community opera to mark the centenary of WW1
A new opera to commemorate 100 years since the end of the Great War will be performed by 200 children from across Bristol this weekend [Friday 12 and Saturday 13 October] at St Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol. Pupils from Horfield Church of England...
Words That Burn: a free education resource for secondary schools
Words that Burn is a national project for young people, facilitated through Amnesty International UK, to explore and express human rights through poetry. Literature Works, the South West’s literature development agency, has entered a partnership with Amnesty to bring the programme to Plymouth secondary schools.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation launch new Teacher Development Fund
The Teacher Development Fund (TDF), now in its second year, supports cohorts of primary teachers in developing their teaching through the arts. Recent recipients of the pilot grants are looking at, for example, metacognition, vocabulary development,...
Calling all creatives: Do you have a digital idea that addresses a social challenge?
A call for ideas from the UK’s cultural and creative community. Today Nesta launches Amplified, offering funding and support to develop digital ideas that improve the lives of others.
Plymouth confirmed as host city for British Art Show 9
The UK’s largest touring exhibition of contemporary British Art will be heading to Plymouth again in 2021, following the official announcement by London’s Hayward Gallery that the city has been selected as one of the four host locations for British Art Show 9 (BAS 9).
Get ready for BBC Music Day 2018
BBC Music Day is this Friday and musicians are getting ready to celebrate this fourth annual celebration of the power of music to change lives.
Music education is being ‘lost’ in schools
Mercury Prize 2018 Winners Wolf Alice say they wouldn’t be a band now if they hadn’t had access to music education at school.
Exciting CPD Opportunities for Music Educators with Trinity Laban
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance are offering two exciting opportunities that may be of interest to music educators. The Teaching Musician The Teaching Musician is a postgraduate programme, developed to support and recognise the skills of...
Artsmark Opportunities at the Holburne Museum
The Holburne Museum in Bath has recently become an Artsmark Partner and are really looking forward to working with schools to support their Artsmark journey. The Holburne was founded in 1882 with the gift of Sir William Holburne’s collection of 16th and...