Arts Award

Arts Award, a national qualification for young people run by the Arts Council and Trinity Guildhall, is marking Youth Work Week with a publicity campaign to expand use of the award in youth work.  

Diana Walton, Head of Arts Award Development, commented: ‘We know that Arts Award works well in youth work and informal education settings – to mark Youth Work Week 08 we are congratulating 170 successful projects in full page adverts! 

‘We also know that many youth workers incorporate Arts Award within their delivery and now have expertise which others could tap into.  We’re calling on youth workers to share their experiences though a simple online survey. We are committed to developing guidance which is really relevant to the sector.’

Arts Award supports young people to explore their own arts interests and to develop communication, planning and leadership skills. Each student works with an arts adviser who may be an artist, teacher or youth worker who has trained for this role.  

Abbie Dunn, an Arts Award adviser from Stradbroke Youth Centre, said: 'As a relatively new Arts Award adviser…it’s been a real learning curve that I have enjoyed and I feel positive I could do again. The young people…all agreed that the challenge was worth it and feel they have achieved their aim as they are now seen more positively by older members of their local community.'

Youth workers are invited to share their experience of running Arts Award within the youth sector at www.artsaward.org.uk/youthwork by 30 November 2008.