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Almost 12 months ago, a new government cultural programme aimed at children was launched in 10 Pathfinder areas. Paul Collard takes a look at what has happened since Cultural experiences are essential to enabling children and young people to unlock their talent and realise their potential, and can play a vital role in achieving the Every child matters outcomes. There is evidence that cultural experiences contribute in powerful ways to personal development, including enhancing life skills such as creativity, problem-solving, self-discipline, teamwork and good communication, as well as building confidence. These are the foundations for academic attainment and employability. And in the current economic climate, it is essential that no child is left behind through a lack of access to their own talents. Culture can also enrich, change and transform communities, including through strengthening families, increasing community cohesion and playing a significant role in social and economic regeneration. It is, therefore, essential that local authorities consider their local cultural offer through the perspective of children and young people, not just as passive consumers but as seeing the potential of these experiences for widening horizons and raising aspirations. Last autumn, Find your talent was launched to look at how to ensure that all children and young people can have the chance to try out different cultural and creative activities in their local area. Out of 141 areas which applied to take part in the programme, 10 pathfinder areas – eight run by collaborative partnerships including local authorities, and two led by arts organisations – were selected including: * Bolton * Customs House (North and South Tyneside) * Leeds * Liverpool City Region * North Somerset * Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) – a partnership of Hampshire CC, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council in the south east region * Shepway Find Your Talent, Kent * Telford & Wrekin * Tower Hamlets, London * Young Ambassadors Leicester Shire The vision for the Find your talent programme is for a sustained engagement with high-quality culture, as audiences, participants, creators and leaders, which will help shape a great childhood, but also sustain itself into adulthood. One year on, and there are already some exciting stories emerging from the Find your talent partnerships, which build on the existing investment and opportunities as well as developing new projects. For example, Telford Culture Zone, aims to create and sustain cultural arts opportunities for young people which help them develop skills needed for life-long involvement with cultural activities. Its recent collaboration with MADE, the Midlands Architectural Centre, a charity which specialises in engaging people in design activities, brought students together with an architect and creative professional to develop an under-used and isolated space, which will be used for outdoor language lessons. Subjects such as science and art have also benefited from using the space through analysis of water samples and photography, and creating bird sculptures. Cllr Stephen Burrell, cabinet member for children and young people, says of the project: ‘The students have shown enterprise and initiative to make the best-possible use of this space, and given the area a new lease of life. ‘I like the idea that curriculum subjects will be able to derive practical benefits from the project as well, and this is just another example of a different area that the Find your talent programme can support.' Meanwhile, in Kent, the Creative Foundation and Kent CC have joined with cultural agencies, schools and youth organisations, recognising the importance of ensuring that young people benefit from the extraordinary arts-led regeneration in the East Kent district of Shepway. Projects such as ‘Press gang' are giving children and young people the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals to learn film-making skills and gain an understanding of production. These are just some inspiring examples from the vast range of activities which are taking place across England through the Find your talent programme. We all have a responsibility to do more to make sure that all children and young people have ongoing access to creative and cultural activities. Access to cultural opportunity is too important to be an accident of geography or the privilege of a minority. To find out more, and to see examples of successful projects, visit www.findyourtalent.org Paul Collard is chief executive of Creativity, Culture and Education

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WHITEHALL

Finding their talents

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