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Take a look at: Creative Partnerships | Projects
Here you will find just a few of our Case Studies from our projects completed by the Blackpool Grand Creative Learning team:
Grand Junior Artists
Blackpool Grand Theatre’s, Grand Junior Artists is an arts and resilience after-school programme which ran from 2017 to 2019.
Over 200 local children have been involved, working with a range of local and national artists to build their skills, strengthen resilience, and develop their own creativity as they made new artworks and performances in response to the stories presented on the theatre’s stage.
Many of the children gained Arts Awards and, as a result of the programme, felt confident enough to take part in other after-school and lunchtime programmes.
The Junior Artists have seen a range of shows at Blackpool Grand and have explored with the artists how characters deal with difficult situations. This project was supported by the Ragdoll Foundation, Blackpool Council, Curious Minds and was supported by Boing Boing, The University of Brighton.
The Ragdoll foundation said of the project:
There is a good balance of activities and settings. Thorough evaluation plans are in place, including training young people to be young evaluators, both of this programme and of the Grand’s wider work.
Arts Award Programme
Over the past year, the theatre’s programme has worked with over 200 young people to gain an Arts Award. This nationally recognised and accredited programme is run by Trinity College in partnership with the Arts Council. Blackpool Grand is an Arts Award Centre and works with a range of local and national artists to deliver this high-quality programme.
The Arts Award can be achieved at five levels:
- Discover: Introductory Level
- Explore: Entry Level
- Bronze: Level 1
- Silver: Level 2
- Gold: Level 3 (carries 16 UCAS points)
The Blackpool Grand Arts Award Programme celebrated the first 11 young people who have been awarded a Silver Arts Award in 2019. In addition, the youngest children who have gained a Discover Arts Award were just four years old.
Robin Newton-Syms, Director of The Lancashire Colleges and Board Member of Future U, said:
“Having the opportunity to experience the arts through performances and visual art and reflect on these experiences has had a positive impact on these students, this was evident in their group exhibition project they held for the public at Blackpool Grand in July (2019).
Over time these students have developed not only their artistic and creative natures, but also in confidence and their social skills.’
Many of the young people engaged in this programme would not normally go to the theatre or engage with creative arts, so by incorporating these settings into their educational pathways it has altered their perceptions and expectations of where they see themselves and their future careers.
Blackpool Grand has recently awarded our youngest artists their first Arts Award to 25 four-years-olds. The theatre welcomed Jane Beardsworth, Arts Council England Regional Director, to present over 100 Arts Awards.
To discuss one of our projects or a potential creative partnership contact one of our Creative Learning team on
01253 290 111, alternatively email creativelearning@blackpoolgrand.co.uk
