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Creativity and Culture – Changing Young Lives
Paul Collard
At CCE, we define creativity as “imaginative activity with outcomes that are both original and of value”. This is the definition used in the 1999 report All Our Futures, commissioned by the British Government, which led to the establishment of our major programme, Creative Partnerships.
For young people, this requires the ability to question, make connections, innovate, problem solve, communicate, collaborate and reflect critically. These skills enrich the lives of young people while meeting the requirements of contemporary employers.
Creative Partnerships is designed to develop the creative skills of young people across England, raising their aspirations, achievements and life chances. It does so by fostering innovative, long-term partnerships between schools and a range of creative professionals.
Independent research and reports have found that Creative Partnerships has a positive effect on everyone involved, changing young lives. We have now worked with over 4,900 schools from Key Stages 1 to 4 across England, witnessing raised attainment levels and improved school performance.
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) found that young people involved with Creative Partnerships obtained, on average, the equivalent of 2.5 grades better GCSE results (the national exams which take place at 16). 70% of head teachers surveyed also reported an improvement in pupil behaviour, and absence rates have been reduced by a fifth in Creative Partnerships primary schools.
Creativity in schools does have a real and beneficial impact, but it is also vital that children access cultural experiences. Find Your Talent, the UK government’s pilot cultural offer for all children and young people in England, was launched in 2008. Managed by CCE, the programme will help children and young people to access new cultural experiences, express themselves, develop a passion and make the most of their talent – whether it is music, art, film, theatre, dance, digital media, exploring libraries, museums or heritage. Find Your Talent is currently being piloted in 10 pathfinder areas across England and offers children regular involvement with arts and culture both in and outside of school.
Inspiring young people is what CCE does! As a new national organisation we aim to transform the lives of children and families by harnessing the potential of creative learning and cultural opportunities. Our vision is for children’s creativity to be encouraged and nurtured in and out of school and for all children to experience and access a diverse range of cultural activity, because these opportunities can have an enormous impact on their life chances.
