Savvy students shape national activities

Students at Chingford Foundation School, an Arts Award Good Practice Centre, have been making their mark on Arts Award’s 10^th birthday celebrations.

A team of young people in Years 9 & 10 have fed into Arts Award’s offer for young people during Arts Award Week (2-10 July), the finale of Arts Award’s 10^th birthday campaign.

Through workshops with Arts Award’s marketing and communications team, the students have fed into plans for an ArtsAward10 Twitter Party (taking place on 5 July) which will be focused on creative careers in line with the 10^th birthday theme - Our Creative Future.

The students offered suggestions on the wording that will be used to promote Arts Award Week to young people and also provided input around the content, format and timing of the Twitter Party.

Cathy Thornhill at Trinity College London, who leads on the marketing and communications for Arts Award, was delighted by the young people’s level of input: ‘I was struck by how articulate the students are and how nuanced their contributions were during our sessions. Their feedback has been invaluable to our aim of providing activities that feel relevant and engaging to as many young people as possible’.

Yolanda Guns, Arts Co-Ordinator and Arts Award adviser at Chingford Academies Trust commented: ‘The group really engaged well with the task and enjoyed putting across their views. Teachers know how important it is that the opinions of young people are considered so I’m pleased that Arts Award recognise this as well’.

The group also worked with Arts Award’s graphic designer, Mark Pepperall Director of Hot Pepper Design to select the  Arts Award Week badge which will be used on the Arts Award and Voice website, social media, posters and promotional items. Do you like their choice?

Centres can use the badge too - by requesting a free Arts Award Week pack (by 27 May) which will include customisable posters, or by downloading the graphic itself from artsaward.org.uk/logo

Chingford School plan to mark Arts Award Week with a different activity each day including an exhibition of portfolios at all levels, a Barbican Box theatre performance at The Barbican on 5 July and staging of an original musical by the Arts Award Theatre Company.

If you’re interested in getting your centre involved in Arts Award Week check out the Your Arts Award Week resource for more inspiration!