Arts Award has been a proud partner of the National Saturday Club for a number of years, with many young people achieving their Arts Awards at their local Saturday Club. In response to Covid-19, National Saturday Club Online has recently launched –a comprehensive creative learning resource filled with expert tuition, projects briefs, and Masterclasses with industry professionals.
What are National Saturday Clubs?
Across the UK, the National Saturday Club gives 13–16-year-olds the opportunity to explore subjects they love at their local university, college or cultural institution, for free. There are four Saturday Club subject strands: Art&Design, Fashion&Business, Science&Engineering and Writing&Talking.
At their local Club, members take part in an inspirational year-long programme of weekly Saturday classes led by professional tutors, which introduce an array of skills and techniques in their chosen subject. In addition to the weekly classes, Club members take part in national network events including Masterclasses with leading industry professionals, a cultural visit to London and the opportunity to exhibit in a major public exhibition.
How can I get involved?
Usually National Saturday Club activities are only open to members. However, as a response to Covid-19, the National Saturday Club Online platform has launched and currently, the featured projects are open to all.
The platform provides free to access activities to take part in at home, designed by Saturday Club tutors from colleges and universities across the country, as well as creative Masterclass briefs set by leading industry professionals.
How does this link to Arts Award?
Some Art&Design, Fashion&Business and Writing&Talking Clubs offer members the chance to gain a Bronze or Silver Arts Award. So, if you are looking to achieve an Arts Award and aren’t already working with an Arts Award adviser or centre, or if you want to expand your creative practice, you could look to join a Saturday Club near you when they are running face to face sessions again.
For now, many of the resources on National Saturday Clubs Online provide you you with activities which can contribute towards an Arts Award you may be completing at home. Many of the briefs set by the expert tutors are accompanied by information about the tutor which can be used as part of:
By doing arts activities and completing briefs set by National Saturday Clubs Online you may also have enough evidence for:
- Bronze Part A
- Silver Unit 1 Parts A-B
- Gold Unit 1 Part A
We also recommend you take a look at Arts Award Voice for more guidance and inspiration if you are looking to achieve your Arts Award at home. If you are not already working towards your Arts Award, you will need an Arts Award adviser to assess and submit your work for you. You can join a National Saturday Club starting in September/October 2020.
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