Space Chase, Summer Reading Challenge 2019 and Arts Award Discover

We’re happy to be working with The Reading Agency again this year on the Space Chase, Summer Reading Challenge 2019. This will be the seventh year we have worked together to support children who want to achieve Arts Award Discover during the summer.

How does it work?

To complete the Summer Reading Challenge, young people will have to read six library books over the summer holidays, libraries will also be offering all sorts of extra fun activities, including Arts Award! Summer Reading Challenge activity can be used towards Arts Award Discover, however young people don’t need to have read all six books to achieve their award.

How does Arts Award Discover link to the Summer Reading Challenge?

To offer Arts Award Discover, libraries can download a free resource pack from The Reading Agency which includes: an A5 flyer of information for parents, Mischief Makers activity sheets and a mapping document showing how activities fit with Arts Award Discover. Don't forget you can include drawings, posters and photos alongside the activity booklet as evidence for Discover! Many more resources for delivering Discover can be found on our Arts Award Adviser Hub.

If you have delivered Arts Award Discover before as part of Summer Reading Challenge, why not think about progressing onto Arts Award Explore like Staffordshire adviser Liz Gardener? Here’s what she had to say on delivering Explore:

Running Arts Award Explore alongside the Summer Reading Challenge helps to engage 8-10-year olds in completing the Summer Reading Challenge. By this age many of the children will have done it two or three years in a row.

What happened last year?

Last year 727,150 children participated in the Summer Reading Challenge from England, Wales and Scotland. Out of those, 1,076 children across 13 library authorities in England achieved their Arts Award Discover! The theme of the challenge was Mischief Makers, which helped celebrate the 80th birthday of the much-loved comic, Beano.

If you would like further information about the Summer Reading Challenge, please visit their website: www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk

Please note Arts Award Discover portfolios must be assessed by a trained Arts Award Adviser before ordering certificates. For more information please visit our website: www.artsaward.org.uk/discover