Arts Award

Arts Award is a range of unique qualifications that inspire children and young people from 5 up to 25 to get involved in art in all its forms from dance, drama and music to fine art, sculpture and digital art. It develops creative, rounded learners who can use their skills across the curriculum and take these skills into the wider world.

Why do Arts Award?

There are no entry requirements for Arts Award, no time limit for completing the award, and no set rules on how to present final work.

Through Arts Award children and young people gain a nationally recognised qualification enabling them to progress into further education and employment.

Arts Award has five levels, four of which (Explore, Bronze, Silver, Gold) are recognised as Entry Level 3 and Levels 1, 2 and 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Arts Award Discover is an introductory level. So there are levels to cover all age ranges, talents and skill-sets.

Find out more about Arts Award if you are a:

School

Youth and Community organisation

Arts and Cultural organisations

Key impacts of Arts Award on young people

Life skills- through completing an Arts Award young people develop key transferable skills such as increased confidence, leadership and organisational skills.

Accreditation- Arts Award is a respected and universal qualification.
Arts Choices- Arts Award encourages young people to explore a range of art forms and ideas.
Entrepreneurial skills- Arts Award encourages independent learning, communication and networking skills.
Creativity for life- Arts Award provides a window into the cultural sector helping children and young people to develop an understanding of future employment possibilities in the creative industries.

How does Arts Award support young people’s learning?

By completing an Arts Award programme young people are given the opportunity to:

Reflect on and shape their learning.
Develop their leadership and peer mentoring skills.
Work collaboratively.
Undertake personalised and independent learning.
Apply their learning.
Gain accreditation.
Develop an understanding of portfolio assessment.
Research and explore diverse sources.
Learn outside the classroom.
Develop non-art skills.

How do we support Arts Award?

We offer a range of support to professionals who work with young people – we can give you more information on Arts Award and how you can become an Adviser or we can help you develop your offer if you are already trained.

We also offer financial support to schools and organisations who are interested in starting Arts Award in their settings or progressing beyond offering one level of Arts Award.

Become an Arts Award adviser

Arts Award advisers are key to the success of Arts Award. An Adviser is a trained adult who supports young people in gaining arts experiences, provides guidance and assesses arts logs and portfolios. Teachers, teaching assistants, museum learning staff, art practitioners, youth workers and volunteers can all train as advisers. For more information about Arts Award training click here.

Become an Arts Award centre

Your education, arts or cultural setting can become an Arts Award centre for young people to use as a base to complete their award. To become a centre you will need at least one trained Arts Award adviser. Becoming an Arts Award centre is a great way to-

Strengthen links with young people, schools, arts practitioners and youth groups.
Gives cause for partnership working.
Build and promote your offer arts and cultural to young people.
Kick-starts and enriches new arts programmes.
Develop your existing work with young people through the Arts Award framework.

To find out more about becoming an Arts Award centre click here.

Financial support from Arts Connect

Through our support scheme, we want to extend the reach and delivery of Arts Award within the West Midlands and we offer an investment of £500 (plus training fees for those on the Start-Up strand) towards new Arts Award activity.

We offer two different investment opportunities for Arts Award programmes:

Investment for Arts Award Start-up Programme

This is for schools and organisations working with young people in the West Midlands who are not currently offering Arts Award but would like to introduce it.

Investment for Arts Award Progression Programme

This is for schools and organisations working with young people in the West Midlands who are already delivering Arts Award but would like to include additional levels.

Further details of our Investment programmes are here