Artsmark Partner Database

The Norris Museum is keen to support schools and education settings on their Artsmark journeys, inspiring children and young people to create, experience and participate in great arts and culture, ensuring they learn about their heritage in an engaging and fun way.

The museum currently offers a range of interactive school sessions, designed to support the national curriculum, and are as well designed to; inspire, ensuring a positive,         engaging, unique, exciting, hands on experience which actively involves children and young people in all aspects of the sessions.

We can offer the following opportunities:-

• A range of learning sessions on a variety of topics relating to Huntingdonshire’s history.
• Each learning session focuses on exploration and discovery through hands-on learning, using artefacts from the museum’s diverse collection, whilst supporting learning targets across the KS1 and KS2 National Curriculum.
• Sessions are held on-site at the museum but some can also be delivered at your school.
• We offer a selection of Local history walks around the town.
• Sessions at the museum, includes time to explore the museum galleries and take part in activities both in the galleries and in our community room.

Here are some of the ways that the Norris Museum can help you against the Artsmark self-assessment criteria:

Leadership – If you are looking for expertise in arts and culture, get in touch. We will be able to advice on how we can best work together.

Curriculum design – Museums are great places for cross curricular learning, and our Learning Officer is experienced in supporting pupils and teachers to explore and make connections between subjects. Please contact us about the sessions we can deliver     either at the museum or your education setting.

Continued Professional Development – We can offer teachers an opportunity to visit the museum to find out more about what school sessions we offer. During these visits, we can advise on which sessions fit with future topic plans, as well as offer some basic object handling training for loaned items. We also ask for teacher feedback on our current offer and changes planned for the future. If you have any thoughts or queries about how we can support you, please get in touch and we can see what we can do.

Range of Offer – Visits to museums are a great way to ensure school children and young people have access to wide-ranging, high quality heritage experience. The Norris Museum is free to visit, and we offer a wide range of school sessions which are led by our Learning Officer (charges apply for a taught session).

Partnerships – We enjoy working in partnership with schools and education settings in lots of different ways so, if you have an idea, please do get in touch and we’ll see what we can do.

A visit to Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery experiences a Norman fortress and royal palace, a Medieval gaol, a Georgian prison, as well as collections including Egyptians, Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxon, Viking, Royal Norfolk Regiment, Natural history and Art. We offer a range of school activities which bring subjects to life for all Key Stages. All our events are planned by Learning Officers – all former teachers – and are based on the content of the National Curriculum or exam board specifications. We employ many active learning techniques so that students discover and remember information through a mixture of visual, audio and kinaesthetic activities, such as object-handling, drama, music, craft, trails and tours.

EVENTS

Students are excited, actively engaged and inspired during their visits to us due to the narrative structure of our events. Our Humanities, English and Maths events are typically set in the past and usually led by costumed characters. Research is carried out to ensure costumes, characters’ names and historical information are as accurate and up-to-date as possible. Students first meet these characters arguing or discussing a problem then meet each character in individual sessions during the event. At the end of the day students are asked for their opinions on the characters’ viewpoints or for resolutions. Sessions are delivered by former teachers, professional actors and skilled and experienced Museum Learning Assistants to ensure shared understanding, expertise and knowledge.

RESOURCES

Our Art events are led by professional artists who share new skills and philosophies about art alongside their career experiences. Students take inspiration from our art galleries – which include works from the Norwich School, Dutch School, Decorative Arts world and Contemporary movement – before creating and evaluating their own piece of art.

We provide pre-visit support and post-visit resources to enhance any visit. We constantly self-evaluate our events and resources. Evaluations from school staff and students are consistently excellent and record how visiting us has helped their students’ progress once back in the classroom. Any constructive feedback is used to improve future events. As a result, we hold a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and a Sandford Award which is an independently judged and quality assured assessment of education programmes at heritage sites.

OPPORTUNITIES

Any student who visits is given a free ticket to return to the museum during their own time. Many return with their families to show what they learnt during their school visit which bestows a sense of ownership and belonging to our buildings and collections. This sense is also developed through students learning about their local heritage which is key to children and young people understanding who they are. Students who are interested in museums and art can take advantage of further opportunities such as our extra-curricular Art and History groups, work experience placements and Takeover Day partnerships. We also offer teachers training, CPD, conferences and masterclasses.

Therefore our diverse range of buildings, collections and events for all ages can help deliver your Artsmark criteria.

Britten Pears Arts is a pioneering music, arts and heritage charity based on the Suffolk coast at two popular, historic visitor destinations: The Red House and Snape Maltings. We emerged from the creative partnership of Benjamin Britten, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, and his professional and personal partner, singer Peter Pears.

Britten and Pears shared a progressive vision for music and the arts to be useful, helping people enhance and bring joy into their lives. Our founders’ vision inspires all our activity, from work with our local communities to our national leadership roles in the fields of talent development and music, health and wellbeing.

We aim to engage and inspire young people in a variety of ways. For school groups, we offer a full and extensive range of school sessions from KS1-4 at the Red House linking all aspects of the National Curriculum (https://brittenpears.org/visit/school-visits/), as well as a year-round programme of participatory projects supporting students and teachers to take part in high quality musical activities and training.

Leadership & CPD

We offer teachers the chance to develop their skills and knowledge through regular CPD events, project-based skills development or bespoke sessions, which we can develop for schools on request.

Friday Afternoons

Friday Afternoons connects teachers and young people with contemporary composers, through creating high quality repertoire, resources and training to encourage challenging and exciting music making experiences for all. Free songs and training resources are available at www.fridayafternoonsmusic.co.uk

Curriculum Design

All school sessions delivered at the Red House are linked to multiple areas of the National Curriculum allowing Arts and Culture to be embedded with in children’s learning. Specific aims and needs of learners visiting The Red House can be catered for on request.

Children and young people engagement

Britten Pears Arts is registered as an Arts Award Centre, with activities taking place across both sites, offering the Arts Award Discover-Gold for young people. As part of this, showcasing and sharing young people’s artwork at our sites is encouraged where possible, so it can be celebrated by staff, young people and visitors. Our participatory projects Celebration and the Big Sing take place annually to inspire and engage young people and can be used to support the Arts Award, supporting personal progression of young people.

Range of offer

Britten Pears Arts offers a range of exciting, inspiring and engaging activities for young people to explore music, art, design and history across its two historic sites. The chance to explore, create and learn in the authentic surroundings of Benjamin Britten’s home and concert hall is a positive and inclusive experience for young people.  We are happy to speak to teachers and develop a visit based on your Arts Mark Journey.

Partnership

We are keen to speak to schools that are on their Arts Mark journey, so we can develop strong partnerships and provide their children a unique opportunity to discover and learn about the arts.

Felt Fantastic® can visit Schools to show samples of creative work and to discuss ideas and possibilities with you about what you want to achieve for your School and how we can do this collaboratively. For Schools working towards their Artsmark Award, Felt Fantastic® can provide taster CPD sessions for key members of teaching staff without cost.
On completion of your project with Felt Fantastic® we will complete an evaluation session with your pupils and I will provide you with data with the children’s feedback about their creative experience. This evaluation data provides you with valuable and meaningful evidence that you can use to compliment your statement of impact that is submitted to the Arts Council England when your School applies for their Artsmark Award.
Lizzie who runs Felt Fantastic® has a breadth of experience and skills working with young people of all ages and adapts intuitively to a variety of abilities. Lizzie is skilled in engaging people. A highly organised and effective Leader, Lizzie is also a Team player and will work effectively alongside your staff members and pupils. Through clear planning Lizzie will ensure Felt Fantastic® workshops are fully accessible to your pupils and your intended audience will be able to participate. Lizzie has experience and professional training to work with young people with special learning needs.
Wet Felting is a very versatile craft which can be used to create many things, and can effectively bring to life many areas of learning for children and their Teachers. We will work together to draw out and record the areas of learning, to help you to identify salient points to include in your statement of impact.

As one of the only professional venue-based producing theatres in Norwich, we offer a uniquely diverse and high quality range of learning experiences.

We can deliver a wide variety of hands-on experiences in the classroom, at other venues or in the Theatre including Puppet Making, Shadow Play, Show & Tells with our fascinating puppet collection, and back-stage or heritage tours. We can also provide drop-in workshops for large events, festivals and community projects.

Artpocket is an independent Art school in the heart of Norwich Arts Quarter.

Our ethos is to encourage others to MAKE, THINK and DO creatively.
We support creativity for children and adults at all levels and stages of their creative journey.
We offer an affordable, yet high quality experience, always encouraging those participating to push their creative boundaries and achieve their very best potential.

We offer creative support with Key stages 2-5, whole school projects and staff continuing professional development. We work with class teachers to develop innovative, exciting and inspiring workshops and longer term projects that link to curriculum or whole school areas of focus.

Our offer:

Key stages 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Thematic creative projects linked to schools curriculum focus.
Creative skills workshops in Drawing, Printmaking, Book Arts, Textiles, 3D.

Key Stage 3, 4 & 5

​​Creative ideas generation workshop.

Key stages 4 & 5

Group critique & Ideas development workshop

​Portfolio and presentation workshops

Exhibition project

Staff CPD

We can deliver creative staff development within your school setting for all staff.
​This can be tailored to support your establishments’ improvement and development plan, for staff wellbeing or focused on development of specific creative skills and techniques (e.g.Drawing, Printmaking, Book Arts, Textiles, 3D ) that can be taken back to the classroom.

Parent and child workshops

Working together creatively can help to foster relationships and help parents to understand how and what children are learning. We develop fun and engaging workshops that require parents and children to work as a team and create artwork that they will feel pride in.

Discount for Artsmark schools staff, parents and children.

To support schools to promote wellbeing through creativity, we offer a generous 15% discount on our evening and after school courses to all Artsmark schools staff, parents and children.

Our offer

Teacher Resources that inspire creativity, are categorised by theme and key stage and that have a cross curricular emphasis. Our resources are engaging, visual step by step guides, taken from real art sessions lead by professional artists and teachers. The materials and processes are defined in a clear and accessible format and each resource places emphasis on open ended learning and inclusivity. They can be used for activities within class time, or for after school art clubs.

We have a specially created Artsmark section on our website with resources carefully selected to reflect a broad range of skill and creative exploration. The results are categorised according to art discipline, cross-curricular (including literacy, STEAM and SMSL links), and where applicable, key stage. Each resource enables children and young people to explore their creative independence, personal progression and take ownership of their ideas.

CPD and InSET

We can offer bespoke, artist-led CPD and InSET in your school to support specific aims on your Artsmark journey. Our approach is very much to support teachers in exploring their own creativity and to grow their confidence in exploring art in the classroom, regardless of background and skill.

Our CPD and InSET sessions are available for Primary, Secondary and SEND settings, and can be scheduled as a half day, full day, or twilight booking. Please contact us for a full price breakdown.

We have seen real positive results over the fifteen years we have been visiting schools and delivering our CPD and Inset training. We provide all materials and a range of objects and deliver workshops focused on drawing basics, right the way through to collaborative and experimental mark making. The sessions are fun and informal and crucially, designed to help teachers bring the visual arts into their classrooms with ease and confidence.

New International Encounter (NIE) is an international company that makes award-winning theatre performances and projects through a mix of theatre, live music, storytelling and a European ensemble. Over the last 17 years we have created spellbinding theatre projects working in 34 countries spanning 4 continents, from New York, Cape Town to Shanghai.

NIE’s storytelling, creative writing and drama workshops bring imaginative new approaches to the curriculum and whole school development. We can offer performances, workshops and projects working with your school and a team of talented professional artists.

Workshops can be tailored to suit age and ability. We can offer one-off workshops or develop a longer-term project together.

Working with young people as co-creators and as artists in their own right, our projects develop confidence, team building, literacy, self-esteem, digital and leadership skills.

Russell Maliphant Company is an Artsmark Partner and proud to be supporting schools and education settings on their Artsmark journey. We can provide a range of activities to support schools who are working towards or currently hold an Artsmark Award, helping to inspire children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

Our activities support the following Artsmark areas:

Performances

We perform across the UK and internationally and welcome bookings from schools. Check out our upcoming tour dates here. Many of the venues we are touring to offer ticket discounts for group bookings.

Talks

Find out more about the company or performance you’ve just seen at one of our post show talks. Contact your local venue to see if they are holding one. If not, we can sometimes arrange a bespoke talk for your students.

Workshops

We offer dance workshops for students in key stage 4 and above. Our education team can come to you to lead a bespoke workshop for your group.

Intensives

A longer project working in depth with students in key stage 4 and above. It may include class, creative tasks, learning repertoire from one of our productions, or creating a short original work which can be performed. We can work with a small group of students, a whole year group or school, or even a group of local schools together.

Continuing Professional Development

Our education team can work with your staff to support them and increase their confidence in delivering dance in your setting.

Arts Award

Russell Maliphant Company is a registered Arts Award Supporter. We can provide a range of activities to support young people to achieve their Arts Award. Our activities support the following Arts Award areas:

Performances: we perform across the UK and internationally. Check out our upcoming tour dates here.

Workshops: we offer workshops for students in key stage 4 and above. Our education team can come to you to lead a bespoke workshop for your group.

Post Show Talks: find out more about the company or performance you’ve just seen at one of our post show talks.

If you’d like to book a workshop, discuss a project or talk more about how Russell Maliphant Company can support you on your Artsmark journey, please contact Olive Kane, Access and Education Manager: o.kane@russellmaliphant.com

Music For Youth is a national youth arts charity giving young people free access to life-changing opportunities to perform & discover music, right across the UK.

If you’re someone who works in Music Education, or Education more widely, Music for Youth offers a range of free opportunities for you and your young people, either as performers or audience members. Music for Youth is proud to be supporting Artsmark, and schools and education settings who are on their Artsmark journey. Our offer includes the opportunity to;

Listen & see – attend one of our Primary Proms held at four locations each year, including London’s Royal Albert Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham. The Primary Proms also contribute towards Arts Award!

We also offer free tickets to schools to attend our National Festival in Birmingham each July, and can offer school discounts to attend our Music for Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall each November.

Take part – sign up to perform across the country at one our 50 Regional Festivals  and you get the opportunity to attend our National Festival to perform, go to workshops, meet other young musicians and be inspired.

For more information on how Music for Youth can contribute towards your Artsmark journey please don’t hesistate to contact us at mfy@mfy.org.uk

One Dance UK is the sector support organisation leading the way to a stronger, more vibrant and more diverse dance sector. We present one clear voice to support, advocate, enhance and give profile to dance in the UK. Our aim is to provide information, resources and opportunities for a workforce that is well-equipped to secure dance’s prominence in the cultural landscape of the future.

We are dedicated to supporting schools to deliver more dance at a high standard, through providing CPD, resources, guidance and a specialist Teacher/School Membership packages.

As part of our role as an Artsmark Partner we have created a free guide for how dance can be used to support a schools Artsmark journey which you can download here. We provide a 15% discount for Teacher or School Membership of One Dance UK for schools on their Artsmark journey. We can meet with One Dance UK teacher or school members to discuss their dance provision and provide advice as necessary.

To find out more about how we can support schools on their Artsmark Journey please contact us.

The Into Film programme can support schools as they go on their Artsmark journey. Through a pilot project with a cluster of schools in Hull, we have identified how and where our programme can directly support schools in gaining an Artsmark award.

The National Theatre is proud to be supporting schools and education settings on their Artsmark journey, inspiring children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

National Theatre Learning offers education settings who are working towards, or currently hold an Artsmark Award the chance to discover new skills and experience the excitement of theatre, through inspiring programmes and projects across the UK and at the National Theatre in London.

All NT projects provide resources and professional development opportunities for teachers enabling them to support their students to enjoy, engage and immerse themselves in the programme whilst learning new skills themselves. All NT workshop leaders are professional theatre artists who have been trained to work in a school setting. They include actors, directors, designers and theatre technicians who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our programmes.

All National Theatre programmes are highly subsidised to enable a broad range of schools to take part. In addition, we offer bursaries for schools where even the subsidised cost would be a barrier to participation.

To find out more contact learning@nationaltheatre.org.uk.

The Crafts Council is proud to support Artsmark, Arts Council England’s creative quality standard for schools.

The Crafts Council’s vision is that every child has a chance to discover their practical abilities, develop their creative talents, and become a maker of the future.

As an Artsmark Partner, we support schools working towards Artsmark, as well as those that currently hold Artsmark status. We believe craft and making should play a central role in every child’s creative education and we offer support, guidance and practical resources to help schools make this a reality. Our resources are free to everyone, so if you’re not an Artsmark school you’re still welcome to use and enjoy them.

As part of our role as an Artsmark Partner we offer a free downloadable resource pack, Craft for Artsmark Schools, that maps how craft can support every element of the Artsmark framework. We publish a regular Craft Education Newsletter sharing best practice from the sector— email us to sign up– and regularly publish practical resources to enrich your craft provision. We offer schools bespoke advice and guidance on developing their craft offer

‘This is a fantastic package of support and ideas and shows how much work and thought the Crafts Council have dedicated to the task.’ Rob Elkington, Arts Connect

If you’re using our craft resources to support the Artsmark offer at your school, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us to find out more.

At the Sainsbury Centre, we run a range of innovative learning and creative programmes with and for schools:

First hand experiences of art from across the globe spanning 5000 years, housed in a building famous for its high-tech architecture. We welcome student groups from EYFS to HE to explore the Sainsbury Centre Collection, Sculpture Park and changing temporary exhibitions. We can provide:

Free teacher’s resources which suggest ideas and prompts for creating a sketchbook of responses and drawings while in the galleries. There is also information on the collectors Robert and Lisa Sainsbury, key artworks often popular with student groups, and the building itself. Here is a list of themes which connect to the collection.

Inspiring experiences with our pool of local artist-educators who can share their trajectories through their creative careers. The artists provide new skills and ways of thinking about art and objects, in relation to the collection and topics students are studying at school. Workshops in our dedicated studio space are 1.5 hours long and cost £180 for up to 30 students. Creative tours include making, looking and discussion in direct response to the art on display, cost £50 for up to 30 students and last for 45 minutes.

Extended projects created in conversation with the learning team, teachers and artist-educators. Previous projects have included life drawing sessions for GSCE and A Level students, artist residencies at an Infant and Nursery school, offsite visits to coastal schools followed by a pop up display in the learning studio, and setting live briefs which result in new collection resources.

Free CPD teacher’s afternoons in the gallery and studio with professional artist-educators. These termly sessions develop ways to enable confident student responses to encounters with art and share ideas for using art objects to inspire cross-curricular projects. We can also offer bespoke, artist-led CPD to support specific aims on your Artsmark journey – get in touch to discuss further.

Support with evaluation and evidencing experiences students undertake at the gallery with reference to Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural learning.

We are also an Arts Award supporter, offering young people between the ages of 15-25 the opportunity to gain an Arts Award.

Please contact us to find out more.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk

Blackfield Creatives is a multi-disciplinary Arts Organisation. Using visual arts, music, literature and language, we deliver programmes which encourage personal growth within an open, inclusive and creative environment.

We offer a holistic approach to the curriculum by introducing students to unique and innovative activities, using the Arts as a conduit for creative learning to take place. We deliver a range of projects which will encourage students to try a variety of different arts practices and help to generate discussion and interest in subjects such as PSHE, Mathematics, Religious Education, History and English.

Our aim is to encourage and enable school communities to engage with, and appreciate, the Arts. We work with teaching staff to develop projects which are multifaceted and meet the needs of each setting. Students and staff will be given the opportunity to open up discussions, undertake research, debate subjects and consider how we behave as individuals within our social, physical and geographical environments.

We believe that the Arts should be used to empower young people to consider how they can embrace the world – our activities will be a positive experience which will encourage children and young people to value themselves, and each other, and consider how they can each make a genuine difference. Our aim is to support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development.

‘Becoming Visible’ is our overarching programme of creative projects which can be delivered across all of the Key Stages. Examples of the type of activities we can offer include:

Exploring Identity: We work with students to create self-portrait masks and use storytelling and filmmaking/ photography techniques to consider the image they see when they look in the mirror and the one they present to the outside world.

Crowded Room: We work with schools to create large-scale portraits by recording the image of each individual. We deliver discussion workshops which focus on ‘being human’ and what that entails, encouraging participants to think about how they fit in within their family, their school, their community, and to focus on our similarities rather than our differences.

A Perfect Picture:  This photography-based project will be a journey of self-discovery for students, to enable them to learn more about who they really are and how the images they share with the world can cause responses and reactions which may be unexpected or unwanted. Students will create a portfolio of photographs using mobile phones or cameras and we will then introduce them to new techniques to create montages which will be mounted on different materials, such as wooden panels. The art works will then be exhibited within the school.

We want students to have the opportunity to step away from the formal learning process and be encouraged to not only think outside of the box but do away with it. Creativity is often stifled as children get older, as so much focus is put onto the traditional academic subjects to the detriment of the Arts, and we believe that everyone deserves the chance to express themselves.

Contact blackfieldcreatives@gmail.com to find out more.

The Library Presents brings arts activities to Libraries across Cambridgeshire.

The scheme is funded by Arts Council England for four years. We have a high quality and varied programme of performances and workshops and are offering the scheme as a resource to Artsmark schools from now until 2022.

 Our offer:

-Pupils can help select the programme – before each season we offer choices to people local to each of the libraries. Pupils can use the selection menu to research artists, discuss, and decide what they would like to see locally (it may even come to your library).

-Individual pupils or whole class can attend the event, or we may be able to arrange a second performance in the school (price negotiable, usually will be 50% of cost).

-Schools work with us to book a workshop related to a forthcoming performance in a library (occasionally we use non-library venues, it could possibly be your school).

-Pupils review the event (following attendance) and submit their review online

-Pupils help promote the event using their social media skills, researching local groups

-Pupils can volunteer to help at the event as Front of House/ technical support and/or to decorate the venue

-Arts Award opportunities apply to all of the above.

Funding to 2022 gives opportunities to develop close working relationships with Artsmark schools.

For further detail visit our website or contact Project Manager Joanne Gray via email or 01223 715476.

Wisbech and Fenland Museum offers an inspiring visit – its interior Victorian Museum and library has survived intact since originally opening in 1847 as a purpose-built site for Wisbech Literary Society and Museum Society collections of ethnography, natural history, geology, archaeology, decorative arts and paintings.

This permanent display combines with a modern gallery and workshop space where a programme of exhibitions and events are staged all year round. This programme ranges from showcasing contemporary artistic talent, highlighting themed selections of the Museum’s collections and creative activities for our local community.

The museum offers formal education and informal learning activities, group visits, events and research facilities.

Contact info@wisbechmuseum.org.uk to find out more

Our mission is to provide people from all walks of life the opportunity to embrace music in a safe and inclusive environment. We believe music should be accessible & exciting, so we are committed to bringing a diverse range of tailor-made services to the heart of our local communities. With our fantastic resources and experience between us, we aim to inspire, using music as a tool to promote creativity, develop self-confidence and enhance well-being.

We work closely with local education authorities and settings to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity to access quality music education, both inside and outside the classroom. From peripatetic instrumental lessons to tailor-made whole-class projects, we can provide a range of flexible, exciting and inspiring programs to suit your needs. We can accommodate school visits to our purpose-built studio as well as bringing projects directly into your classroom.

J.D.T are a proud delivery partnership organisation of Norfolk Music Hub as well as a registered Arts Award Centre and Children’s University Destination.

Contact office@jdtmusic.co.uk to find out more.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk

Into Opera are starting a creative revolution. Our mission is to get people who aren’t particularly into opera… into opera. We are doing this by creating productions, bespoke education projects and curating imaginative events which aim to engage, connect and resonate with specific audiences or potential participants.

Example projects include A King’s Ransom – an imaginative education project offering children aged 7-11 an empowering first encounter of opera. The project ran between September 2017 – February 2018 and delivered approximately 80 workshops over 16 weeks bringing children into contact with a range of professional artists including a music director, stage director, orchestra, choreographer, designer, librettist, composer and lighting designer. Furthermore, the primary schools involved worked together to stage A King’s Ransom.

Get in touch with us and see what opera experiences we could bring to schools, colleges and the community in your local area. Tell us what you would like to achieve and let us shape a project to suit your needs.

Contact genevieve.raghu@into-opera.org.uk to find out more.

Creative Arts East is an arts and community development charity, which focuses on engaging those communities, or their members, who face geographical, physical or other barriers to participating in the cultural life of their area. We do this by facilitating and leading high quality, stimulating arts and cultural activities in rural and disadvantaged communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and the wider eastern region.

We achieve our mission by supporting and enabling rural residents to run professional live performance and cinema events for their surrounding communities, alongside a portfolio of innovative projects which support education, health and wellbeing and skills development.

Creative Arts East is a registered centre for Arts Award and has delivered various levels as part of projects and events.

Contact enquiries@creativeartseast.co.uk to find out more.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

Garlic Theatre is an international award winning puppet theatre company founded in 1997, that tours to theatres, art centres and schools in the UK, reaching audiences of 15,000 per year. The Company has toured to International Festivals in 18 countries outside the UK from Taiwan to  Brazil. Garlic Theatre receives regular project funding from Arts Council England and regularly performs in London theatres such as Polka Theatre and the Lyric.

Garlic Theatre specialises in performances and workshops in Primary Schools from Nursery to Year 6. We offer high quality, interactive performances with a demonstration afterwards of how the puppets and set were made and a deep insight into our creative process and the design and technology behind the mechanisms of the puppets and set.

Mark and Iklooshar offer Inset training on puppet making, puppet manipulation and wellbeing through puppetry. Teachers are encouraged to make their own personal puppet to use as a resource and trained to manipulate the puppet for use in the classroom and during one to one sessions with children.

Contact info@garlictheatre.org.uk to find out more.

Cambridgeshire Music is the county hub for music education and arts therapies. We make high quality music happen all across Cambridgeshire for young people and families – both in and out of school. We organise thousands of music lessons, bands and projects in all styles of music, as well as arts therapies for all ages. We work in partnership with hundreds of professional musicians and organisations.

We support schools to provide opportunities for all young people including; ensuring all schools enable young people to sing regularly, developing an infrastructure to encourage progression across a range of musical styles and genres, making opportunities affordable, providing instruments on loan, developing major projects and events in which young people can participate and providing continuing professional development for music leaders and teachers. Many of our activities also contribute to Arts Award Discover, Explore or Bronze.

Contact cm@cambridgeshire.gov.uk to find out more.

Burwell Museum offers unique, hands-on sessions for schools. Our pre-school and school workshops, self-guided visits and loans boxes are designed around the new schools curriculum. We can accommodate one class or a whole year group, you can also book a collapsed timetable day where we can accommodate 60+ students. Most activities are led by museum staff and volunteers – you can also  book a self-guided visit and lead your own group.

Our education volunteers are happy to work with schools to develop whole school visit days and bespoke sessions. Examples of recent projects include:

Y5 & 6 STEM day – Find out about the way the mill and the vehicles work and make your own windmill.

Your Museum Story – write and illustrate your own story about a visit to the museum using real objects and characters from local history as inspiration.

KEY STAGES 3 & 4
Secondary schools are very welcome and we will work with you to develop a visit or outreach session to meet your students’ needs.

Can’t get to the museum? Our outreach sessions are available all year round and can be tailored for any age or group size. Topics can be tailored for your needs and include; Molly dancing, First World War, Second World War, Burwell life.

Burwell Museum is an Arts Award Supporter, and our activities, events, expertise or resources can help young people working towards their Arts Award.

Please contact education@burwellmuseum.org.uk to discuss your requirements and find out more.

Discover, explore and learn at Palace House, Newmarket: an immersive experience outside the classroom!

Explore our unique historic site: discover the fascinating themes within our collections and be inspired by stories of racing and its people-past, present and future.

Our collections offer a wide variety of cross curricular links, including Science, Art, History, Geography, Maths, English, Local study, Sports Science, Health and Fitness using objects, documents and live horses as stimuli for active exploration.

We offer hands-on workshops which are inclusive and suitable for a variety of learning styles. Our workshops support National Curriculum learning . We also have a useful ideas bank for teachers with resources to support learning in English, Science and Learning from Objects.

Alternatively, groups can enjoy a self-led visit where you can select your own focus. These can be supported by our “10 Things To Try” activity cards, our gallery bingo and various other trails and interactives within the galleries. Don’t forget a visit to our racehorse simulator which is sure to be a highlight! Find out what teachers think by reading our case studies on our website.

Palace House is also proud to be an Arts Award supporter and can support your Arts Award journey via “Art Form Bingo” and through the many fine examples of artists’ work throughout the galleries. Young people will have the opportunity to find much creative inspiration during a visit. For more information about Arts Award at Palace House, please see our website.

To arrange a free preliminary visit or find out more, please contact our Education Officer gabrielle@nhrm.co.uk.

Cambridge Junction’s Creative Learning department ensures that young people are able to be part of Cambridge Junction and be involved in hands-on learning. Creative learning at Cambridge Junction inspires and nurtures creativity in young people and provides arts experiences which are informed by and meaningful to their everyday life.  Our engagement with young people enables us to cultivate creative, compassionate, confident and innovative thinkers.

We have a strong track record of working in partnership with schools and other education establishments to offer support with their Artsmark process by enriching, developing and strengthening schools arts provision. Our offer is bespoke to the needs of each school that we work with and can include Continued Professional Development opportunities for staff, workshops and longer term projects linked to the curriculum, where the young people have an opportunity to work with excellent artists who work professionally in their field, as well as visits to the venue for creative choices career days, performances or to see a final product made as a result of the project that we have developed with your school.

Cambridge Junction is an Arts Award Supporter, and offers various ways that can help students to achieve all elements of their Arts Award.

Contact beth.bailey@junction.co.uk to find out more.

Great Yarmouth based but collaborating internationally, SeaChange are an independent arts development charity.  We are dedicated to delivering outstanding opportunities for artists and communities through supporting hosting and delivering circus and street arts projects and events.

SeaChange are an Arts Award Supporter and can offer information and guidance on creative careers, volunteering and work placements and meet the artist days. Young people can also participate in our regular activity or at activity during our events or festival.

Contact hello@seachangearts.org.uk to find out more.

Britten Sinfonia will inspire you with fresh and exciting performances of great music. In a single season, up to 10,000 people of all ages from schools, families and communities across the east of England and beyond will embark on a journey of discovery, exploration and celebration through our Creative Learning initiatives.

Examples include:

-Key Stage 1/2 Music & Literature School Tours in Cambridgeshire, Norwich and Peterborough. Includes study of a book or poem, live interactive performance, creative response opportunities, composing, conducting and singing games, a workshop session and a resource book with musical challenges.

-Creative Learning At Lunch – offered to schools in Cambridge and Norwich. Tickets to a live classical concert in a local venue, prior workshop exploring the repertoire, pre-concert discussion and a chance to meet the players.

-Britten Sinfonia Students Scheme – a year-long scheme offering students from Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University the opportunity to work alongside our marketing team, distributing posters and flyers, helping with online marketing on social media, and writing blogs and articles which will feature on our website. Includes a week-long placement at the Britten Sinfonia office across all departments and the opportunity to attend a number of local concerts.

Britten Sinfonia is proud to be an Arts Award Supporter in the East of England region. We offer a range of opportunities at the various levels, which enable young people to experience live music, take part in training placements and workshops, respond creatively, learn new skills and actively participate in both music and literature challenges.

Contact info@brittensinfonia.com to find out more.

Cambridge Youth Opera stage opera productions with children and young people. Past productions include: Daphnis and Chloe – 2017, Amahl and the Night Visitors – 2015 & 2013, Brundibár – 2015, The Magic Flute – 2013, Towards an Unknown Port (with the English Touring Opera – 2012), Dido and Aeneas – 2011.

Our focus is on high quality, age appropriate productions. We take care to select works either written for the relevant age group, or which can be performed without placing a strain on young voices. Our productions are conceived to be in keeping with the spirit of the work while made relevant and attractive to young people. We always perform in English.

For teenagers interested in theatre production, we offer a range of activities from the design and making of costumes, sets and props, to stage management and lighting. In most cases, the young production team run the performances independently. Alongside our productions, we organise a variety of opera related activities including theatre visits and workshops with opera professionals.

Visit our website to contact us and find out more.

The extraordinary collections contained within our eight museums and Botanic Garden can be used to bring all curricular areas to life and inspire learning. Each of our organisations offer pre-booked visits on a range of themes. All the collections can be used to teach across different subjects and topics. Alternatively, you can combine visits to more than one collection.

In addition, the University of Cambridge Museums have a range of resources and activities on hand for self-led visits; and additional handling objects available to borrow for use within the classroom. Please contact individual organisations for further information on this.

The University of Cambridge Museums are an Arts Award Good Practice Centre, and we can support children, young people and schools in your Arts Award journey, from Discover through to Gold. We can devise, support and deliver your award across the eight University Museums.

Contact info@museums.cam.ac.uk to find out more.

The Garage is an experienced provider of education activities for schools. We can tailor make a range of courses, clubs, workshops, professional touring theatre trips and other opportunities to suit your needs.

Activities are designed to enthuse and excite by giving young people a taste for participating in creative activity whilst developing transferable skills. Our team are experts in working with young people, particularly those who, for whatever reason, find it more difficult to engage.

Activities are based around dance, drama and music.Our aim is to take away all the hassle of managing your activity; we contract professional artists and tutors, complete risk assessments, gather evaluation and feedback information for you when we are finished. We can even embed nationally recognised Arts Award accreditation into projects if you wish. All you need to do is provide the young people.

The Garage is also an Arts Award Supporter and an Arts Award Training & Support Agency. We can offer opportunities for children and young people working towards an Arts Award as well as provide training and support for Arts Award Advisers.

Contact education@thegarage.org.uk to find out more.

Kettle’s Yard can support a variety of education settings on their Artsmark journey. Our visits, artist-led workshops and teacher resources can all support Artsmark schools and academies in their schemes of work, curriculum designs and extra-curricular offers. There are a range of resources for teachers including artist and exhibition teachers’ packs and a virtual tour of the house.

We offer a range of activities to support teachers make the most of Kettle’s Yard. This includes introductory tours for new exhibitions and a regular programme of workshops and activities to inspire your own practice and support you to bring new ideas into the classroom.

We are an Arts Award centre and support schools to lead Arts Award at every level. We can offer visits and workshops designed around completing Arts Award Discover in a day, or to support part of Explore, Bronze, Silver or Gold.

Contact us at learning@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk to find out more.

BLOC is Suffolk Libraries’ youth arts programme, Working with young people and artists across the county to develop fun and creative activities, happenings & events as part of the Suffolk Libraries Arts Programme.

Contact arts@suffolklibraries.co.uk to find out more or visit the BLOC website.

Metal offers a number of ways for schools to get involved with the work that we do. Each year we run large-scale, participatory arts projects that work with multiple schools and a large number of young people. Previous examples include – Anthem; On The Line; Upon This Rock; We Can Play.

We have a number of Educational Resources that can be downloaded free and can provide access to a wide range of multi-disciplinary artists to meet, talk to and inspire your students – broadening their understanding of contemporary arts and associated career choices. We have an extensive network of local artists who are experienced in delivery arts workshops in sound, digital, visual arts, literature, dance and theatre. We can also help with advice around approaching these artists. We offer Work placements for students interested in an arts career as well as in-school talks for students by Metal staff around career opportunities.

Metal is a registered Arts Award Centre and can offer advice, mentoring or assist in delivery of all the Arts Award Courses (Discover, Explore, Bronze, Silver, Gold) as well as offering our own courses.

Contact us at ChauffeursCottage@metalculture.com to find out more.

Norfolk Music Hub is proud to be supporting schools and education settings on their Artsmark journey, inspiring children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

We offer education settings who are working towards, or currently hold an Artsmark Award, with the following opportunities; Free access to Charanga (VIP Studio Sessions for secondaries), free access to Sing Up, access to Bespoke Project Grants from Norfolk Music Hub, access to the Norfolk Music Hub Newsletter, access to the Norfolk Music Hub Awards, access to Curriculum Support Meetings, a free place at the Norfolk Music Hub Expo, 2 x Music Specific Consultancy Sessions in-school, free access to Music Library Resources, free access to all Norfolk Music Hub CPD Training.

Norfolk Music Hub and the Music Service are a joint Arts Award centre and can offer Arts Award as part of their programme of work.

To find out more about how we can support you, contact Brenda Seymour: brenda.seymour@educatorsolutions.org.uk.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

Pop Up can support schools on their Artsmark journeys, whether they are just embarking or already accredited.

Artsmark and Arts Award can be embedded in our core offer for schools, Pop Up Festival, an annual nationwide celebration of reading for pleasure, creative writing and visual storytelling. Classes from nursery up in participating schools are supplied with sets of quality contemporary books – selected by teachers – then the authors of those books deliver in-class creative workshops as part of the national festival in June. This simple but impactive model creates a school-wide buzz and momentum around reading and writing, and can truly invigorate literacy, English, SMSC or cross-curricular learning and teaching in your school.

Pop Up Festival package includes: Class-sets of new books per class, Creative workshops for every class with the author of their book, Free Pop Up Magazine for every pupil and home, Online connectivity and creativity via full access to Pop Up Hub, Access to author-led INSETs for all teachers, Meaningful evaluation to measure impact and change on pupils and teachers, Optional author events in libraries, museums and galleries—instead of in-class.

Pop Up also create bespoke literature offers for schools that include affordable options for every budget, and can suit any curriculum area—from history to science, modern languages to SMSC. Projects can be designed to meet the specific needs, challenges or opportunities within any school community, from one-off intensive projects to more longer term programmes.

Pop Up are an Arts Award Centre (at all levels). We can offer literature-specific Discover and Explore scrapbooks, beautifully illustrated by children’s book author David Lucas, in print at a cost or for free online. We also create bespoke plans and resources to support teachers/tutors and their students to achieve Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.

To find out more please contact us at franziska@pop-up.org.uk.

Our schools’ offer is built on collaboration, with the school and the artists that we work with. It has been developed through experience of delivery, working and listening to the children and young people and ensuring that we work as a team with the school and their staff.

We work with a host of talented and experienced industry professional artists from an array of art forms, all of whom we ensure are able to deliver the projects in an exciting, inspiring and engaging way.

Example projects:

Arts Award Discover Days for Key Stage 1 and 2. Linking to different art forms, for example;  musical theatre, dance, music, visual arts and creative writing.  At the end of the day the children perform a showcase to other students and their parents and receive an Arts Award certificate.

Theatre Makers with Key Stage 2. Delivered over 6-10 weeks with at least 14 hours of delivery and working with a curriculum topic, for example; Celts, Saxons, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Magic Finger.  Concluding with a performance which can be filmed and then children and their parents have been invited to a screening at a local cinema.  All children receive Arts Award Discover or Explore depending on the length of the project.

Music Composition and Songwriting with Key Stage 3 and 4. Working with a class or a full year group and offering a Bronze Arts Award.  The project enables young people to work with professional musicians to produce their own songs, and are given opportunities to perform and develop these songs further to be professionally recorded.  Requires a minimum of 30 hours in school (10 hours with external artists) and commitment from the young people to attend sessions outside of school.

To find out more about how 20Twenty Productions can support your Artsmark journey, contact katherine@20twentyproductions.co.uk.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

The Young People’s Puppet Theatre offer large-scale puppetmaking and puppetry projects. Our standard project lasts 6 months to a year, working with a whole class or a selected group of up to 40 students, although we are flexible and offer bespoke options to fit your school’s requirements.

The projects integrate seamlessly with the National Curriculum, covering most of the Art and Design curricula for Year Six and including links to literacy, maths, geography and history, but also offer a range of artistic experiences rarely available in primary schools in particular. During the course of a full project, each student designs and makes their own marionette, collaborates with others on set design and construction, and takes an individual role in rehearsals and performances of the group’s show to the rest of the school, parents, and other members of the local community. The students cover all roles in the show, including puppetry, voice acting, narration and technical jobs such as stage management, scene changes, lighting and sound, and the final performances are run independently of adult involvement.

Each project is based around a script chosen by the school from the YPPT’s library. We offer everything from Shakespeare and Dickens adaptations to stories from around the world and contemporary writing; our team works closely with class teachers to integrate the stories into other areas of the curriculum.

Our projects are inclusive and student-led, with each child in the class taking an equal role throughout. The length of our full projects (6 months to a year) allows the students to work through the process and develop skills over time, taking ownership of and pride in their work. The projects are deliberately challenging for the students; we believe that this is important as it helps them develop resilience and shows them that they can overcome not only their own expectations of their abilities, but also the expectations of everyone around them.

All projects are delivered by a YPPT-trained project leader, who works closely with the class teacher in the delivery of the project, as well as supporting the class teacher to integrate the puppet story into other areas of the curriculum. However, we are also able to offer CPD training to teachers that enables them to run arts-based projects (including our puppetry projects) in their own schools, supported and monitored by us as needed. We are used to monitoring and evaluating the impact of our projects and are happy to help schools develop evaluative tools towards their Artsmark.

The YPPT also offers Arts Award at Discover, Explore, Bronze and Silver levels, offering a range of workshops and projects tailored to the young people involved.

Contact us to find out more: admin@yppt.org.uk

The Young Norfolk Arts Trust works with established and emerging artists to ensure high quality artistic engagement and participatory projects for all age groups. Our year round and Festival programmes offer a wide variety of opportunities and experiences.

Young people can be involved with the Trust’s activities at whichever level suits them from being audience members to performers to reporters and promoters. YNAT also offers young people the chance to devise and deliver their own projects and to engage with other young people and artists of all ages to build teams and networks to progress their own ideas and development. We celebrate creativity by and for young people and offer real experiences for participation, performance, recording and spectating.

We are also an Arts Award Supporter and can offer activities and opportunities that will support children and young people working towards their Arts Award.

Contact us at coordinator@ynaf.org.uk to find out more.

Wysing Arts Centre includes studios, live-work space, a large gallery, educational facilities, a 17th century farmhouse used as accommodation for residencies and retreats and a cafe that is open to the public seven days a week. With programmes and events for families and schools and colleges linked closely to Wysing’s residency and exhibition programmes.

We are experienced in co-production and facilitating children and young people to lead in the planning and delivery of arts experiences. Learners could work with an artist to shape and produce work, activities or events. ‘[The activity] was really great as we got to test out our ideas in practice and they seemed to go down really well!’ -Young person co-producing arts activity for peers. Young people can access a wide range of creative experiences at Wysing, including gallery exhibitions, outdoor art, installations, multimedia and art performances, recording studio. They can meet artists and work with them. These opportunities support Arts Award at all levels.

We can also collaborate with you to create quality teaching resources. We can offer bespoke development sessions for staff, around creative skills and techniques and devising ways to use these in the classroom. ‘All of the staff commented on the day and lots said it was the best training day they had ever experienced!’ – arts lead, primary school.

Wysing Arts Centre is an Arts Award Supporter Centre. We work with children, young people, schools and colleges who are working to achieve the Arts Award. We can tailor make specific Arts Award visits and workshops and we also run Arts Award Supporter Sessions every quarter coinciding with our residency and exhibition programme.

Contact us at education@wysingartscentre.org to find out more.

The National Centre for Writing is committed to delivering engaging and transformative experiences using writing, reading and translation for children and young people in key stages 1-5. NCW co-developed and leads on Norwich’s Cultural Education Partnership and established the City of Literature for Young People, bringing children and schools together to explore creative writing and reading.

We work with a broad range of artists both locally, nationally and internationally, with a commitment to high quality and authentic experiences within the literary arts. We are continually creating and developing opportunities with schools and young people so that their curriculum, creative and development needs remain at the heart of the work we do and so we can support schools on their Artsmark journeys. This includes:

-Bespoke creative writing and reading workshops designed with teachers, our quality-assured freelance artists and NCW staff. These can take place in schools or in our custom built Education Space at Dragon Hall

-Longer term projects and workshops in partnership with national and international partners on projects that are carefully researched and developed by our programming team

-Opportunities for schools to visit Dragon Hall and learn about the heritage of their city and community

-Follow-on workshops that explore Norwich’s heritage and history as a literary city and UNESCO City of Literature

-Opportunities for schools to be part of the Children’s’ City of Literature programmes and become part of a wider school network of City of Literature schools. This involves children and young people being active participants in their literary community with their work being showcased and celebrated at live events and published in anthologies

-We offer various schemes for young people to support the development of their writing and literary lives, through learning about working in the arts or becoming Young Ambassadors for Literature and representing their schools and communities

The National Centre for Writing is an Arts Award centre and offer Bronze and Silver Arts Award as part of their programme of activities.

Contact info@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk to find out more.

Norwich Theatre Royal is the largest and most successful theatre in the East of England. We feature the best of West End shows from big musicals to great dramas, alongside dance, comedy, family shows, opera and music. Many performances also have discounted tickets for education groups to enable schools, academies, colleges and universities to visit the theatre more easily.

In addition the theatre hosts a range of activities to augment the performances including Q&A sessions with the company, pre-performance talks, backstage tours, residencies and workshops developed by the touring companies and delivered in partnership with the theatre.

The theatre runs a regular programme of CPD activities for both performing arts specialists and non-specialist teachers. These are delivered by theatre staff, visiting companies (many of whom are nationally and internationally acclaimed), and our partners such as the Music Education Hub. The sessions cover a wide variety of topics including classroom practice, skills development, lesson and curriculum planning, artistic training, as well as teacher brochure briefings and a forum for sharing best practice.

We are developing a range of new curriculum-focused outreach workshops for schools and academies across the region. Although predominantly focussing on the English, Performing Arts, and History Curriculums, the education team is happy to work with partners to develop bespoke programmes of work. These workshops use theatrical practice to bring subjects to life and incorporate drama, roleplay and performance techniques to explore elements of the curriculum. These workshops will launch in September 2018.

The theatre also offers a Young Producers programme for young people aged 16+, giving them volunteering opportunities within the theatre and the opportunity to develop and deliver their own events and activities.

Norwich Theatre Royal is an Arts Award Centre and can support young people to explore the world of theatre-making and the arts whilst working towards their Arts Award. They also coordinate support sessions and an Arts Award club.

Contact j.simpsonwedge@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk to find out more.

Norfolk Library and Information Service offers a diverse range of events and programmes for children and young people covering a wide range of interests including STEM subjects, arts, culture, history, and literature.  The libraries also provide an opportunity to display work by children and young people, as well as offering a space and resources for events, performances and ceremonies.  The library’s offer is flexible and can accommodate and respond to the school’s interests and needs.

Our range and diversity of events, activities and promotions offered by libraries aims to engage children and young people of all ages. From the Summer Reading Challenge, Reading Hack, creative writing and poetry workshops together working with partners on creative projects such as the Postcards for Peace with the Friend Ship.

Norfolk Library and Information Service are a registered Arts Award Centre and can support schools, children and young people with their Arts Award at a variety of levels.

Contact kath.griffiths@norfolk.gov.uk to find out more.

The New Wolsey Theatre provides a range of activities for children and young people to get involved in the arts, from workshops that complement the curriculum to activities that are designed to raise aspirations and develop confidence about future pathways.

Workshops include ongoing Drama Clubs, the opportunity to create a brand new Play in a Day, delving into Staging Shakespeare’s Stories, all of which enable students to immerse themselves in the creative process and develop their theatrical language. We ensure that students take ownership and authorship over the work they create, encouraging their investment and commitment in the process and a strong sense of belonging, as well as developing vocabulary, speaking & listening, presentation skills and of course confidence.

Alternatively you can visit us for a backstage tour or an Industry Day, to find out first-hand how a professional theatre operates. These options are a great way to explore potential future pathways and to provide an authentic industry experience.

Our Raising Aspirations projects enable students to develop their confidence and self-belief, empowering them to be motivated and confident in school and in their futures. These projects operate with smaller student numbers to ensure that each young person is included, considered and can make clear personal progression through theatrical games and exercises that challenge and inspire.

We run a range of CPD opportunities for teachers, to share skills and to develop the confidence to facilitate theatre based activities in the classroom. Choose from sessions to discover games and exercises to improve students’ interpersonal skills, or learn the building blocks of creating theatre with young people, which can link to any area of the curriculum.

All of our workshops are led by expert practitioners who are committed to providing exciting, inspiring and engaging experiences for young people, and ensure that participants are at the centre of the experience.

The theatre is an Arts Award Supporter and can support schools and other organisations who are taking young people through their Arts Award. Many of the workshops we offer could be part of building your students’ Arts Award portfolios, so do take a look at our ongoing workshop offer.

Contact us at sthomas@wolseytheatre.co.uk  to find out more.

The Museum of East Anglian Life is open for educational visits all year round. Pre-booked educational visits to the museum are free during our open season, late March-October, and free with a booked museum-led session during our winter season, November-late March. Examples sessions include: Toys from around the World, The Great Fire, Butter Making, Mini Beasts, The Victorians at Home, Three Little Pigs, Victorian School Room, Victorian Christmas.

We aim to make our sessions exciting, inspiring and engaging. All of them include real objects from the past and are hands on, actively involving children and young people in the learning experience. We have also previously worked with schools to develop exhibitions, learn how a museum works, hosted showcases of GCSE and A-Level art and more.

We can help deliver your Artsmark criteria in Curriculum Design and Values and Ethos with our cross-curricular sessions and status as an Arts Award Centre with advisors at all award levels; Range of Offer and Equality and Diversity with free entry to the museum; and Partnerships with arts and cultural organisations if you would like to work with us on a project or activity.

Contact us at jo.rooks@eastanglianlife.org.uk to find out more.

Colchester + Ipswich Museums (CIMS) is a partnership that brings together six outstanding venues across two counties. Our buildings include the largest Norman keep in Britain, a Tudor mansion and a Georgian house, while the collections span thousands of years of both human and natural history, and help tell the stories of our two towns.

We offer a range of schools sessions, which bring the curriculum to life for KS1, KS2 and Early Years. Developed by our team of Collections and Learning Curators, they are delivered by skilled Museum Assistants. Pre-visit support and high quality resources are available to enhance what groups experience onsite. We also offer loan boxes of real and replica objects for hire, which can act as the starting point for a range of subjects, from history to art, science to creative writing.

Through work experience placements and Takeover Day partnerships, CIMS is working to raise aspirations and awareness of museum roles. A blog, together with a series of free resources, including films and illustrations, show the variety of skills valued by the sector and revealing typically behind-the-scenes staff.

CIMS is also an Arts Award Supporter, our diverse range of exhibitions and events for all ages can help with whatever Arts Award level you are working towards.

Contact us at elizabeth.fox@colchester.gov.uk to find out more.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

The Britten-Pears Foundation was established to promote the musical legacy of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. The Foundation is based at The Red House, the former home of Britten and Pears, in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.  As well as the opportunity to explore Britten’s home, visitors can visit his library, studio, an extensive museum and exhibition space, as well as gardens.  The Britten-Pears Foundation maintains one of the UK’s most important centres for music and artistic research. The archive and library holdings of manuscripts and other source materials has been recognised through Arts Council England’s Designation scheme. There are also around 1300 works in the extensive fine art collection and a large collection of objects and possessions accumulated over Britten and Pear’s lifetimes.

We aim to engage and inspire young people in a variety of ways. For school groups, we offer a full and extensive range of school sessions from KS1-4, linking all aspects of the National Curriculum. We also regularly work closely with teachers to review, evaluate and develop the experience that children have when they visit at the Red House.

The Britten-Pears Foundation is a registered Arts Award Centre and are able to offer Arts Award Discover, Explore, Bronze and Silver as part of their projects and activities.

Contact us at j.carr@brittenpears.org to find out more

Norfolk & Norwich Festival offers an exciting programme of unique artistic and cultural engagement opportunities with internationally renowned artists and makers for children and young people aged 0 – 25.

We invite all Norfolk universities, colleges, schools and early years settings to take part in Norfolk & Norwich Festival. Each year, we take inspiration from the main Festival programme and create a bespoke line-up of engagement opportunities for children and young people across all art forms. Take Part: Schools is part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival annually. Our vision is to use the power of the arts to make our part of the world a truly great place to live, work, learn and play. For 17 days each May, the Festival transforms our public spaces, city streets, performance venues, parks, forests and beaches, bringing people together to experience the same brilliant and inspirational events. The flagship arts festival for the East of England, our world-class programme spans music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance and free outdoor events.

We can offer Artsmark Schools a range of high quality arts activities to support you on your Artsmark journey. Our workshops can often be tailored to fit a theme or topic your school is focusing on.

Norfolk & Norwich Festival is also an Arts Award Support and can help young people in achieving their Arts Award. We can support Arts Award throughout all areas of our programmes and events also offering activities each year which young people can link to their Arts Award. Since we began delivering Arts Award in 2014 a fantastic 1747 children and young people have achieved their Arts Award through school workshops, activities at our annual Garden Party and alongside internships and placements within our organisation.

Visit the Take Part: Schools section of our website here or contact us at takepart@nnfestival.org.uk to find out more.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

DanceEast’s vision is to make the East of England a place where everyone has the opportunity to engage with great dance. Its mission is to raise aspirations and transform lives through a programme of work that champions excellence, engages the public and inspires artists.

DanceEast Artsmark offer includes the following: Workshops and courses. CPD opportunities. Online resources / templates. Work placements and apprenticeships. Dance Days. Our Centre for Advanced Training Outreach.

DanceEast is also an Arts Award Centre and can provide opportunities towards and support young people through the award.

Contact Chrissie Moore to find out more at chrissie.moore@danceeast.co.uk.

Working across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peteborough and Suffolk.

Eastern Angles Theatre Company offer opportunities for pupils and school staff to: see and review live theatre, participate in scriptwriting, performance and theatre-making workshops, and meet and talk to professional creatives including writers, directors, designers and actors.

We have two theatre bases at the Sir John Mills Theatre in Ipswich and The Undercroft, Serpentine Green Shopping Centre in Peterborough. We also tour across the East of England mainly in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Peterborough. We can offer performances and workshops in schools and colleges. We can also accommodate groups at our two fixed venues and at various performance sites across the region including marquees, barns and found spaces. Workshops can be tailored to age and ability ranging from puppetry sessions for primary school pupils and active, on-stage learning for participants with Special Educational Needs to offering insights into creating verbatim theatre work based on documentary material and oral history interviews and practical, technical tuition in productions skills such as sound and lighting.

We can work with school staff to create bespoke engagement and learning opportunities to complement the national curriculum and fit in with school timetables and transport capabilities.

Eastern Angles is also an Arts Award Supporter. This means we offer a range of activities, events, expertise and resources that can help young people work towards gaining their Arts Award.

Contact us at admin@easternangles.co.uk to find out more.