The past decade has seen participation and uptake of the arts in education decline, with schools in England facing a “creativity crisis” and the number of creative arts students and teachers down by as much as a fifth in some subjects. NASA studies show that after the age of six, creative confidence begins to decline, but we know how much the arts help children communicate about how they experience the world, benefiting not only their wellbeing but also their performance in other subjects too.
As part of their mission to make the arts accessible to all, Sky Arts set up Access All Arts in recognition that art in all its various forms is an essential arm to every young person’s education. Whether accessed through music, acting, poetry, writing or dance, they are expanding their minds and horizons, tapping into their emotions, and experiencing what the world has to offer beyond their own four walls.
Working together with Sky Arts we are creating a movement that inspires the youngest generation to be art enthusiasts. Leaving a lasting legacy for young people with the programme positively changing perceptions of Sky.
A win-win approach delivering both brand and social impact.
The programme
Access All Arts aims to bring out the artist in every child. Creating free and impactful resources across a spectrum of different art forms lets pupils find a place for themselves; a creative outlet where they are given permission to play and develop their self-confidence and self-discipline. This meant creating over 50 hours of teaching resources including 45 videos – an extensive library for teachers to explore and unlock bespoke arts experience.
The resources were created and designed with detailed input from educators, artists and organisations. Ten different packs were created under five modules, each curated carefully with a deep knowledge and subject-specific expertise from key partners.
Representation and relevance to young people
To add authenticity, we made a series of films with 14 artists covering each artform. This included Benjamin Zephaniah, MC Grammar, Onjali Q Rauf OBE, Liz Pichon & YolanDa Brown OBE who provided insight into their craft and set fun challenges for pupils.
It was imperative that the talent represented a diverse range of thinking, passion, ability and background to allow all children to feel represented in the resources and see their potential through the eyes of a real-life artist.
Impact
560,420 Young people reached
13,574 Teachers registered to take part
97% said the campaign effectively increased engagement with the arts