Curious Conversations from Curious Minds

Cultural Education Manager Louise Hesketh talks to Evonne Bixter (Development Officer for the St Helens Local Cultural Education Partnership) and Jeremy Sleith (Head of St Helens Music Education Hub). Together they discuss how the partnership was formed, their challenges and successes in creating a more cohesive local offer for schools and their ambitions for the partnership in the future.

Arts Award inspires young people to grow their arts and leadership talents: it's creative, valuable and accessible. For Arts Award Advisors, as well as participants, moderation can be an uneasy time. We asked some experienced Arts Award moderators to share their best insights and advice. In this episode, Buzz and Juliet discuss portfolios they will never forget.

Arts Award inspires young people to grow their arts and leadership talents: it's creative, valuable and accessible. For Arts Award Advisors, as well as participants, moderation can be an uneasy time. We asked some experienced Arts Award moderators to share their best insights and advice. In this episode, Buzz and Juliette discuss what guidance they have given Arts Award Advisers over the years.

The Curious Minds Young Associates programme began in March 2016, with the aim of up-skilling and developing young people who are already engaged in cultural education and possibly thinking of starting a career in the arts. After training, they are deployed in a variety of roles as cultural education experts across the North West. This podcast features Young Associates Jaz Kaur and Issy Cecil discussing their contributions and involvement with the People's Powerhouse Convention with our Careers and Employability Manager - Holly Ball

The Curious Minds Young Associates programme began in March 2016, with the aim of up-skilling and developing young people who are already engaged in cultural education and possibly thinking of starting a career in the arts. After training, they are deployed in a variety of roles as cultural education experts across the North West. This podcast features Young Associates Jaz Kaur and Issy Cecil discussing their contributions and involvement with the People's Powerhouse Convention with our Careers and Employability Manager, Holly Ball.

As Arts Council England's Bridge organisation for the North West, Curious Minds supports schools to achieve Artsmark award, which is the creative quality standard for schools. In this podcast series we look at how education settings experience the Artsmark process and the value they get from this accreditation. We spoke to Laura and Suzanne from St. Mary's Primary school in Swinton In this episode they talk about why their school started their Artsmark journey and how it has benefitted them.

As Arts Council England's Bridge organisation for the North West, Curious Minds supports schools to achieve Artsmark award, which is the creative quality standard for schools. In this podcast series we look at how education settings experience the Artsmark process and the value they get from this accreditation. We spoke to Laura and Suzanne St. Mary's Primary school in Swinton. In this episode they tell us about forming partnerships with other schools and exploring the offers of cultural organisations in their area to develop a wider Artsmark community.

As Arts Council England's Bridge organisation for the North West, Curious Minds supports schools to achieve Artsmark award, which is the creative quality standard for schools. In this podcast series we look at how education settings experience the Artsmark process and the value they get from this accreditation. We spoke to Laura and Suzanne St. Mary's Primary school in Swinton. In this episode they tell us about making the Artsmark journey an inclusive experience for the wider school team, an effort which led to St Mary's winning the Artsmark Team award at the North West Cultural Education Awards 2018.

As Arts Council England's Bridge organisation for the North West, Curious Minds supports schools to achieve Artsmark award, which is the creative quality standard for schools. In this podcast series we look at how education settings experience the Artsmark process and the value they get from this accreditation. We spoke to Laura and Suzanne St. Mary's Primary school in Swinton In this episode they offer advice for school's starting their Artsmark journey and discuss the individual impact the process has had on pupils at the school.

“It’s all new experiences and new skills for them… and for us!” Lucy and Sarah are both Guiding Leaders in the North West of England. We join them as they discuss the training the undertook to become Arts Award Advisors and first moderation nerves. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

“She was just so happy to think… I could do this! I could have my work on a galley wall.” Guiding Leaders, Sarah and Lucy, have been delivering Bronze Arts Award for the very first time as part of a regional pilot. Here they discuss why they think the delivery of Arts Award as part of the Girlguiding activity portfolio is so important. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

Curious Minds has been supporting Girlguiding North West England to explore how they can embed Arts Award across their Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Sections. Here Lucy and Sarah, both Guiding Leaders, discuss what Arts Award delivery has meant to them as volunteers and its impacts. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

Sarah and Lucy, volunteer Leaders for Girlguiding North West England have recently delivered Bronze Arts Awards within their units for the very first time. Here they take the plunge and answer a few questions, picked at random, about advice they would give to others new to Arts Award delivery. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

“I’ve learned that I can be a lot more expressive than I thought I could.” Annie and Meeka reflect on their favourite memories and look forward to their next Arts Award challenge, after completing a Bronze Arts Award with Girl Guiding North West England. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

What is art and how does it make you feel? Annie and Meeka, two Girl Guides discuss their experience of working on their Bronze Arts Award with Girl Guiding North West England. Recorded for Curious Minds by Unity House.

Luke and Tyrone both completed an Arts Award qualification whilst participating in community projects at The Lowry. Here they discuss what their Arts Award journey has meant to them and share their proudest moments.

Tyrone participated in the Youth Employability and Skills project at The Lowry and completed a Bronze Arts Award. He is joined by Luke, who was on the Looked After Children and Care Leavers project and completed a Silver Arts Award. Here Tyrone explains what he did for his skills-share, after which the conversation moves to how they both feel about working with other people.

“One sound or one movement can make a difference.” Arts Award achievers, Tyrone (Bronze) and Luke (Silver), discuss the artists they have researched and why they find them inspiring.

Tyrone participated in the Youth Employability and Skills project at The Lowry and completed a Bronze Arts Award. Luke was on the Looked After Children and Care Leavers project, also at The Lowry, and completed a Silver Arts Award. They both discuss their arts experiences whilst working towards their individual awards and what they took from them.

“It opened many doors for me and I’ve never been happier”. Melissa recently completed her Gold Arts Award as part of The Lowry’s Young Parents Project. She discusses her experience of juggling motherhood and Arts Award with Lynsey O’Sullivan, the Lowry’s Director of Learning and Engagement.

“It wasn’t always a walk in the park but the end result was fantastic.” Melissa recently completed her Gold Arts Award as part of the Lowry’s Young Parents Project. Here she discusses, with a little help from daughter Ruby, how she combined music and drama to create a piece of early years interactive theatre.

Melissa recently completed her Gold Arts Award as part of the Lowry’s Young Parents Project. Here she shares her feelings about recent cuts to arts funding and considered the successes and challenges she encountered when completing the leadership challenge.

Lynsey and Jenny** both work for the Lowry and are Arts Award Advisers at all levels of the scheme. Here they discuss their journey to getting involved with Arts Award delivery, as well as when the Arts Award scheme is most suitably applied and when, perhaps, it is not. We also hear about an Advisers worst nightmare… lost portfolios! **Please note that Jenny Riding has since moved roles to be a Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Bolton University.

Lynsey and Jenny** are Arts Award Advisers working at the Lowry – a Good Practice Centre 2015-2016. Here they share their thoughts on why working with young people to support their Arts Award journey can be so fulfilling and some useful approaches to portfolio preparation. **Please note that Jenny Riding has since moved roles to be a Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Bolton University.

Lynsey and Jenny** are Arts Award Advisors, working at The Lowry and delivering Arts Award across all levels. Here they share their tips for effective delivery and discuss what they would have done for their own Arts Award as teenagers. **Please note that Jenny Riding has since moved roles to be a Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Bolton University.

“I think humans are inherently creative, it’s part of our DNA”. Lynsey and Jenny**, Arts Award Advisors at The Lowry, talk about what they really think of the arts and how the cultural sector is perceived within our society. **Please note that Jenny Riding has since moved roles to be a Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Bolton University.

Lynsey and Jenny, Arts Award Advisors at The Lowry, talk about why they think it is so important that Arts Award qualifications are offered to the young people they work with through The Lowry’s community and outreach programmes. **Please note that Jenny Riding has since moved roles to be a Lecturer in Applied Theatre at Bolton University.