About the project
Escalate Arts is a two-year project funded by Arts Council England (£399k) and match funding from partners (£125k) developed by partners ÄûÃʵ¼°¹, Spelthorne Borough Council, Artswork and Ashford Youth Club.
The project aims to transform how people design, engage with, work in and enjoy culture in the community. Delivery is made up from five ‘programme strands’
Spelthorne Youth Collective (YC)
Spelthorne Youth Collective, known as Project YC supports young people aged 11 to 24 years to develop their own creative skills and programme cultural events in the new ‘Library Hub, Staines-upon- Thames. Young people will gain experience in leadership, event production and design.
Library Programme
Based in Staines new flagship Library, we will deliver a 24 month programme of events and activities, in partnership with a wide range of cultural organisations, creative industry and artists. Programmes are designed to tangible outcomes for young people, and the wider community, such as creative skills development.
Community Programme
Working in partnership with local organisations and community groups, we will deliver a programme of events and activities, so that more children and young people can take part in arts activities. The community programme will support enhanced relationships between local community and cultural organisations.
Schools programme
A programme of events and activities will be delivered in six local Schools, including continued professional development opportunities for teachers. We will also facilitate a ‘teacher’s network’ to support the legacy of the programme, and provide resources through the counties Local Cultural Education Partnership, ‘Culture Box ÄûÃʵ¼°¹’
Creative Skills
Working with partner organisations from across ÄûÃʵ¼°¹, we will develop new ‘creative pathways’ for young people, to support them in gaining new skills. This includes (but is not limited to) accreditations, such as digital badging, work experience, apprenticeships etc.
Background
Escalate Arts has been developed to address needs identified in the ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Community Vision, Health and Wellbeing Strategy, ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Skills plan, Spelthorne Borough Council Corporate Plan and ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Libraries and Cultural Strategy. It has also been informed by Spelthorne Borough Council and Ashford Youth Club’s Kick-Start Your Creativity programme and their respective Arts & Culture and Youth Surveys.
In these surveys 59% of children and young people in Spelthorne felt they were not asked their opinion on local arts, and 69% felt they would do more activity if it was available.
The project will build on the ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ Youth Arts and Culture Festival which took place in Staines-upon-Thames and Redhill in 2023 and Camberley on 1st and 2nd November 2024, which engaged over 1700 young people in creative activities in partnership with 28 organisations. The festival will return to Staines-upon-Thames in 2025.
In addition to the funding from Arts Council England, the project has received match funding, and in-kind support from Spelthorne Borough Council, Artswork, ÄûÃʵ¼°¹ and other organisations, bringing the total value of the project to over £500,000.