Education

The Royal Opera House has partnered with The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust (TEFAT) to deliver a year-long scheme for teachers across the trust’s 32 primary schools.

The programme of arts-led learning will offer training sessions for teachers in schools in London, East Anglia and the West Midlands.

There will also be a five-week scheme of work inspired by Royal Opera House productions, as well as virtual rehearsals and workshops livestreamed from Covent Garden.

These will be followed by regional presentations and a final performance at the Royal Opera House in July 2023.

The programme is part of TEFAT’s wider Partnership Investment Programme, which has worked over three years to support teachers in projects that improve children’s language and communication skills.

Hugh Greenway, Chief Executive of TEFAT, said: “It is through arts partnerships like this that we are able to help children, and their teachers, raise their expectations of themselves.”

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has announced a host of initiatives aimed at supporting young people’s access to arts education.

They include Time To Act, a two-year research project into the impact of RSC’s work on children’s language development, literacy skills and sense of identity, agency and inclusion.

The study will be RSC’s first since becoming an Independent Research Organisation.

Elsewhere, the RSC has set the date (18 July 2023) for its first national Young Creatives Convention hosted by the RSC Youth Advisor Board. It has also confirmed an eight-week nationwide tour of schools and theatres with its production of Twelfth Night and added the RSCs young company RSC Next Generation Act’s production of Hamlet to its 2023 programme. 

The company also released educational resources for Deaf young people studying Shakespeare and learning materials for GCSE Drama and English students.

RSC Director of Learning and National Partnerships Jacqui O’Hanlon said the initiatives are about opening up access to arts opportunities and benefits for all young people.

“Ask the young people that we work with, or who work with theatres and arts organisations across the UK, and they will tell you about the enormous value of arts subjects and experiences to their lives and development.

“But they will also tell you that society at large doesn’t seem to value them in the same way. Children’s access to arts is a social justice issue and our Youth Advisory Board want to join the debate and champion their rights, their education and their futures.”

Two performing arts centres in Wakefield have announced a collaboration to develop arts education in Yorkshire.

CAPA College, which provides creative and performing arts training and education for 16 to 19-year-olds will work with Backstage Academy, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and short course programmes in the live events and creative industries.

It is hoped the partnership will deliver “incredible new programmes of study, original opportunities for collaborative research and an unprecedented focus on immersive entertainment and performance”.

Each institution’s academic and research teams will be working together to meet the objectives.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said the initiative will “help our region become more attractive for businesses in these sectors to come here and invest”.

“Our region is fortunate to have two organisations that excel in what they do. I hope that through working together to create a creative arts pathway for talented young people they will present opportunities for people across a range of careers in TV, film, theatre and live events,” she added.

The Albany Theatre in Coventry has expanded its Creative Engagement programme with two new youth theatre groups.

The Albany Youth Theatre (AYT) will offer sessions every Wednesday during term time, aiming to help young performers build confidence, learn new skills and enjoy regular performance opportunities.

Participants will also have the chance to learn about all the work that goes on behind the scenes and backstage at a theatre.

The new programmes are divided by age, offering a programme for juniors, aged eight to 11, and seniors, aged 12 to 15.

In the wake of Coventry’s year as City of Culture, “it’s a priority for us to keep theatre and the arts in the spotlight for people of all ages”, said the theatre’s Creative Engagement Coordinator, Vicky Basterfield.

“We believe that these two new groups, combined with our other Creative Engagement work, will help to maintain and improve accessibility to performing arts in the city.”

The Creative Engagement initiative includes other youth-focused programmes such as groups in local primary schools, with other education projects in the pipeline.

Basterfield said that the new classes have proved extremely popular and urged interested parents to make contact as soon as possible about last-minute spaces. 

“The AYT will be a place for young people to realise their ideas, develop and learn, all whilst having loads of fun, and we can’t wait to get started with this and many more exciting things on the horizon at the Albany,” she said.

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) has launched a global Register of Teachers.

Inclusion in the register will mean the dance teacher has met eligibility criteria, including relevant dance teaching qualification and agreeing to comply to RAD’s Code of Professional Practice for teachers and follow RAD’s Safeguarding Good Practice Guidelines.

The launch follows a YouGov survey conducted by RAD which found 89% of adults in the UK were unaware there is no legal requirement for dance teachers to have a relevant dance qualification to lead a dance class or school.

RAD hopes the register will help employers, prospective students, parents and guardians to “find RAD registered teachers with confidence”.

In the YouGov poll, 79% of parents and guardians surveyed said they agreed it would be useful to have access to a service which allowed them to check a dance teacher’s credentials.

RAD Chief Executive Tim Arthur said unqualified teachers devalue the whole art form because a bad experience can put people off dance for life and potentially cause injuries.

“Conversely, a great experience with an experienced and knowledgeable teacher, can be life changing,” he added.

“I hope that the RAD’s new Register of Teachers will allow the public to make informed decisions when finding a dance teacher.”

Film composers in the early stages of their career will receive support and advice as part of a joint initiative launched by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) and the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). 

The professional development scheme, called Film Composers Lab, will offer five UK-based composers the opportunity to expand their skills in film composition with Scottish film and TV composer John Lunn acting as Mentor alongside Danai Kokogia as Associate Co-Mentor.

RSNO Chief Executive Alistair Mackie said: “The RSNO is really happy to be working with the EIFF on a brand-new scheme for early-career composers.

"Combining the history, expertise and facilities of both organisations will provide a great platform for the group to explore new ways of working and I’m already looking forward to hearing what they produce."

EIFF Festival Producer Holly Daniel said: “Supporting emerging talent is an essential part of our creative ambition at EIFF. It’s wonderful to be partnering with the RSNO on this activity and to be able to bring our experiences and networks together to support emerging composers with this unique programme connecting the makers of music and film."

Applications for the scheme are open now, with a closing date of 5pm on Tuesday 11 October.

The Arts Council of Wales has announced the continuation of Cynefin: culturally and ethnically diverse Wales, a programme organised in partnership with the Welsh government.

The programme will expand to support a wider network of schools across Wales in devising and delivering creative collaborative projects.

Projects supported by the programme focus on areas including exploring identity in relation to growing up in Wales and understanding the history and development of the country as a culturally diverse society.

Other areas of focus include gaining awareness of the people, cultures and communities that make up contemporary Wales and exploring the past and present experiences and contributions of culturally and ethnic diverse people to the country.

The programme facilitates working directly with teachers to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. 

Arts Council Wales has put out a call for creative professionals from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds who want to work on the creative learning offer for schools within the network in either English or Welsh.

Professionals working in the arts, culture, heritage or creative industries are invited to apply until September 2 for an opportunity to develop their practices through the delivery of collaborative, creative projects in schools.