Inga Hirst explains how youth work is central to the work of artsdepot.
Established in 2004, artsdepot is a cultural centre in North London, providing a mix of performing and visual arts as well as a wide range of education projects. The venue is charged with delivering the London borough of Barnets arts provision, plays a major role in arts development in the area, and is now established as one of the key resources for the arts locally.
The education programme is at the heart of artsdepots ethos, delivering outreach and in-house arts activities including courses, talks and training, and last year 8,000 people took part in an education project with artsdepot. We receive funding through Barnet Youth and Connexions Service, with the programme tailored to meet the Governments Every Child Matters agenda. We have developed five key strands within our education work, each meeting a distinct need within the community. Our youth programme, Ignite, provides arts opportunities to engage 1319-year-olds, especially those at risk from exclusion and crime or not in education, employment or training. To facilitate this, relationships have been developed with organisations such as the Pavillion Study Centre Pupil Referral Unit, as well as charities like Barnet Young Carers. Our family and early years programme integrates play with learning, by running courses, workshops and annual play days where children and their families can participate in free performance and workshops in a safe, inclusive environment. Over the years we have worked closely with the boroughs children and family centres, delivering residencies, touring childrens theatre, education packages and training. Roots and Wings is our two-year arts programme for refugees, asylum seekers, exiled artists and migrant communities, living and working in Barnet. In addition to workshops and residencies artsdepot runs a Womens Group and a Girls Group, which now offer accredited arts courses.
Our schools programme offers In- Service Training for teachers and arts projects for schools including Creative Routes, a visual arts project, where schoolchildren work with professional artists to create work which is displayed in artsdepots Apthorp Gallery, and Operating Theatre a youth drama festival teaming secondary schools and colleges with professional theatre companies.
Together the strands of our education work help to deliver the aims of Every Child Matters in encouraging young people to be healthy and active through dance, offering them exciting activities, and helping them to stay safe from crime and anti-social behaviour. All our projects focus on creating environments where young people can start developing the confidence to make a positive contribution. Finally, many of the young people taking part in our projects are outside mainstream education. Engaging in an artsdepot education project can help to challenge their negative perceptions of learning. For some, it has led them to reconsider further education when they leave school, bringing them a little closer to achieving economic well-being.
Inga Hirst is Education Manager at artsdepot.
t: 020 8369 5454;
w: http://www.artsdepot.co.uk