New approach to cultural learning

The education, training and cultural sectors should join to form a Cultural Learning Alliance to promote and support cultural learning and create a coherent national strategy for cultural learning, according to a new report. ‘Culture and Learning: a new agenda for advocacy and action’ has been published by the Culture and Learning Consortium (CLC), which includes Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums, Libraries & Archives Council and a number of leading charitable foundations. Based on a consultation and written responses to a paper by John Holden of the think-tank Demos (February 2008), the report makes ten recommendations for “a new agenda… to meet the needs, aspirations and talents of all learners”. These include the recognition and promotion of cultural learning by central government, local authorities, regional agencies and schools, working through existing schemes, organisations and mechanisms such as Find Your Talent, Creative Partnerships, Public Service Agreements, Local Area Agreements and the school curriculum. Further, it recommends that all cultural organisations should “give cultural learning a core role in their work, ensuring that the learning function is properly represented at senior management and board level” and “strive to include those children, young people and adults who do not have access to cultural learning opportunities”. The report also identifies leadership, teacher training and funding as key issues, urging funders including government to “refine or develop long-term funding models that encourage and support sustained collaborations between cultural and learning organisations”. The CLC plans to convene a symposium this spring to discuss further steps with key stakeholders in cultural learning.