What are Local Education Authorities (LEAs) for? There are a multitude of answers to that question, ranging from meeting Government targets to ensuring the protection of pupils’ data. But the main answer must be to ensure that children receive good state education in their local area. This must surely include the arts: the skills, the chance to experience and appreciate, the opportunities for performance and exhibition, the understanding, all the concomitant benefits which have been raked over so many times by so many research projects. Many of us will feel optimistic that in England at least the Government will be encouraging five hours of ‘culture’ a week for school pupils, and believe that the hideously named but well-intentioned ‘Find Your Talent’ programme will reach lives as yet untouched by the arts (see p1).
Yet there must be some disquiet that, instead of deciding to invest directly in all LEAs, thus strengthening arts teaching and school arts provision, the Government has chosen to encourage LEAs to tender for a pilot scheme. Initially, ten will succeed. The Youth Culture Trust has been created to oversee the scheme, which will be delivered by Creative Partnerships, supported by a number of funding partners. Some of us must be asking: why is the Government keeping a whole pack of educational dogs and then creating its own site-specific barking machine? Some will remember the introduction of the National Curriculum, which laid down that children should listen, play, compose and appreciate music, or should create, perform, improvise and experience dance. Some may be wondering why it is still necessary for the new scheme to focus on “how best to give young people the chance to develop both as ‘informed spectators’ and as ‘participants and creators’”. Some may also remember that arts companies’ educational endeavours always used to be presented as an enhancement to state education provision, and not a replacement for it. Is this important distinction in danger of being lost? Of course artists and arts companies should work with schools: the benefits to both parties are clear. Yet should not the efforts to raise the level of artistic skill, assurance and creativity within the teaching force, as advocated by Creative Partnerships, go hand in hand with strengthening the local delivery mechanisms for arts education?
Catherine Rose, Editor