Significant Seams and Turning Tides invite artists and creatives to propose activities for our 2024 Youth Summer Programme, “Empowering Creativity”

Empowering Creativity aims to be a dynamic programme of workshops and events that provide pick-n-mix engagement opportunities with the varied dimensions (and worlds of paid work!) of the arts world (physical theatre, creative writing, costuming, music, lighting, promotion, set design etc). 

Background

This is a programme for 11-16 year olds from in and around Crediton. Every session will have 15 free spaces for young people entitled to free school meals. Additional spaces will be available for our cost (i.e. a non-profit basis). 

[We are actively seeking sponsors to reduce the cost we need to pass on as much as possible. We want the programme to be inclusive and accessible. Further support will give us greater ability to respond to other kinds of need amongst participants. It will not change the funding available to artists/facilitators (or the organisations.)]

The programme will be delivered on 31 July, 1 August, 5-9 August, 12-16 August and 30 August. 

Each session will be four hours and include a hot meal. There will be a minimum of two other workers present to support the young people and the agreed running order of each session.

All workers must have a current DBS and a Safeguarding certificate, and must read and agree to Significant Seams safeguarding policy. (We will support successful applicants in this process as needed.)

Of note: 

  • Our default venue is Four Mills,  an eclectic external garden and community space near Crediton train station. There is a new sculptural amphitheatre made from tyres in the shape of a dragon amongst other outdoor sculptures. Other venues may be used where appropriate and viable within our budget.
  • The week of 19 August (after our programme) Crediton Youth Theatre company is running a production-in-a-week project (on a private paid basis) at the Crediton Arts Centre.
  • Subject to successfully securing travel support, we intend to take 15 young people to the Barnfield Theatres production of Pizza Wars on 30 August.

Our invitation

We welcome proposals for session content delivery. Proposals can be for one-off sessions or workshops that are a series. Youth led proposals (especially welcome!) are eligible for a £75 fee per session. Professional artists/arts facilitators would be eligible for £150 for each session including all materials and any other costs. Significant Seams and Turning Tides have substantial materials, equipment and constructive partnerships to support acquiring specific materials needed. Please indicate where help securing materials would be sought (and what the need would be). 

The brief

We hope for the summer programme activities to:

  • Be fun
  • Attract some older young people entitled to free school meals
  • Reveal a range of roles in the creative industries, including potential work experiences, internships, or apprenticeships
  • Give young people a sense of special access/insight to people/organisations 
  • Have resonance to the theme of ‘art and ecocreativity’.  
  • Activity must adhere to Significant Seams Decarbonisation policy and plans.

We particularly welcome proposals in which:

  • ’sessions’ are youth-led for other youth
    • young people have identified this as desirable
    • various sources have identified work experience, leadership experiences, etc for the older young people (14-16/17ish) as lacking in our area
    • For those entitled to free school meals, getting paid work is a priority over enriching experiences, but the quality of jobs that are around aren’t brilliantly developmental. The need to work could be inadvertently limiting of their potentials if we don’t create an adequately competitive/enriching opportunity for them
  • Support young people who are interested in an Arts Award qualification

Your response

Email [email protected] with your proposal by 21 April 2024. In it, please tell us a little bit about yourself, your creative practice, and a paragraph about (each) proposed activity.  We encourage a photo or short relevant video.  Experienced artist facilitators should indicate previous clients or delivery contexts, and provide a referee please.  Youth applicants should indicate a supporting adult, ideally from an arts context, whom we can contact as a reference in relation to the application. Youth applicants should also indicate their age.

Our confirmed team have substantial experience working with young people and will not exclude arts facilitators for lack of experience.

If you have strong views about creative learning or specific needs to enable your contribution, please do tell us. We are committed to (and expect!) mutual respect.