WATCH: Ways to fund creativity in schools

The creative industry in the UK provides more than 2.1 million jobs and injects our economy with an estimated £13 million every hour. In schools, art subjects have been shown to improve students’ engagement, their aspirations, empathy and wellbeing.  

But with schools facing increased financial pressure as the cost of living crisis worsens, for some the arts in schools represent an easy target for savings. So, how can arts leads safeguard their subjects? 

In this Tes webinar, sponsored by Artsmark Award, senior editor Simon Lock is joined by a group of experts to explore some of the challenges facing the arts subjects right now, as well as looking at some of the interesting ways schools can better support their creative subjects through additional funding. 

Panel:  

Simon Lock, senior editor at Tes (host)
Janet Madden, assistant head at Bedford High School in Greater Manchester 
Becky Stroud, music teacher at Beck Primary School in Sheffield 
Aoibheann Kelly, schools engagement manager at IVE, the Bridge organisation for arts in Yorkshire and the Humber 

The post-pandemic picture  

Following periods of remote learning, the arts in schools have had a mixed experience across the UK. While some schools have returned to the classroom with a renewed focus on creativity - with leadership teams seeing the value in these subjects - some have seen priorities shift towards more academic endeavours.  

“When the pandemic first started, there was a lot of singing, there was a lot of art on windows, there was a lot of turning to creative outlets to express ourselves,” explains Becky Stroud, music teacher at Beck Primary School in Sheffield.  

“Then we got back into schools and the arts aren’t important because we’ve got catch up. I would argue we need to turn it upside down and art is needed more than ever at the moment.” 

There is strong evidence to suggest that art can have a significant impact on mental health, but with schools under pressure to ensure any lost learning is accounted for, the art subjects are having to fight their corner. On top of this, with school budgets under pressure, there is less money available for creative resources or visits.  

“Our electricity and gas will go up 130 per cent next year,” explains Madden. “It is a tight squeeze on senior leaders. And where do you take that money from? It is a really big dilemma.”

So, how can arts leads ensure that these subjects are given the focus and the funding they need?  

Getting leadership buy-in 

According to our panel, one of the first steps to ensuring creative subjects receive the necessary attention is to get your senior leaders on board.  

“Look at your school development plan,” suggests Aoibheann Kelly, schools engagement manager at IVE, the Bridge organisation for arts in Yorkshire and the Humber. “Look at what your priorities are as a school that the governors and senior leadership teams are on board with, and then look at how what you’re aiming for can help you to meet those.”  

When it comes to applying for cash, Stroud explains how periods of lockdown gave her the time to look into additional funding streams in more detail, eventually securing £30,000 through Youth Music. But her quest for grants didn’t stop there. 

“As you start going down the rabbit hole, you begin to realise there’s [more] stuff out there you can apply for, so I keep getting little bits. I’ve had £1,500 for a project whereby we celebrated for suffragists, based on a local story, and I’ve managed to get funding for a four-day course with the University of Leeds,” Stroud explains. 

In addition to gaining direct funding, the panel recommends partnering with artists and organisations who might have more lucrative means. So, where can arts leads start when it comes to forming partnerships such as these?  

“Your local cultural education partnership (LCEP) is a really good starting point,” explains Madden. 

“Every region has an LCEP, and it is made up of teachers and artists, and the idea is to link up both communities. I met an artist and she had a pot of money and she applied to work at Bedford High School. So next term, I’ll have an artist in residence.”  

For more advice on funding creativity at your school watch the webinar in full:  

This webinar is sponsored by Artsmark Award. Find out more about how Artsmark Award can help your school access more funding at artsmark.org.uk