Action for Children’s Arts would like you to know that the 2016 JM Barrie Awards will take place at the BBC Radio Theatre at 1.00 pm on Thursday, November 10th.
Invitations will be sent nearer the time, but please save the date in your diary!
On 14th April Vicky Ireland, Vice Chair of ACA spoke at Creatives 4Europe at the House of Commons. She highlighted the co-operation between children’s arts practitioners and projects which draw upon EU funds and EU partners sighting Small Size www.smallsize.org as a brilliant example.
ACA meeting January 11th with Anne Appelbaum and Lindsey Pugh Senior Officers Children, Young People and Learning at Arts Council England, with David Wood, Chair and Vicky Ireland Vice-Chair, as suggested by Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair of Arts Council England.
Aim of meeting
To find out about ACE current activities and thinking
To introduce ACA to officers
To share concerns
To consider solutions
Click here to read the report.
ACA meeting with Baroness Bonham Carter’s DCMS policy group at the House of Lords
David Wood (Chair) and Vicky Ireland (Vice Chair) were invited to speak to this group, thanks to Patron Baroness Floella Benjamin. Baroness Jane Bonham Carter is the Lib Dem spokesperson for Culture, Media and Sport. Between 15-20 people attended, a mixture of parliamentarians and outside individuals who are invited because they have a particular CMS interest. The aim of the group is to identify policy areas the group can work on and formulate an approach to oral questions in the house.
The aim of our visit was to have a question raised on our behalf, in the House of Lords.
Click here to read the report.
On 25 November 2015, Chancellor George Osborne delivered his autumn statement, announcing that funding for Arts Council England (ACE) will increase by around £10 million by 2019/2020. Other pledges included £150 million for The Science Museum, British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum to replace storage facilities; £78 million towards The Factory, Manchester and £4 million for Birmingham Arts Hub.
ACE chair, Sir Peter Bazalgette has acknowledged the importance of campaigners within the arts sector in this victory. The expected cuts have been avoided through the collaboration of ACE and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), as well as through valuable nationwide campaigns such as What Next?’s arts4britain campaign.
Whilst cuts to local governments, changes to the education system and on-going devolution leave much work to do, this is a moment to celebrate the impact of a unified campaign to protect arts and culture in this country.
This year’s J M Barrie Award has been presented to the much-loved children’s author, Dame Jacqueline Wilson for a lifetime of unforgettable writing for children.
Jacqueline Wilson is one of the UK’s favourite children’s authors whose work is loved by her legion of loyal fans. Best known for characters such as Tracy Beaker and the Victorian foundling child, Hetty Feather, over 38 million copies of her books have been sold in the UK and they have been translated into 34 different languages. Jacqueline Wilson was Children’s Laureate from 2005-2007 when she spearheaded a campaign to encourage parents and carers to read aloud to children. She was awarded an OBE in 2002 for services to literacy in schools and then was awarded a DBE in 2008. She is currently Chancellor of Roehampton University where she is also visiting professor of Children’s Literature.
Nick Sharratt, Jacqueline Wilson’s long-standing illustrator gave a tribute to Jacqueline as part of the ceremony accompanied by the present and previous Children’s Laureates. Malorie Blackman OBE, Laureate from 2013-15 read the citation for the award and Hebe Russell, aged nine, along with Chris Riddell the current Children’s Laureate, presented Jacqueline with her award. Other icons of children’s literature present in the audience included Michelle Magorian, Lynne Reid Banks, Jamila Gavin and Jan Pienkowski.
The Outstanding Contribution Award went to Sir Ken Robinson, inspirational advocate of creativity in education. His talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” is the most viewed in the history of TED and has been seen by millions all over the world. Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp, Chief Executive of The Place, delivered a tribute to Sir Ken, who, although unable to be present, sent an inspiring video. His award was collected by his daughter, Kate Robinson.
ACA Member’s Awards went to Carolyn Mairi L. Forsyth, Producer at the Unicorn Theatre, Sahana Gero, creator of Heart Beat Music Academy and Daniel Jamieson, playwright for Theatre Alibi.
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of TIE, Trustees Awards to internationally acclaimed playwrights Mike Kenny and Charles Way.
David Wood OBE, chair of ACA said “Children are the future. The arts practitioners who specialise in entertaining and inspiring them and triggering their imaginations deserve, Action for Children’s Arts believes, public recognition. This is the 11th year of the J M Barrie Awards. We are proud to honour Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Sir Ken Robinson and our Members’ Award winners, Carolyn Mairi L.Forsyth, Sahana Gero, Daniel Jamieson, Trustees’ Award winners Mike Kenny and Charles Way. They are all brightly-shining beacons in the vibrant world of children’s arts.”
A fascinating introduction for children and adults about how music helps to tell a story. Writer, composer and silent film accompanist Neil Brand will explore flying music in films such as How to Train Your Dragon, Superman and Star Wars. The audience will be invited to contribute ideas for a flying theme, improvised by Neil at the piano.
Click here for more details.
Earlier this year, ACA sent a survey to members asking them to suggest potential causes for a decline in professionally produced arts for children. The survey identified some key areas that need to be addressed, regarding restrictions in funding and limitations in the National Curriculum itself.
Survey respondents have been invited to attend a round table hosted by ACA at The Young Vic on Tuesday 22 September. In this session, we will discuss the issues presented, aim to find a sustainable course of positive action, and examine how ACA can help further raise the profile of children’s arts.
If you are interested in following the conversation, or contributing your own thoughts, follow us on Twitter @ChildrensArts and tweet us on the day using #….. You can also keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for updates after the event about findings, and future related action.
“UK originated content is quickly disappearing from our screen despite an ever increasing dearth of platforms pushing it out.
Public Service Broadcasting commercial channels are reversing out of children original content, with their investment falling 96% in a little over ten years. The BBC has produced over 60% less original hours over the same period.
Children’s content is in crisis and Ofcom seemingly powerless to reverse the decline despite consistently airing their concern. I do wonder where the next incentive or intervention can come from.
The BBC is an easier fix. Whatever the outcome of the BBC settlement it will give Children’s parity in funding to Adults. Sounds fair doesn’t it, I’m happy to argue over what “parity” means, but as a concept it just feels like a good place to start.
What we need is a bold ambitious plan for our children’s content. One thing’s for sure, the next couple of years will be crucial in defining what the long term outcome for children’s content is”.
www.baccforthefuture.com/sign-the-petition.html
The Department for Education is planning to make the five English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subject areas compulsory for all secondary school pupils. The EBacc list of subjects contains no creative arts subjects.
It will make a narrow list of five subject areas compulsory – maths, English, sciences, languages (ancient and modern) and history or geography. If the proposals go ahead, creativity in schools would be damaged and there would be little room in the school day for the arts, music and drama.
Numerous studies have demonstrated both the lack of evidence for the choice of subjects in the EBacc and the harmful impact it has had on cultural and creative subjects in schools.
We know that creativity is educationally and economically valuable and it is valued by the British public so we are working together to urge the Government to reconsider their proposals.
Exclusion of music, art or culture from state secondary school core subject English Baccalaureate requirements – Lord Aberdare 22 July 2015, Lord Aberdare asked a question in the House of Lords about the ommision of creative subjects from the English Baccalaureate