Arts Award

Arts Award is...

...a range of unique qualifications that supports anyone aged up to 25 to grow as artists and arts leaders, inspiring them to connect with and take part in the wider arts world through taking challenges in an art form - from fashion to digital art, pottery to poetry.

Offered at five different levels, young people get to:

• discover the enjoyment of creating and participating in any art form

• develop their creativity and leadership skills

• learn new skills and share them with others

• get to work with or experience working with creative arts professionals

• gain experience and knowledge to progress into further education and employment

To achieve their Arts Award, young people take on challenges in an art form, participate in arts activities, experience arts events, get inspired by artists and share their arts skills with others. Young people create a portfolio to keep a record of their creative journey. Along the way they are supported by an Arts Award adviser, acting as assessor, facilitator and mentor.

To find out where your nearest Arts Awards centre is visit here.

Ten things you should know about Arts Award

• Arts Award's unique qualifications support young people to develop as artists and arts leaders
   
   

• Arts Award is open to anyone aged up to 25, and embraces all interests and backgrounds
   

• Arts Award has five levels, four of which are on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)
   
   

• Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London in association with Arts Council England working with 10 regional Bridge organisations
   

• Since Arts Award was launched in 2005 355,992 awards have been achieved by young people (correct as of 1 January 2018).
   
   

• The programme develops creativity, leadership and communication skills. Through Arts Award young people learn to work independently, helping them to prepare for further education and employment
   

• Young people can achieve an award through any arts, media or cultural activity, such as music, literature, film-making or drama, and through technical and support roles such as arts marketing, stage lighting and web design
   

• Young people develop knowledge and understanding of their chosen art forms but art form skills levels are not set 

• Young people work with a trained Arts Award adviser who supports them to achieve their aspirations. The adviser will usually be a professional artist, teacher or youth worker

• Young people work towards their Arts Award at an Arts Award centre. Any organisation which supports young people’s arts activities can register as a centre if it employs or links with an Arts Award adviser. A centre may be a school, arts gallery, theatre, college, youth club, library, museum or arts project