envision

envision Programme Additional Information

envision is a pioneering young people's programme working nationally with galleries to achieve sustainable youth-friendly outcomes.

The programme contributes to current government and Arts Council priorities by building a culture of youth participation in galleries, offering opportunities for young people to access the arts, particularly those who are hard to reach.

envision is managed by engage, the UK's leading professional body supporting gallery education and promoting access to the visual arts through professional development, projects, research, dissemination and advocacy. With 1,200 members in the United Kingdom representing 500 art venues and 120 international members in 20 countries, engage is at the forefront of gallery education development.

The envision programme works to:

The idea behind the activity

envision was set up 4 years ago to respond to research highlighting young people's lack of participation in the arts e.g. Crossing the Line - Extending Young People's Access to Cultural Venues, Arts Council and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 1999, and through the engage Conference 16:25> ART, October 2001 which highlighted significant gaps in provision and knowledge and evidenced demand for resources and training opportunities. The focus has also been informed by widespread consultation with young people and professionals across the sector. Since this time some excellent projects have been taking place in galleries with young people and evidence is beginning to emerge about the unique and valuable role galleries can play in young people's lives, in particular supporting the re-engagement and personal, social and educational development of those experiencing, or at risk of, exclusion.

Young people are high on the national agenda. In particular, there is a national focus on the need to find new and joined up strategies to engaging with young people in positive, community and educational activity in the light of escalating anti-social behaviour, youth crime, teenage pregnancy, youth disaffection and dis-engagement from mainstream education. The last few years have seen the introduction of a vast array of new national policies, strategies and the transformation of services for children and young people: Children's Trusts, Every Child Matters, Youth Matters, Extended Schools, Transforming Youth Services, Russell Commission for Volunteering, government 'Learning to Listen' agenda and associated initiatives, including the National Youth Agency Hear by Right resources, now being widely used to help organisations build the role of young people in shaping and steering their work.

envision helps visual arts venues to understand this environment, explore their own potential responses, and develop new expertise, practice and policy to implement long-term strategy. envision plays a unique national role championing and facilitating sector development at a national level.

Research and Development Bursaries

A significant element of the envision programme is delivered through research development projects with galleries. Over the next year the programme is supporting 16 projects in 16 venues in four regions of the UK, directly involving a minimum of 168 young people in core activities and engaging additional young people and their families/ carers in wider celebratory and consultation activities. The projects are supported by two residential 'training' events for venues and their partners, and an envision Regional Support Coordinator to help develop regional peer networks.

Projects are managed locally by the venue and planned and delivered in collaboration with young people and partner agencies. The format and approach of each project is flexible to meet the requirements of the partner agencies and young people.

Each partnership brings together young people, artists and staff using creative activity to build relationships, confidence and skills. This may include for example volunteering, team tasks, communication and problem solving, expression of ideas using creative media, project management and decision-making. We are encouraging venues to accredit the young people's work through the new Arts Award, Open College Network and others where appropriate to the local context.

Projects are using creative techniques to review current practice and develop new policy and provision to genuinely meet young people's needs and interests. Projects are helping colleagues within each gallery to initiate a process of change, designed specifically to facilitate collaboration, involvement and commitment across the organisation, including senior management, to begin to embed a 'youth-friendly' culture at the heart of the gallery.

Resources

The envision website: www.engage.org is a lively and informative resource housing examples of practice in a searchable database, current policy and context, useful contacts, websites, reading, funding links, and practical resources including the envision and Making Connections toolkit, and links to other sites of interest. The site will also keep people updated about ongoing envision activities and opportunities.

Outcomes of the research projects will be recorded and disseminated as comparable case studies via the website, the learning and resources also contributing to a youth-friendly gallery handbook, due for publication March 08.

Youth-friendly Arts Venue Award Scheme

As a culmination of the current programme, envision is developing a Youth-friendly Arts Venue Award Scheme. The scheme will promote art venues as accessible and relevant places for young people, championing good practice and celebrating achievements through a live showcase of young people's creative work.

The idea for the awards arose from discussions with young people involved in the initial envision projects, and these young people are keen to help develop and put the scheme into practice.

There will be two awards; the main award for work with young people which has been initiated through a partnership either directly with young people themselves, or from an informal youth arts context, and a special award for work taking place in arts venues which benefits young people excluded from or at risk of exclusion from school (developed through a collaboration with a Pupil Referral Unit or Learning Support Unit).

 
envision is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government, Arts Council England, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Yorkshire Building Society.



Department for Communities and Local Government         Arts Council England         Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation         Yorkshire Building Society