Priorities for arts education

The Scottish Arts Council Corporate Plan identifies priorities for 2007-2009 and we will work within these priorities to achieve vibrant and sustainable arts education provision in Scotland. We have a particular focus on securing the foundation of Scotland’s artistic development and increasing participation in the arts.

Our priorities for 2007-2009 will be to develop quality across three key sectors, and to increase the opportunities for collaboration between them:

• arts and cultural organisations
• the formal education sector (schools and education departments)
• the informal education sector (eg community learning and development and national organisations).

1. Increase the scope and quality of our support for artists

2. Secure the foundation of Scotland's artistic development

We will:

• implement, support and develop the education elements of the Quality Framework, enabling Foundation Organisations to drive up the quality of their arts education provision
• create a data bank of arts education strategy material for use by arts organisations and for benchmarking purposes
• review the sectoral strengths and needs in relation to arts and education.

3. Create flexibility to support the new and innovative

• review and disseminate findings of the Education Integration Pilot Project and Arts Across the Curriculum, which has funded three organisations over a three year period to integrate education across their organisations
• fund two education traineeships in arts organisations
• explore the feasibility of developing arts awards for young people in arts practice, critical awareness and leadership
• fund a teacher exchange programme with Chicago teachers involved in integrated arts education.

4. Create opportunities for participation in the arts

We will work with local authorities and the Scottish Executive to design, agree and implement a new framework for the Cultural Co-ordinator programme more closely aligned to the Youth Music Initiative. The new structure will take account of the Curriculum for Excellence, the ‘escalator philosophy’ and cultural entitlements. It should raise the profile and value of the work of Co-ordinators and the artists with whom they work. At the same time, we plan to review and integrate the role of Creative Links officers.

Our targets for the coming year are to:

• establish a new structure for the Cultural Co-ordinator and Creative Links programmes
• contribute to the curricular review process
• facilitate the National Arts Education Network
• support Creative Links posts in national organisations
• devolve a £20,000 fund to Young Scot for grants to young people.

5. Build a culture of co-operation with partners and the arts community

As the boundaries between formal and informal education erode we will continue to facilitate networking opportunities between the two sectors primarily through the National Arts Education Network and the Creative Links posts in national umbrella bodies.

In addition, we will:

• produce a publication highlighting good practice arts education work in the informal sector with Her Majesty’s Inspectors in Education
• support Scottish Adult Learning Partnership Adult Learners awards.

6. Make the transition to Creative Scotland

The formal process of merging our roles and responsibilities with those of Scottish Screen began in January 2007, with the formation of a new board, whose members were drawn from the two existing bodies. We look forward to working with the new board to achieve a smooth transition into Creative Scotland. Together we will continue to develop the vision for the new organisation.

Read more about: National Arts and Education Network (NAEN) Arts Across the Curriculum (AAC) Creative Links Programme Cultural Co-ordinators