CREATIVE learning programmes for young people ‘at risk of being left behind’ will begin across the East Midlands thanks to a £50,000 funding boost by The Mighty Creatives.
The cultural education charity based in Leicester has awarded seven regional arts organisations up to £7,500 each through its ‘Creative Communities Fund’ to design and deliver critical change-making projects for children and teenagers in need.
Theatre, acting, dance improvisation, contemporary art, percussion, music composition and storytelling are among the activities and workshops planned to tackle specific pandemic-related challenges faced by groups of disadvantaged young people.
Hannaa Hamdache, Creative Communities Manager at The Mighty Creatives, said:
“Our Creative Communities Fund has gone directly to grassroots arts and culture organisations in the East Midlands so that they can provide much-needed creative programmes in their local areas for children most at risk of being left behind or unsupported due to Covid.
“The cultural education sector has been hugely affected over the last two years and with many activities having been stopped or postponed, children in need are the ones who have been most impacted.
“These seven exciting projects support vulnerable young people culturally, educationally and emotionally, and range from bespoke artist-led workshops for those with complex mental health or medical needs who have missed school, to music and artwork programmes about climate change and multiculturalism for children living in inner cities and remote rural areas.
“We’re very excited to see the impact of our financial boost and the outcomes these important projects will have on their local communities.”
The Creative Communities Fund is an extension of The Mighty Creative’s Creative Communities programme (previously known as Arts Alliances), with a combined total of almost £90,000 having been awarded by the charity to East Midlands cultural sector organisations and business leaders since 2020.
Liz Clark is one of the artists to have been awarded the latest grant, allowing her to work in partnership with Loughborough University Nursery to roll out the innovative Creative Adventure programme to early years settings regionally.
Caroline Farley, Head of Nursery added:
“This funding boost will make such a difference. It has been the most challenging few years for the early years sector in terms of child and staff wellbeing, with many under 5s experiencing low confidence, self-esteem, and even developmental trauma. Alongside the ever-increasing pressure to formalise early education, it’s meant that creativity and play have been pushed out.
“Our Creative Adventure programme focuses on creative movement and has had an incredible impact on expression and communication, as well as improving learning and development opportunities, daily one-to-one interactions, and relationships between the adult and child. We can’t wait to be able to share our work more widely so that other early years settings in the region can benefit.”
Other organisations to receive the ‘Creative Communities Fund’ are:
Cosmopolitan Arts in Leicester
Warts And All Theatre in Northampton
Fermynwoods in Northamptonshire
Taylor Made Arts in Lincoln
Gambia Afro Beat in Nottinghamshire
Create You Arts in Mansfield
For more information on The Mighty Creatives visit: www.themightycreatives.com
