Create Your Future - showing the way for creative careers
The folder designed especially for the CYF programme.
In Spring this year two Gloucestershire secondary schools took part in a new a personal and creative development called ‘Create Your Future’ (CYF). It was designed by Abi Nicol, founder of Creative Communities, an arts organisation based in Cam & Dursley, supported by Create Gloucestershire and funded by NHS Gloucestershire’s Integrated Care Board and Thirty Percy.
Abi explains: “Create Your Future (CYF) was designed to broker conversation around the opportunities and pathways leading into the Creative Sector. With less exposure to the arts in schools, it is becoming harder for young people to see role models or how to develop a career in the creative industries.”
The programme was developed with these key objectives in mind:
Enable young peoples’ confidence, self-esteem, and aspiration to flourish.
Develop new creative and technical skills.
Inform young people of a range of creative career pathways and leisure opportunities available in their local community.
Broker links with training and higher education pathways in formal and informal education settings.
Connect with local community arts providers and broker work experience and engagement opportunities.
The programme featured inspirational workshops from professionals working in the creative industries. The workshops were wide ranging covering the work undertaken by a host of, mostly local, creatives. They included a:
Creative Director - who delivered workshops in prop and set design which involved quick problem solving around scale and materials.
Fine art painter - her journey as a painter and how to respond to an artist call out.
Ceramics artist - posed the question ‘what makes a good piece of public sculpture?’ Pupils then designed and made ceramic sculptures.
Costume designer - designing, cutting and making costumes for productions.
Producer - Managing venues and booking acts at festivals and working with communities to make their ideas happen.
Actor - who shared her journey from local amateur dramatics to professional actor.
Graphic Designer - the role of graphic design and experience of creating promotional materials and branding.
Make Up artist - from wigs and make up for the English National Opera to teaching make up as a degree course.
Advice from the artist/creatives
As well as giving the pupils hands on creative experiencesh the professionals also shared valuable advice on how to succeed in a creative career. Here are a few examples:
“Learn all the computer skills but also when at uni or whatever training try to gain experience with tools. Basic woodwork skills are really good to get you going.”
“Try lots of different materials and ways to express your ideas. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. Use whatever you have around you to make your art – you don’t have to use traditional materials like clay or paint to make art.”
“Look at different pathways into the industry and choose which course feels most appropriate to you. Be an approachable person as you will base your career on the people you meet.”
Arts Award
In addition, both schools had the opportunity to compete an Arts Award certification as part of the programme. Each workshop had a corresponding Fact File, on the back with three simple questions that supported the Arts Award.
What did you do during the workshop?
What did you find out about this person
What did you enjoy about the session?
In total 89 pupils achieved their Arts Award Discover!
Creating props
Designing and making ceramic sculptures
Working with scale
At Barnwood Park in Gloucester – a large secondary school - the programme was launched with a year group assembly and whole day of workshops for year 10, with afterschool sessions offered to years 9 & 10. At Forest High in Cinderford we worked in smaller groups with pupils from years 7, 8 and 9. The workshops were delivered in curriculum time through drama, linking into the school musical production of Matilda. This was a new venture for the school and the first time a musical had been produced in 8 years! The workshops included designing a costume for Ms Trunchbull or Miss Honey.
Designing a costume for Miss Trunchbull
There was great engagement and personal interpretation, in all the classes. but we also had some great feednack from the teachers within the schools. Here is a flovour of their responses:
“It was just wonderful to see the students engage so well and see the different job opportunities open to them that link to the Arts.
I know it took some planning and the plans had to change several times but I think what you delivered was brilliant and something the students will remember for a very long time”.
“As a teacher, I learned new skills”
“It was accessible to all, and allowed an opportunity to explore different avenues and a good variety of artforms, when we are restricted in the curriculum”
Future plans
If you are interested in hearing how we got on (evaluation report and recommendations) or to find out our ideas how this might roll out to other schools in Gloucestershire, then get in touch with louise@creategloucestershire.co.uk
All images credited to Abi Nicol.