Artsmark

Artsmark is a national award scheme which recognises schools committed to the arts.

Artsmark provides a benchmark for arts provision that encourages schools to consider the opportunities they offer in art, dance, drama and music.

The application form for Artsmark acts as an auditing tool, through which schools may gain an overall picture of their arts education provision.

A Message from the Arts Council, March 2010

The future of Artsmark

Artsmark is Arts Council England's flagship schools programme, celebrating commitment and passion for arts education in schools. Over the last 10 years over 10,000 schools have been a part of the scheme and currently 15% of schools in England hold an Artsmark award. To date it has served as an excellent measure of arts provision in and out of curriculum time as well as recognising partnerships with professional artists and organisations. It has also enabled schools to embed arts development as an integral part of their wider improvement as referenced in the Self Evaluation Form. We are keen to build on the success of Artsmark and Arts Award and demonstrate how engagement in the arts can provide quality outcomes for young people in a variety of settings.

We are currently reviewing Artsmark and will be testing new models in 2010-11. A refreshed scheme will be piloted from September-December 2010 and take into account feedback from schools and other partners. Through evaluation and discussion with Ofsted, QCDA, DCMS, DCFS and Local Authorities we have identified that quality outcomes and a simpler online application are important factors in shaping a new scheme.

Following the pilot phase of the scheme's development we will be launching Artsmark New Generation in September 2011.

Keeping you updated

Round 10 applications will be announced in June 2010. Schools can still access the Artsmark audit forms online

Due to the overwhelming success of Artsmark and instead of holding celebration events, we will be providing Round 10 awardees with an Artsmark 'celebration' pack which will be distributed in June 2010 - we hope this will inspire schools to organise their own celebration activities

Round 8 schools, who should be applying this year to renew their Artsmark Award, will have it extended until September 2011. (If a current Award is due to expire in the May 2010 period it will be extended to September 2011) More information will be made available about this in due course.

Hopes for the future

A number of pilots for the new scheme will be undertaken from September - December 2010

Pilots will investigate the relevance of Artsmark to schools, arts organisations and in other settings that deliver arts learning for children and young people

The new scheme will be accessed online from application, through to reporting and reviewing

We hope to link more with OFSTED and provide evidence for the self evaluation form which should reduce paperwork for schools and also promote Every Child Matters within the framework

We envisage using smaller, more focused groups of assessors, who would be paid by schools to make assessment/validation visits

Artsmark will remain a voluntary scheme and a nominal charge will be levied for validation to enable the scheme to grow and develop in a sustainable way

Artsmark New Generation will be launched in September 2011.

For more information about Artsmark and its impact on young people go to www.artscouncil.org.uk/artsmark

How Spaeda can help

We have helped a number of schools to achieve their Artsmark status. Our specifically designed Spaeda’s Artsmark package offers support and guidance from our highly skilled team.

This package includes:

a 1-2 hour surgery at your school
follow up support to help you complete your application form

Price for 2009 (round 10) £100 (£80 Spaeda membership schools)

Artsmark seminars for groups of schools can also be arranged.