Helping to develop arts & cultural learning for the engagement and wellbeing of pupils and staff is at the heart of what Spaeda and Sound Foundation Somerset are about. To this aim, and with the support of the regional Bridge Organisation, Real Ideas, these partners launched the Artsmark SPARK scheme back in January 2020 and are now celebrating the 50 schools that have taken up this fantastic offer!
The scheme - now closed due to being full and all funding being allocated - provided match funding, access to resources and support, and connection with a range of arts and cultural partners in the county, to schools embarking on/renewing their Artsmark journeys. It aims to provide a boost to teaching, learning, and creativity in schools, especially in these challenging times. Due to these times, it hasn't been straight forward getting news of the scheme out and noticed, however, for those schools that have managed to join, and to be turning to the arts, creativity, and partnership work right now, we are in awe.
The schools on the scheme are at various stages of their Artsmark journey, many new to it and just getting started, and others renewing and now going for Gold or even Platinum. Their plans range from whole school engagement in the arts for wellbeing, development of music curriculums including purchasing new instruments, and exploring cultural partnerships to support progression and achievement through qualifications such as Arts Award. We will be profiling what they are learning, creating, and experiencing through their Artsmark journeys during the next few months on our website, in order to inspire other schools across the county too!
We also have a range of fantastic creative skills videos, free to any Artsmark school in Somerset, along with CPD events and links on our website, for added inspiration. To help bring to life what an Artsmark journey can do for schools, we interviewed staff at Eastover Community Primary School in Bridgwater about their recent success gaining Artsmark Gold, which can be seen on the Artsmark page.
The Artsmark SPARK scheme is being run by Spaeda, with support and top up funding from Sound Foundation Somerset, and match funding from Real Ideas.
If you would like your school to be put on a waiting list for the SPARK scheme in case of any changes, please email artsmark@spaeda.org.uk
