News and Events
Creative Partnerships cut
21st Oct 2010
Paul Collard, chief executive of Creativity, Culture and Education which manages the scheme, said that he was �very disappointed� by the government�s decision to withdraw funding. Earlier this year, CCE�s other major education programme, Find Your Talent, also had its funding axed by DCMS.
Collard commented: �We are obviously very disappointed with the decision to withdraw funding from the Creative Partnerships creative learning programme which has benefited over 1 million young people and thousands of schools across the country.
�What is of greater concern however is the impact that this approach will have on young people growing up in this country today. What characterised Creative Partnerships and Find Your Talent was the way in which these programmes reached out across the country to provide opportunities for young people in some of the most disadvantaged communities.�
Speaking to The Stage, Collard said he understood that Creative Partnerships would be funded until the end of the current academic year, although CCE was awaiting confirmation from Arts Council England. He added that he was sure �it is not the end� of the initiative.
Collard said he did not know whether CCE would remain an ACE RFO, commenting �the Creative Partnerships programme, as the arts council has made clear, will not be funded. Whether they have other uses for us I would think is something we could have a discussion about.�
Last month, CCE claimed that Creative Partnerships, which sees creative professionals including actors and directors partnered with schools, will generate �4 billion positive economic benefit for the UK.
The findings were based on research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers that suggested children who take part in Creative Partnerships are likely to gain higher GCSE grades.
Source: The Stage
