A smart way to get into art

A NEW arts project is set to help young Oldhamers build careers in the creative industries.

Oldham Council is to receive a National Lottery award from the Arts Council of £55,104 to create the Art Smart project.

The project will give young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) the skills needed for a career in the arts.

Art Smart is a continuation of a successful national pilot scheme, Gallery 37 Plus, which brought together professional artists and young people in a creative learning programme.

Oldham’s programme became one of the most successful in the country, with 80 per cent of the participants later enrolling on college courses relating to the creative industries.

Now Oldham Council’s arts development team will work with 26 of the young people who participated in the pilot programme to take their development to the next level.

They will participate in a pioneering Young Arts Leadership and Action Learning programme over two years that will prepare them to develop a career in the arts.

They will gain skills to act as leaders and arts ambassadors within their own communities.

And they will also develop three community arts projects with the support of professional artists, partners such as Oldham Coliseum, Gallery Oldham and the Literature Development Service, and regional arts organisations.

Contribution

Sheena Macfarlane, head of heritage, libraries and arts for Oldham Council, said: “This is a great opportunity to build on our success and make a significant difference to the lives of these young people.

“Art Smart will allow them to move towards employment in the arts and make a personal contribution to their community in the process.”