MYAN E-Bulletin : Issue 13: Dec 2007 - Jan 2008

1. MYAN News / Other News

MYAN NEWS ITEMS

Manchester Youth Arts Network 6th Annual Seminar

Manchester City Council's Cultural Strategy Team is pleased to announce the sixth Manchester Youth Arts Seminar, In The Driving Seat, to be held at Zion Arts Centre on Friday 14 December, 10am-2pm. The aim of this year's seminar is to provide a networking forum for Manchester's youth arts practitioners and to profile best practice in youth arts activities.

The speakers will focus on projects that promote the inclusion of young people in the decision-making process and reflections about how young people can help develop projects and organisations when they're in the driving seat. This free seminar will give you a taster of how other organisations involve young people, an opportunity to share experiences and plenty of time to network over lunch.

We hope you will be able to attend and request that you complete the form below to confirm your attendance. Please respond via email n.persogersoglio@manchester.gov.uk, fax 0161 234 4202 or post to: Manchester Youth Arts, Cultural Strategy team, Manchester City Council, Town Hall, Manchester M60 2LA. Please respond by Friday 7 December.

New web profiles required / update your activity / e-bulletin feedback

Please give us your feedback on your MYA e-bulletin. What do you think about the format and content? Has it helped you find jobs, funding, events or contacts? What changes would you like to see?

If you are a MYAN web registered organisation, please update your Autumn / Winter activities and news by logging on at:

http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/providers_admin/login.asp

If you have forgotten your login email a.robinson@manchester.gov.uk for a reminder.

If you're not already a member please register as an organisation
http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/register.asp

or as an artist
http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/artists_register.asp

We are currently looking for more Young People to showcase on the MYA website. Are there any that you work with that would like to have a sort interview and have their photo taken and put up on the website? Have a look at our current profiles for a flavour of what to expect: http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/interviews.asp Please email a.robinson@manchester.gov.uk with any suggestions.

OTHER NEWS ITEMS

What do you think?

ENYAN, English National Youth Arts Network, seeks your views to influence the cultural delivery of the 'Aiming High' strategy for young people following the network's sell-out national conference!

An exciting opportunity to help shape government policy on cultural provision for young people has arisen directly as a result of ENYAN's first national conference.

The Youth Offer: Arts Meeting Young People's Needs conference took place on Tuesday 27 November in Birmingham where over 120 people attended to hear more about how the arts should, and could, form an essential element of all Local Authorities' 'Youth Offer' plans picking up on the government's new 10-year youth strategy 'Aiming High'.

One of the key developments that emerged from this event was a clear need, and opportunity, for the youth arts sector to speak out and influence the government's planning and delivery of the new 'Aiming High' strategy announced by the DCSF this summer.

Keynote speaker Margaret Hodge MBE MP (Minister for Culture, Creative Industries & Tourism), asked for the help of the sector in shaping the government's plans. In response, ENYAN is calling upon everyone working with, or for, young people in the arts and cultural sectors, and those working across youth services, to have their say by submitting their thoughts and feelings.

What should a cultural youth offer look like? What should the key cultural elements of this strategy be and importantly how should this be delivered?

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to influence the provision of arts and cultural activity for young people in the future! Simply email us with your thoughts & feelings.

Interested parties should submit their input via email to enyan@artswork.org.uk before Monday 24 December. There is a tight turnaround for feedback in order to allow enough time for ENYAN to collate and submit the information to the government in time to influence plans in the New Year.

Over subscription to the conference demonstrated how much interest there is across the sector in this subject. Delegates included local authority officers, artists and other professionals from a wide range of arts and youth organisations and agencies across England.

As well as the Minister's keynote speech, the agenda included presentations from two exemplary Local Authorities who currently deliver a strong cultural offer for young people (North Yorkshire and Telford & Wrekin) and policy overviews from The National Youth Agency and The Arts Awards.

The day included practical and creative breakout sessions on key aspects of the new 'Aiming High' strategy including 'Empowerment' and 'Access'. Young people were fully involved in the event helping to facilitate sessions, document the day and showcase work.

Everything Stopped DVD

A new fly-on-the-wall documentary shows the impact of the arts on young people who have been excluded from school. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has just launched Everything Stopped, a groundbreaking new DVD.

The film documents the way in which the arts, exemplified here by dance, can reach out to young people in the most difficult circumstances and transform their view of themselves – and how other people view them.

Copies of the DVD are available, free of charge, on request from Nick Randell Associates youth arts consultancy. To receive a copy please email dvd@nrassociates.co.uk

Do you know a Young Achiever?

Young Achievers wants to hear from you about outstanding young people aged 16 to 25 who have been actively engaged in volunteering that they can celebrate and reward.

To nominate yourself or another young person, go to www.youngachievers.co.uk/form.aspx or contact fiona.jamieson@youthnet.org to be emailed a nomination form. Nominations must be for individuals only, no group nominations will be considered. Nominatiors must be over 16.

Cash injection for music in schools

Last month, Education Secretary Ed Balls announced a £332m investment in choirs, orchestras, performances, new instruments and free music lessons.

The cash injection is a victory for the Music Manifesto, showing that the government is responding to our recommendations on funding and resources.

Singer Jamelia and Singing Ambassador Howard Goodall joined Ed Balls and Schools Minister Andrew Adonis to mark the occasion at the Archbishop Sumner Primary School in Kennington, South London.

They were entertained by the school's brass group before showing off their own vocal talents in a singing workshop, which included pupils from other primaries.

The Secretary of State told the children he wanted to see music in England transformed: 'Every child from all backgrounds should have the chance to perform, play an instrument or sing and I want every school to become a musical school.'

He acknowledged the key role played by the Music Manifesto in bringing about today's announcements, as well as the benefits to families when children get involved in music. 'Every parent knows how much it means to their child to be involved in a school performance and the pride and inspiration it offers the whole family.'

The government hopes that the funding and resources announced today will see at least half of all primary children continuing to learn an instrument beyond the early years.

Culture Secretary James Purnell welcomed the additional funding: 'Learning about the arts is part of a good education. We want all children to have the chance to develop their creativity and today's announcement on music marks a step change in our ability to do so.'

How the money will be spent:

• £82 million a year, for the next three years, of continued funding for local authorities to provide music education; to include free music tuition for every primary school child for a year and the funding of choirs, orchestras and other musical groups
• £40 million to buy brand new musical instruments
• £40million for the National Singing Programme's Sing Up initiative; providing a national song bank and training to put singing back into every primary classroom as well as promoting singing at home and in the wider community; £10m has already been allocated with the extra funds securing the programme for a further three years
• The funding of pilot projects based on the highly successful Venezuelan orchestral project, El Sistema, which featured in this year's Proms; targeted at deprived areas, the initiative aims to encourage young children to explore the benefits of music by playing in groups
• Work to build on the success of the Music Manifesto through government partnerships with a wide range of musicians to ensure all children get the chance to listen to, and take part in, live music. (England's eight symphony orchestras confirmed today, for example, that their plans to provide children with free orchestral performances are on target).

Dance Initiative Greater Manchester Seeks new chair

Dance Initiative Greater Manchester is looking to recruit a new Chair for its Board of Directors. We are looking for an individual with a broad range of contacts and influence, strong networking skills and good interpersonal skills. Knowledge of the Arts and Arts Funding would be an advantage but may not be essential.

The Chair will be required to complement, work with and further develop the thriving Board of 10 members who hold a breadth of experience from dance knowledge to legal and financial expertise. The Chair will be required to work with the Director of the organisation to positively advocate for the organisation, assisting it to achieve its ambitious plans for the future.

The Chair will be required to attend Board meetings, which take place four times a year, an annual away day and occasional meetings and events. This is a voluntary position, although travel expenses will be reimbursed.

If you would be interested in taking up this interesting and varied role, please send a CV and a cover letter outlining what you think you can offer to the role and to the organisation to the address below by 14 January 2008.

Please note short-listed candidates may be required to attend an interview on 23 January 2008 and may be invited to observe at a Board meeting on 28 January 2008.

Please send applications to Deb Ashby, Director, Dance Initiative Greater Manchester, Zion Arts Centre, Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester M15 5ZA. Tel: 0161 232 7179 deb@digm.org.uk

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