ACE commits £1.2m to young people’s initiative in Sunderland

A free-to-access arts and cultural activities programme for young people in Sunderland has received a £1.196m grant from Arts Council England (ACE).

Running over three years, Culture Start aims to reach over 8,000 five to 18-year-olds living in poverty on Wearside, using engagement in the arts to help benefit their lives.

The programme, which organisers hope will be replicated elsewhere in the country, will cost a total of £1.55m to deliver, with the remaining funding covered by Sunderland Local Cultural Education Partnership and the University of Sunderland.

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The North East of England has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK, with levels in Sunderland increasing steadily over the past five years, exceeding both national and northeast averages.

The project's leaders hope it will remove barriers that prevent some children from participating in cultural experiences and “start to redress some of the disadvantages faced by young people growing up in poverty”.

Alongside term-time and holiday activities in schools, youth and community settings, Culture Start will run a regular under-12s programme of free culture clubs to build confidence and creativity and offer tailored activities for children needing more support, including those with special educational needs or disabilities.

To help them transition into adulthood, young people will be offered activities to develop skills and career pathways, as well as work experience, volunteering and summer school opportunities.

Sunderland Culture will lead the Culture Start partnership, with activities delivered in partnership with creative organisations, museums, galleries and theatre companies from across the country, as well as local cultural and youth organisations.

Removing barriers

Rebecca Ball, Chief Executive of Sunderland Culture, explained: "We know that taking part in creative activities and cultural events can have a really positive impact on children and young people, but all too often, the children who might benefit most have the least opportunity to take part.

“Working alongside partners across education, housing and youth services, we believe the city’s cultural organisations have a powerful role to play in combating the impact of poverty on young people.

“But we need to ensure the activities we offer can be accessed by all families, regardless of income levels. Children North East will be supporting us to identify and remove the barriers young people face in accessing the arts to ensure there is a lasting legacy.”

A template for communities

Partners for the initiative, which Sunderland MAC Trust and Sunderland Culture instigated, include Together for Children, Children North East, Gentoo, InspirED (Sunderland Local Cultural Education Partnership), North East Youth, Sunderland College and the University of Sunderland.

Paul Callaghan, Chair of the Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust (MAC Trust), said: “The initiative for the project came from our deep concern about the rise in child poverty in Sunderland and the North East, with so many children and young people in our city living in poverty.

"When money is so tight, it is very difficult for families to give their kids access to music, dance and drama in a way that other families would take for granted.

“Our aim is for all five to 18-year-olds to have access to arts and cultural opportunities and for Sunderland’s Culture Start programme to become the template and exemplar for communities throughout the country.”