Our children are not receiving the art, music and drama opportunities because of lack of resources and teacher expertise. Some children get no music or art at all. Sculpture at Kingham Lodge has been helping local schools with art for two years, restocking art cupboards, paying for lesson materials and teacher training, providing inspirational artists to go into schools and inspire young imaginations and teach skills. The evidence is clear that art and music help self-confidence, expression, teamwork and have positive effects on all aspects of the curriculum, on mental health and well-being, and on attendance. Sculpture at Kingham Lodge has linked up with Longborough Festival Opera, Chipping Norton Theatre, the County Music Hub, local music festivals and choirs, the Royal Ballet School, the English Speaking Board and the local Cultural Education Partnerships. Our aim is to give local children opportunities through arts and music, to be inspired and achieve their creative potential.

What we'll deliver:

• Stock art cupboards and music rooms with materials and instruments
• Provide teacher training and lesson support through subscription services
• Provide inspirational artists and musicians for whole school experiences
• Provide drama workshops
• Provide teaching in oracy to improve children's ability to speak and present their ideas
• Provide exhibitions and performance opportunities for children to show their artistic, musical and dramatic abilities

Why it's a great idea:

Children need to have their imaginations and creative potential developed. Pandemic isolation and excessive screen usage means many children lack opportunities to be expressive. Many teachers lack self-confidence and/or expertise to teach the syllabus in art/music/drama. We aim to expand what we have been doing with art to other schools and a broader range of activities to help as many local children as possible achieve their creative potential. Local artists, musicians, actors, teachers will help with teacher training and provide inspirational whole school experiences. We will provide the materials and opportunities to help children be creative and to show what they have created. The results show better mental health, improved well-being, greater self-confidence, and stimulated imaginations. Academic studies have shown the positive benefits the arts have on other academic subjects and in promoting teamwork and school morale. Our support leads to other after-school activities.

Steps to get it done:

• Art experiences with a professional artist in at least twenty schools
• A music experience in at least ten schools.

By using local artists, musicians and drama specialists we also help create employment opportunities in the arts, a sector of great importance to the economy overall. Our work is focused on the primary schools where the arts have collapsed. Fewer children arrive at secondary schools with any experience of art, music and drama and they are then unwilling to take up the new activities for the first time in secondary schools. As a consequence, fewer children are doing GCSE in art or music or studying instruments with grades. Leaders of the creative industries are noting the absence of children from state schools among orchestras and theatre companies or even attending arts performances and exhibitions as members of the audience. This partnership of local arts organisations is aiming to help schools reverse the trends that have developed in the last decade and to get children back to music, art, and drama and dance with sufficient enjoyment to stimulate life-long participation.