Creative education ideas for Minister
9:27am Wednesday 2nd April 2008
A SELL-OUT event to celebrate and further encourage creativity in education in Cumbria has been hailed as a major success.
Every Creative Child Matters conference drew hundreds of people from education, creativity, regeneration and local government to Forum 28 in Barrow to highlight the importance of arts and creativity in the county's schools.
Culture minister Margaret Hodge travelled to the North West to attend the event, organised by Creative Partnerships Cumbria, Cumbria Arts in Education, Culture Cumbria and Cumbria County Council, and urged the county to bid for a £2.5 million Government funding pot for youth creativity.
The go-ahead has been given for ten pilot initiatives in England and the minister said she hoped the county's huge enthusiasm, passion and potential' would be channelled into putting a bid together.
In response, Dowdales School assistant head teacher Ian Booth told the minister: "If you give us the money, I promise Cumbria will do something extraordinary with it."
Mrs Hodge, who announced at the conference an increased investment of £5.5 million into youth dance and dance in schools, said she felt the conference was very important for Cumbria and the country.
She said: "Everybody recognises the importance of creativity in education and learning, partly because people thing it is an uplifting experience and also a transforming experience.
"For some children unlocking their creativity is the way you can unlock their potential. A child who perhaps is lacking confidence "Creativity matters because the creative industry is a growing part of the economy, from advertising to fashion and film."
As well as musical performances by Ulverston Victoria High School Band, there was the chance to see a film by youngsters at Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale and workshops on how to develop awareness of creativity to help children achieve.
The event was supported by Cumbria Vision, West Lakes Renaissance, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Arts Council England, Museums Libraries Archive North West and Culture North West.