The Engage Conference 2019 will examine the benefits and challenges of young people’s access to the arts, exploring best practice, partnerships and policies from the sector.

The arts and culture provide a lens through which children and young people develop their understanding of themselves and the wider world. It creates a space for children and young people to shape their thoughts, feelings and their futures. Access to the arts is a fundamental human right, and yet many children and young people, particularly those who are most marginalised, do not have this opportunity. With this in mind the Engage Conference 2019 draws its inspiration from City of Dreams, an exciting ten-year programme which gives every child and young person in Newcastle and Gateshead access to arts and culture.

Key contributors at the conference will be young people, whose voices will build a UK-wide picture of their current cultural access and how culture can be delivered more on their terms. Examples of best practice will focus on innovative work that help children and young people overcome the barriers they encounter (both real and perceived) and embrace them as leaders and co-creators. Delegates will hear from organisations and individuals who are giving a voice to the unheard. Experts will showcase programmes through which access to the arts has been created or improved for young people with special educational needs, disabilities and mental health issues, as well as those facing challenging circumstances such as rural isolation and socio-economic deprivation.

The conference will open with a keynote address by Sharna Jackson, Artistic Director of Site Gallery in Sheffield, and author of children’s literature. Sharna will reflect on her experience across a wide variety of roles in the cultural sector, all of which have been driven by a desire to ensure young, diverse, disengaged young people are supported to access the arts and culture.

Dhikshana Turakhia Pering, Young People’s Producer, Brent 2020 – London Borough of Culture, will give the keynote address on the second day of the conference. Dhikshana will unpick what true co-production with young people means, drawing on her experience with Brent Blueprint Collective, a part leadership programme, pressure-group and think tank making sure the young voices of Brent are seen and heard.

2019 is an interesting time in terms of policy and practice. Almost a decade after the Curriculum for Excellence rolled out in Scottish schools, a new curriculum is arriving in Wales and promises to be more supportive of the arts. In England the work of Arts Council supported Bridge Organisations and Local Cultural Education Partnerships is bolstering the cultural offer for young people on a place basis. These subjects will feature in the conference programme alongside a workshop with socially engaged artist educator Jack Brown. Jack will challenge delegates to consider what constraints different environments place on young people’s creativity.

There is a growing call to diversify the cultural workforce and to provide accessible pathways for children and young people into the creative economy. Educators, mentors and digital innovators will highlight ways of supporting young people into creative careers. The conference will offer tangible ideas and case studies.

Above all the conference will be a call to action. Engage was founded thirty years ago, in the same year that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was published. This is an opportunity to reflect on what is different for children and young people now, what the future may hold and consider how partnerships and new ways of thinking can bring about real change.

The event will be useful for anyone working in cultural education, particularly those involved in the visual arts and heritage across the UK and beyond. Delegates can expect to take away tangible ideas and actions to build into their own work. The conference is intended to be a conversation starter, to encourage educators to think differently and listen closely to youth voices.

Contributors will include:

Sharna Jackson, Artistic Director of Site Gallery, Sheffield, and author of children’s literature. Sharna will reflect on her experience across a wide variety of roles in the cultural sector, all of which have been driven by a desire to ensure young, diverse, disengaged young people are supported to access the arts and culture.

Dhikshana Turakhia Pering, Young People’s Producer, Brent 2020 – London Borough of Culture, will give the keynote address on the second day of the conference. Dhikshana will unpick what true co-production with young people means, drawing on her experience with Brent Blueprint Collective, a part leadership programme, pressure-group and think tank making sure the young voices of Brent are seen and heard.

Ben Dickenson, Executive Producer, City of Dreams with Bethan Kitchen and Nick Hind, City of Dreams Champions. Ben will introduce ‘City of Dreams’, a 10-year strategy across Newcastle and Gateshead before Bethan and Nick present findings of the recent ‘Big Culture Conversation’.

Holly Ball, Head of Careers and Employability, Curious Minds. Holly will present information about ‘Trailblaze’, part of Curious Minds’ offer to give young people in challenging personal circumstances the opportunity to gain valuable part-time paid experience in a role in the creative and cultural industries.

Val Tobiass, Learning & Engagement Co-ordinator (Schools), Berwick Visual Arts and The Maltings, and Dr Judy Thomas, Senior Lecturer Fine Art / Co-Director Learning and Teaching (Faculty of Arts), Northumberland University. Val and Judy will share findings from Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded project ‘Create, Aspire, Transform (CAT): North Northumberland Schools Cultural Education Leadership Programme’.

Melanie Burgess, Area Manager (North of Tyne), Culture Bridge North East. Melanie will share the work of Culture Bridge North East, the Arts Council England funded Bridge Organisation for the North East, and the work of Cultural Education Partnerships in the local area.

Will Sadler, Development Director and Andrew Coats, Creative Director, Beacon Films CIC. Will and Andrew will introduce the work of Beacon Films CIC, a Newcastle-based training and production company for filmmakers with learning disabilities, autism and additional needs. Will and Andrew will be joined by filmmakers Adam and Paul who will lead delegates in an interactive breakout session looking at how to make a film on your smartphone/tablet.

Jack Brown, Artist Educator. Jack will deliver a breakout session exploring the contradictions of art in schools and creative choice within systems that constrain creative choice.

Briana Pegado, Founder, Edinburgh Student Arts Festival. Briana will speak about her experience of volunteering as a means to gain experience in the cultural sector, lessons learnt from running Edinburgh Student Arts Festival and experience across a range of organisations in Edinburgh and beyond.

Further contributors will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bursaries

We’re pleased to offer a range of bursaries and supported places to help colleagues who might otherwise be unable to attend this year’s Conference:

Engage Supported Places: These places are subsidised by Engage and cost just £70 each. Application is open to all colleagues, including Engage members and non-members, based in the UK and overseas.

Freelance Artist Bursaries: Funded by Engage, these bursaries include a free Conference ticket and £100 towards travel/accommodation. Application is open to Engage Personal Members who identify as freelance artists or artist educators, based in the UK and overseas.

Engage Cymru Bursaries: Funded by Engage Cymru, three bursary-funded places are available for Wales-based freelance creative practitioners working in the field of gallery or visual arts education and include the Conference ticket and up to £250 towards travel/accommodation.

Engage Scotland Bursaries: Funded by Engage Scotland, five bursary-funded places are available for representatives of Scotland-based visual arts organisations and include the Conference ticket and up to £140 towards travel/accommodation.

Click here to find out more and apply: http://engage.org/happenings/engage-conference-2019/bursaries/

Fringe events, 4 – 5 November 2019

Alongside the main Engage Conference delegates are invited to a fringe programme of visits, talks and workshops showcasing visual arts and culture in and around Newcastle and Gateshead.

These include Baltic, Discovery Museum, Hatton Gallery, Laing Gallery, New Writing North, Theatre Royal, Tyneside Cinema and Word Rap Project.

Click here for further information about the fringe events: http://engage.org/happenings/engage-conference-2019/fringe-programme/

Soapbox

Engage Conference Delegates are invited to submit proposals to participate in the Soapbox session on Tuesday 5 November.

Delegate Soapbox offers colleagues the opportunity to present to Conference attendees about a particular project, area of work, or piece of research Soapbox presentations do not have to relate to the Conference theme. Presentations should be no longer than 6 minutes.

Click here to find out more and apply: http://engage.org/happenings/engage-conference-2019/soapbox/