(LCEP) Croydon Local Cultural Education Partnerships - Squarespace
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
I love art. Art is like a tree finding life. It is putting ideas in your head like
nothing else. It is beautiful.
Croydon Local Cultural Education Partnerships
(LCEP)
Impact Evaluation Report
Professor Anne Bamford
Evaluation report January 2018, based on the programme completed April-November 2017
Contents
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Croydon ................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
2.1 Croydon Music and Arts (CMA) .......................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Local Culture and Education Partnerships (LCEP) .............................................................................................................. 7
2.3 Boxpark .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
2.4 Borough of Culture .............................................................................................................................................................8
2.5 Youth voice .........................................................................................................................................................................8
2.6 Youth Takeover ................................................................................................................................................................. 11
3. About the evaluation .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
4. Aims .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
5. Findings .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14
5.1 Schools and participation ............................................................................................................................................... 18
5.2 Accessibility .................................................................................................................................................................... 22
5.3 Communication, social media and virtual environments ............................................................................................ 24
5.4 Volunteering, friendship and well-being ....................................................................................................................... 26
5.5 Creative arts careers ........................................................................................................................................................ 31
5.6 Spaces/venue .................................................................................................................................................................. 32
5.7 Stimulating new works/development of innovative methods ...................................................................................... 33
5.8 Importance of evaluation, research and impact........................................................................................................... 35
6. Recommendations ............................................................................................................................................................. 36
7. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Appendix .................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
A1. List of collaborating organisations and individuals ..................................................................................................... 38
A2. Call for applications ....................................................................................................................................................... 38
A3. Selection process ............................................................................................................................................................40
A4. CYAC Project Rating Form (Sample) ........................................................................................................................... 42
A5. Project Observation Checklist....................................................................................................................................... 42
A5. Participant Survey Pre-Project ...................................................................................................................................... 43
A6. Participant Survey Post Project .................................................................................................................................... 44
PAGE 1
1. Introduction
In 2017, the Croydon Music and Arts Service (CMA) received funding from A New Direction (£25,000) and London
Borough of Croydon (£26,000) for some ‘pilot’ cultural activities and also for action research into the impact of
this activity. A major focus was on the manner in which the design of the projects led to greater inter-agency
collaboration and ways of working, with the potential for enhanced impact through more pooling of resources
and the opportunity to determine how cultural activities could impact on a variety of youth priorities in the London
Borough of Croydon.
At the heart of the project was the Croydon Youth Arts Collective (CYAC) who identified priorities and were
involved in the project selection process. They agreed a set of priorities and identified themes linked to young
people’s wellbeing. The CMA received 17 applications. From these, nine applications were shortlisted by CYAC
and this was further reduced to seven applications (by the Local Culture and Education Partnership – LCEP) that
were awarded funding. The projects were very different in terms of scope, scale and focus. The projects
commenced at different times and ran for different durations. Most projects started in September 2017 and were
completed by December 2017. The funded projects are summarized as follows:
COMBO, Brocollily Theatre: An exploratory theatre project for teenagers that focused on their space and identity.
The project was held in ‘Theatre Utopia’ in Matthew’s Yard (a local resource space in central Croydon which is
available for different theatre groups to hire). Croydon’s Youth Engagement team were central in recruiting young
people for this project.
SLIDE, South London Inclusive Dance Experience: TRAM (Totally Real Arts Movement): A site specific dance
project where participants responded to Croydon’s urban and green spaces and moved through the borough to
develop ideas of site.
Container News, Turf: A youth-led quarterly Zine focused on art, design and food. This project was a collaboration
between Turf and Boxpark. The Zine was produced at monthly, free workshops for young people which included;
local recipes, cutlery design, pasta making, learning Adobe software, visits to the fishmonger and fish printing.
Inclusive Family Creative Arts Day, St Giles: A creative arts day for children and young people with profound SEND
and their families and friends. The day was centred on the theme of ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and it culminated
in a multi-sensory immersive space that all participants could explore together. A film was made documenting the
day. There was a focus on highly innovative activities to allow accessible, new experiences.
Club Soda Jam, Club Soda: An inclusive music-making project for young people with learning disabilities. The
participants established a school rock band during the course a 15-week term. The project was based in the Priory
school, which had the capacity to continue to develop the band once the project ended. The band performed at
the youth ‘Takeover’ event.
PAGE 2
Coulsdon Cultural Festival, Coulsdon Church of England Primary: This project was an innovative three week
programme that began the new school year. The aim of the project was to establish a creative tone to the school
through hosting an immersive cultural festival. The cultural festival included African drumming, Indian dancing,
Art, yoga and involved all classes in the school.
Community Collaborations evaluation toolkit, BRIT school: This project is quite different from the other six
projects as it was not completing an activity or event, but rather aimed at conducting research to create an
evaluation tool that will help the school assess the impact and success of their community arts projects. This
particular project built on the BRIT school’s 25 years of community outreach and artistic collaborations in Croydon
and was focused on establishing a clear outcomes, evaluation and impact framework for the Community
Collaborations activity.
2. Croydon
More than 25% of the population in Croydon are children or young people (more than 100,000). During the last
quarter of 2016, there was a 25% increase of live births in Croydon. The London Borough of Croydon has more
children and young people than any other London borough and this figure is growing at a faster rate than any
other borough. This places Croydon in the top five population growth rates of any borough in the country. Over
the last five years, there have been 70-80 new forms of entry added into primary schools in the borough. From
next year onwards, this growth will begin to feed into secondary schools, which will result in a number of new
secondary schools being built to cope with expanding numbers. There are 56,000 children in 126 schools in the
borough, 22 of which are secondary schools. This figure does not include the independent sector. The highest
level of young people correlates with the areas of highest deprivation, including the areas of Fieldway, New
Addington and Broad Green. People identifying as Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) in Croydon is over 50% and
growing year on year and there are over 100 languages spoken. Diversity is generally viewed as a richness.
Croydon schools currently receive the third lowest figure per head from Department for Education (DfE) funding
in the London boroughs. Schools in Croydon receive £4,300 per child, per year. This figure is £6,100 in
neighbouring Lambeth. The changes through the introduction of a national funding formula will see an average
increase of 2.7% for Croydon schools from 2018-2020, although this is more than offset by an 8% increase in costs
over the same period.
Croydon has the largest number of Looked after Children (LAC) in almost any area in the country, with a
particularly high rate of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (and around half of the LAC are unaccompanied
migrant children). There are 800 LAC in the borough and there is approximately a 50/50 split between local and
non-local children within this. Croydon has the highest number of ‘missing’ children in the country. There are
currently 450 unaccompanied asylum seekers in Croydon.
Croydon is 91st out of 326 most deprived local authorities in the country and 19/33 most deprived in London with
2.7% of people in Croydon (10,261) living in the 10% most deprived areas in the country.
PAGE 3
Local issues facing young people, include those issues related to missing children, such as, child sexual exploitation,
gang links and drug trafficking. According to Health Directors in the borough, there are high rates of teen
pregnancy and repeat abortions. Gang issues often relate to the differing postcode areas the young people are
from. According to a Children’s Director, young people have a general lack of pride for sharing that they are from
Croydon: “They are more likely to say they are from South London.” Issues have arisen from some young people
congregating during the evenings in the North End area of Croydon. On some occasions, the shopping centres
have closed in reaction to this. The police, youth services and the shopping centres have been working to solve
this issue. Interviews with young people revealed that the general opinion is that they have nothing to do and if
they had another place to meet with friends, they would use it - they want things to do. A podcast was made of
the young people from Croydon speaking in relation to tension in the town centre. A member of CYAC emphasised
that perceptions can be very important: “The young people congregating in North End, which is being perceived
as tension, should be viewed as a positive coming together of young people from throughout Croydon.” There are
high levels of youth unemployment. The key borough priorities are jobs and financial security; crime and safety;
and, improved mental health. Some particular local needs include health (e.g. obesity and alcohol abuse),
combatting violent crime, and youth unemployment and child poverty. Only one in 10 children are physically
active and one in five is overweight or obese. Croydon has the second worse rate for mental and physical health
in the country.
Despite some of the challenges noted within Croydon, it was also noted that there are emerging, more positive
and changing attitudes within Croydon. There is a major redevelopment underway in the town centre precinct.
There will be new businesses, a major new retail development and a new cultural quarter. The demographics are
also changing because of both push and pull factors of property developments in the area.
Similarly, the ‘youthfulness’ of the population can be viewed more positively. For example, while increasing
numbers of young people have put a strain on the school system, the number of young people in Croydon is a
strength in terms of potential employees and a lively energy around the future in the area. The suggestion was
also made that the media tended to focus on a negative portrayal of young people rather than covering the more
positive youth activity in the area: “ positive work already happening in Croydon, for example
the CYAC Youth Arts Takeover, that simply does not get picked up on by the press.” It was hoped that an improved
cultural offer might contribute to combatting antisocial behaviour and improve the borough’s negative image. It
was also felt that the strength of the existing music and art education hub and CYAC meant that from the outset,
there were strong local ‘champions’ and many networks which were already quite developed.
Croydon also has an emerging ‘alternative’ arts scene. Croydon is the home of Peep Show, Dubstep, and BRIT
school. Since the London Riots of 2011, Croydon has seen a resurgence in creatives developing their talent and
supporting the community. The RISE Gallery and the Croydon Arts Quarter has been at the core of this rejuvenation,
headed and founded by Kevin Zuchowski-Morrison, in partnership with the Croydon School of Arts. Croydon
recently hosted a very successful guided Artwalk and Warhol Month. High quality street art is becoming a feature
of the area alongside the emergence of alternative arts spaces, venues and cafes. Croydon is growing as a creative
PAGE 4
hub. It has created some fantastic talent, not only through the renowned BRIT School. Through online mediums
and a large youth audience in Croydon, independent creatives have been able to use this base to catapult their
careers. This most notable can be seen with Stormzy (Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo, Jr), who, through a
passion and talent for rap music, used the characters, sounds and South London ‘wit’ to gain a popularity across
London and through online channels such as ‘Grmdaily’ was able to spread the Croydon Music scene across the
United Kingdom and into the mainstream of the music industry. Krept and Konan1 would be another example.
In the last month, another Croydon talent, Michael Dapaah (or as he has become popularly known as ‘Big Shaq’)
started with an online ‘mockumentary’ based on Croydon characters and neighbourhoods. His breakthrough
came with a freestyle rap on Radio 1 Extra as a comedy piece. With his rap ‘Mans Not Hot’ becoming an internet
sensation being viewed across the globe, with more 20 million views within the first week on YouTube.2
Croydon sees culture as part of its regeneration plan. It is acknowledged that culture could help to tackle issues
of disadvantage, violence and health. It is recognized that to fully achieve the potential of creative and cultural
activity there is the need to develop the capacities of professionals to work with culture and children and young
people. It was also felt that there needs to be greater collaborative working between culture and education. There
are varying opinions within the community as to whether Croydon is actively supporting the growth of arts and
culture. Some of the respondents interviewed were very positive towards the emerging creative and cultural
opportunities in Croydon. For example:
I liked the bread making and finding out about foodie places in Croydon I would have otherwise never
known about.
Things are very creative in Croydon.
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbzujA69DA
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Lzicf8vZg&list=PLJQeCC1As9Pr-Z-hoC1rOdLylmPLeFtxV
PAGE 5
Croydon is diverse in its cultural activities.
Croydon is an artistically creative community.
I think it is really good all the arts around Croydon.
The community aspect that brings us all together.
There is a strong local cultural ecosystem.
Conversely, some respondents were more critical about Croydon’s commitment to arts and culture, as the
following comments from the arts sector exemplify:
Croydon Council does not support the arts. There is a lack of joined up thinking. For example, we organised
free pop-up events and then Croydon said we had to pay £150 to use the green space in a park.
I don’t think Croydon really commits to the arts. It is just a tick box exercise to say we have done art stuff.
Croydon is crap. You have a whole lot of creative people living in Croydon then they have to go to other
boroughs to get any support.
I live in Croydon ad I am an artist, but most of my projects are in east London or Lambeth as there is just
not the support and work in Croydon.
Culture is seen as ‘attractions and events’ serving the economy and built environment, rather than a deep
and underpinning strand serving the full range of public needs.
Despite some of the negative perceptions, there is general agreement around a shared vision for the future and
that things will improve with collaborative working. This includes a very positive view of the likely impact of the
LCEP and Borough of Culture initiatives:
The work of the LCEP and bid for Borough of Culture can address this by nurturing and demonstrating the
multiple value of culture.
There was general agreement about the three themes3 in Croydon’s community vision that could be tackled in an
integrated way. It was stated that, as a group, those working within the LCEP should see Croydon as a ‘story of
change’. The vision going forward is for ethical cultural engagement and “Creative learning done in caring ways”.
It was hoped that this would lead to a more “Creative and caring community” with multiple outcomes and knock-
on effects leading to, “More caring creative learning.” As part of the LCEP process it was also acknowledged that
impact measurement and research enable “Culture and creative learning to be evidenced, valued and funded.” It
was anticipated that the LCEP pilot might stimulate increased capacity within schools to develop sustained links
with cultural partners and to continue to access creative activities.
The following subsections outline some of the specific resources within the context of the LCEP project.
3
These are ‘Creative’ (place/resources), ‘Learning’ (people/skills) and ‘Caring’ (communities/values).
PAGE 6
2.1 Croydon Music and Arts (CMA)
Croydon Music and Arts (CMA) 4 is a service to ensure children and young people in the London Borough of
Croydon have access to creative opportunities. CMA developed from the music service for Croydon into a Music
Education Hub, for which it receives funding from the Department for Education (DfE) via Arts Council England
(ACE). CMA also receives support from Croydon Council for its wider role in bringing schools and cultural partners
together to meet the needs and aspirations of young people.
2.2 Local Culture and Education Partnerships (LCEP)
The major aim of the LCEP was to attract new partnership working and for there to be greater sharing of agendas
to enable more ‘joined-up’ working. It was also the aim that the LCEP should proactively involve young people in
identifying and agreeing the needs and challenges facing young people in the Croydon area and that young people
should have a stronger voice in decision making. The structure of the LCEP was to some extent formed by Arts
Council England (ACE) and supported by regional Arts Council Bridge Organisation, A New Direction (AND), who
have provided funding to Croydon Music and Arts to develop cultural education in Croydon. The LCEP Board
consists of key partners with a stake in the development of local children and young people through cultural
education. The LCEP coordinate events to promote and disseminate work; expand the role of the Croydon Youth
Arts Collective; integrate the Role of Croydon Music and Arts; and, promote capacity building. The role of the
LCEP Board is to:
Share the outcomes of the work of the Croydon Youth Arts Collective (CYAC)
Use those outcomes and the Board’s collective expertise to define the strategic needs for children and
young people in Croydon which can be met through cultural education, including outcomes beyond
education and culture, such as health and well-being and social outcomes
Help delivery partners to evidence their impact in meeting children and young people’s needs which can
lead to successful funding bids and more cultural activity for children and young people
Support in school and out of school activity
Act as ambassadors for cultural education, complementing the student ambassador role of CYAC
members
The LCEP group meet regularly. They represent a wide range of stakeholders within the Croydon community and
beyond. Members of the LCEP group agreed a set of priorities for what they would like to see emerging from the
project. These priorities fitted under five main headings, namely; strategy, engagement, access, outcomes and
communication. These key priorities were reflected in the data gathering instruments and also in the structure of
reporting the outcomes and impacts evidenced in this report.
2.3 Boxpark
Boxpark Croydon is part of the group of Boxparks located in Croydon, Shoreditch and Wembley. Boxpark’s
philosophy is to bring together ‘eating, drinking and playing’. The original Boxpark opened in Shoreditch in 2011.
It aims to provide “fertile ground for independent and established retailers.”5 Boxpark Croydon opened in 2016
4
Croydonmusicandarts.co.uk/aout-us.html
5
www.boxpark.co.uk/Croydon
PAGE 7and aims to host more than 200 events across the year. Boxpark describes Croydon as “the emerging face of south
London” and “the new home of the capital’s street art movement”. Boxpark’s ethos is that communities should
be at their heart and that this could help to break down the postcode barriers young people face in Croydon.
2.4 Borough of Culture
Croydon has applied to become the inaugural London Borough of Culture6 in 2019. If successful, Croydon will
receive major injections of cash and prestige to promote the cultural offer. There are also six runner-up awards of
£50K to £300 thousand for individual projects. Croydon acknowledges that the LCEP work will help to inform their
bid going forward. They are putting in what they called "stretch targets" as they see that they are ambitious about
building their work in culture. They see that the bidding process itself can lead to greater expansion, consolidation
and sustainability around the cultural offer in Croydon as the following quotes from Croydon officers exemplify:
It is important that we are using the bid process in the right way.
A lot has happened from the inner London Boroughs but what about the outer London areas?
Croydon’s London Borough of Culture bid is highlighting the needs of young people with a dedicated commitment
to put 34% of the funds directly in control of young people (young people make up 34% of the population of
Croydon and so this was used to benchmark the amount of funds in youth control). The bid is focusing on job
creation via internships, work experience and structured opportunities, including in 'back stage' cultural industries.
Moreover, they are seeking a series of youth cultural pledges in advance of the London Borough of Culture. The
aim is to involve every school and to have young people as co-producers.
It is hoped that the London Borough of Culture will lead to a 'step change' in Croydon's cultural offer. It is a key
aim to change the negative perception of the area. It is also acknowledged the importance of extending beyond
the central and adjoining areas of Croydon to reach out to local areas across the diverse borough. Funds have
been earmarked to promote local-based cultural activity in the outer areas of Croydon alongside the rejuvenation
of the central Croydon area. It is hoped that the London Borough of Culture will bring a level of scale, focus and
quality to the current provisions. Some sponsors have already agreed to 'sign up' to support the Borough of Culture.
2.5 Youth voice
Croydon has a strong commitment to youth voice and to young people as co-creators. Many avenues exist for
youth in Croydon to have a voice in initiatives. For example, Croydon Youth Zone, Croydon Youth Art Collective,
Youth Congress Youth Takeover and Croydon Young People's Group. There is active promotion for the idea of ‘Gigs
for young people by young people’. From the outset, the members of the LCEP Board were clear that it was very
important to listen to the voices of young people and to engage them at all stages of the project. Recent Council
Congresses have been about young people and about culture.
6
The Mayor of London announced a new competition for London Borough of Culture. The announcement of the
winners is being made in December 2017. The winners will receive, funding, support for cultural development in the
area. There is one main winner and six runners up. It is important that young people are at the heart of the bid.
PAGE 8A full-day Youth Congress was held in July 2017 for secondary phase young people. There was representation from
all schools, and from young people with a multitude of backgrounds including LAC, LGBT young people, young
carers, home educated and others. Croydon Youth Art Collective (CYAC) were also part of the day. The day had a
flexible structure and was designed by young people for young people. The young people identified the themes,
ideas and issues they wanted to include or discuss in the day. A key focus was that the young people themselves
had to suggest solutions and be at the heart of decision making for the future. The day was composed of panel
discussions, focus groups, workshops and informal talks. There were also performers to add vibrancy to the day
and to include more young people.
The Croydon Youth Arts Collective (CYAC) aims to put young people at the centre of decision making about culture
and education in Croydon, with members acting as ambassadors for children and young people in Croydon. CYAC
was formed through a partnership with Croydon Music and Arts (CMA), Croydon’s Early Intervention Service Youth
Arts Team (now the Youth Engagement Team) and Fairfield Halls. In April 2015, 100 young people participated in
a consultation led by CMA, the Youth Arts team and Fairfield Halls, supported by funding from AND. The
consultation opened a discussion around young peoples’ involvement in the arts and culture and their feelings
about Croydon. This resulted in a published report which found that local young people are dedicated to and
interested in the power of arts and culture. Aside from its findings, the consultation process itself had a significant
impact on participants and a group of young people wanted to continue to meet up. This led to the formation of
CYAC. Following the consultation, they applied for further funding and received support for a period of 18 months
PAGE 9through AND. The importance of the arts is consistently discussed at CYAC and it forms part of their mission
statement. The arts are something to do, a way for young people to meet and bond. Members of CYAC felt that;
“CYAC is an opportunity to make a positive change in their own way and offers a platform to fully articulate what
young people want to do.” As a group, they aim to engage young people in key local issues such as regeneration.
Further consultations were led by CYAC to explore how to overcome barriers for certain groups, such as young
refugees and young people with learning difficulties. Inclusivity, signposting and the location of events were
flagged as areas for improvement. It was noted that CYAC provide strong foundations for LCEP and, as is evidenced
in the following comment, there is strong support from CYAC for the LCEP work:
It is brilliant that CYAC are involved in the partnership. CYAC is the best way to contact and reach out to
other young people, which is very high on the LCEP agenda.
Despite the focus on youth voice, some young people interviewed still felt that there was a gap between policy
and practice, as can be seen in these comments:
In Croydon young people are “Always knowingly undersold" – undersold in terms of financial and job
security.
We need to build a borough for us. Croydon is not for young people as it is now.
We need platforms where young people can express themselves. We need creative ideas, like a dance floor
that generates electricity the more people dance on it. We want to tell our own story. There needs to be
authenticity in the narrative.
Young people must care for themselves – no one in Croydon cares for us
The government should care but they don't.
Other people in society should care more for young people and then young people would care more about
them.
People only are caring for Croydon now as they want to care for particular areas where they can make
money.
Some young people felt that there needed to be more direct support for young artist-led initiatives across a
diverse range of artforms. It was also noted that young people wanted “organised freedom” in other words, places
where they could pursue diverse creative practice but in spaces that were organised and ‘curated’. The following
are some of the indicative comments from young people:
There is a need for funding to support young people to be artists in their chosen forms and have
opportunities to pursue these areas.
I would like to see more dance related techniques.
I like working in a group. No one takes control. I like doing art in a group if it’s a big project but I also like
doing stuff on my own.
PAGE 10We need to appreciate the importance of culture for the economics of an area. We should not have to
leave Croydon to get a creative job.
I'd like to make films.
2.6 Youth Takeover
CYAC was officially launched in April 2016. Their first major event was the “Youth Arts Takeover” at the Croydon
Clocktower in October 2016. This is now an annual event. The event utilises all areas of the public building,
including the library, museum, Council Chambers, Braithwaite Hall and the David Lean Cinema. In the 2017 event,
there were more than 40 free activities across one day with most activities suitable for all ages and abilities. The
Takeover saw performances and workshops take place. There was also a debate in the Council Chambers,
surrounding the future of the arts in Croydon.
While the Youth Arts Takeover attracted a number of participants, it was still felt that it could reach out more to
some of the groups and individuals who do not usually turn up to such events. It was suggested that the event
needed to attract, “More high-profile coverage in the media”. Young people were also critical that at the start of
the day uniformed police were at the front of the building. As one of the youth ambassadors noted, "It is hard to
get the right people pitching up."
3. About the evaluation
The aim of the research was to measure the impact on Croydon’s children and young people of the LCEP project.
The evaluation was ‘descriptive’ as one of the intended outcomes was to have the opportunity to see in detail the
various projects and their approaches. It was acknowledged at the outset that each partner would have different
priorities and that the scope and focus of the activities would also differ. It was intended that the evaluation
process itself could act as training and upskilling for some of the partner organisations, as the following comments
suggest: "From the perspective of Museums, we would like a method of measuring the participation in arts and
particularly encourage an increase in participation in the Arts Award.” The evaluation methods included:
- Visits to projects
- Surveys
- Collection of artefacts
- Email submissions
- Pre and post research meetings/discussions
- Interviews/conversations with participants
- Development of an evaluation framework
- Training in evaluation for the partnership
- Data analysis and reporting
The following questions guided the evaluation:
- What are the strengths of the current context?
PAGE 11- What are the challenges?
- What are the gaps/shortcomings?
- How are the LCEP projects new/different/stimulating change?
- How are multiagency approaches working?
- How are the voices of stakeholders/participants being listened to?
- How are the cultural and other assets in Croydon being used?
- What is the impact of financing?
- How do we develop and communicate a more coherent offer?
- In what ways is it a needs-based model?
- How do we map what is there?
- What do children and young people want?
- Where are the relationships and interdependence?
Evaluation training was provided through the project group in terms of evaluation techniques7 and an effect and
impact tracking matrix. The group were briefed on the correct procedures for gaining research and evaluation
permissions. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation approaches were used. Data was reported through narrative
analysis, numerical graphs and through direct quotes from participants. Direct quotes are indented and written in
italics. The specific quotes chosen were indicative of more broadly expressed views. The focus has been on
reporting impact. As was noted, "Yes it might be a really good day out for all involved, but the action research
evaluation could answer what made it a really good day out, and how can this influence thinking around the arts
and culture based projects?"
The project began with early communication with schools and cultural partners in March 2017. Applications were
returned in April with decisions of funding being made in late May. Bids requested between two and five thousand
pounds per project. The projects ran between June and December 2017. There were more than 206 participants
across the projects. Not all participants completed surveys and evaluation data as this was optional and depended
on the capacity of the participants to adequately complete the information. Reported information is based on at
least three types of gathered evidence (triangulation). The report is organized under the following sections:
Schools and participation
Accessibility
Communication, social media and virtual environments
Volunteering, friendship and well-being
Creative arts careers
Spaces/venue
Stimulating new works/development of innovative methods
Importance of evaluation, research and impact
Recommendations
7
The following techniques were covered: Vignettes, critical incidents, discussion groups, observations, reflections,
thick descriptions, mind mapping, network webs, and art-based tools.
PAGE 124. Aims
The LCEP projects were underpinned by a set of overall aims including:
Cross sector working
An expectation of ambitious but realistic outcomes
Value for money
High levels of participation and relevance
LCEP’s aims for cultural education are:
To celebrate, share and pass on our diverse cultural heritage
To enable children and young people to develop their cultural identity and their own artistic language
To contribute to their development and achievement
To enable children and young people to contribute to the cultural life of their communities and of Croydon
In order to achieve these aims, the following objectives are highlighted:
Learning in the arts
- Developing skills, knowledge and understanding across a range of the arts
- Developing as artists in the art forms which interest them most
Learning through the arts
- Enabling young people to express themselves through the arts and use the arts to solve personal and
social issues
PAGE 13- Using their learning in the arts to enable them to achieve in other areas
Learning about the arts
- Becoming confident of their identity and their role in society making a positive contribution to their
communities
- Contributing as young artists to the cultural life of Croydon
The priorities for the strategic development of the LCEP include:
Developing a strategy to link schools and providers
Targeting areas (and schools) where take up of cultural activities is lower
Funding to support schools to access events in Croydon in and out of school hours
Helping to create a bank of artistic programmes
Thinking of how young people can use communal space to engage and provide exposure to what positive
events/activities these young people of Croydon are participating in (and shed the scared view of youth)
Including young people’s voices at the heart of local development and transformation
Engaging primary school children in cultural activities to lay down the habits of participation, focusing
these on disadvantaged areas through borough-wide incentives promoted by young people
Providing opportunities for primary age pupils and parents to engage in arts projects and embed a positive
attitude to arts and culture at a young age
Ensuring arts activities are accessible, diverse and inclusive for our varied young people in Croydon;
including empowering, supportive and training local delivery partners
Creating a targeted strategy to enable hard-to-reach children and young people to access the arts that
supports their wellbeing
Increasing the arts events that students/young people with severe learning difficulties can access
Monitoring participation from specific age groups across age, postcode, and ethnic ranges
5. Findings
In summary, based on the research conducted, the following themes emerged in the findings of the evaluation:
- Schools and participation
- Accessibility
- Communication, social media and virtual environments
- Volunteering, friendship and well-being
- Creative arts careers
- Spaces/venue
- Stimulating new works/development of innovative methods
- Importance of evaluation, research and impact
These themes are more fully discussed in the subsections that follow.
PAGE 14The distribution of ages in the projects was wide with five years of age being the youngest and 25 years of age the
oldest. The average age was 11.2 years (see Figure 5a). Most project groups contained mixed aged groups and
this seemed to work well with both the project leads and the participants commenting positively about this mix.
Figure 5a Distribution of participants by age
Distribution of participants by age
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Age in years
The numbers of participants showed an equal distribution of male and female participants (see Figure 5b). There
was also evidence to suggest that the nature of the activities encouraged the breaking down of gender stereotypes,
as these comments from participants indicate:
All the boys really look forward to it (Indian dance). Now in this school boys think ballet is a boys' sport. It
is funny but now the girls join in football and the boys are joining in the dancing. It is great. (Boy’s
comment)
The boys are really enjoying the Indian dance and the boys have become sort of friendlier and there is
certainly less play fighting and being rough. (Girl’s comment)
I have become less shy we are mixing better with the younger kids and there is more talking in class, not
being naughty but talking about our work. (Girl’s comment)
Figure 5b Participation by gender
PAGE 15PARTICIPATION BY GENDER
Male
Female
The participants came primarily from CR5 8 (Coulsdon area), CR0 (Croydon, New Addington, South Croydon,
Addiscombe, and Addington) and CR2 (Croydon, South Croydon and Purley). Although less frequent, CR7
(Thornton Heath, Croydon, Mitcham) and SE25 (South Norwood) were also quite common (See Figure 5c).
8
This data is somewhat misrepresentative as the school in Coulsdon had comparatively large numbers of participants
compared to the other projects. Realistically, across all projects, the CR2 postcode was the most common.
PAGE 16Figure 5c Distribution by postcode
Distribution by postcode
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
The most frequently done art forms were singing, drawing and dancing while the less frequently done arts and
cultural experiences were working with artists, going to concerts and going to museums and galleries. Most
participants had never or hardly ever done these things. This is a significant finding as it points to the opportunities
that could become available through working more closely with cultural organisations and by providing accessible
opportunities for these experiences. Similarly, for future projects, more could be done around digital art,
photography and film making, where very few of the participants had tried these art forms (See Figure 5d).
Figure 5d Frequency of participation in various art forms
Frequency of participation in various art forms
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Once a day Once a week Once a month Hardly ever Never
PAGE 17The location of where the participants did their creative and cultural activities was also interesting.
Overwhelmingly, the location of most cultural activity was either at home and at school. Also popular were clubs
and on the computer. Interestingly, very few of the participants travelled to either central Croydon or to central
London to participate in cultural activities. These findings mean that it is important that there are high quality
offers that are available in schools or can be accessed from home. Concurrently, research and investigation needs
to be conducted as to why central London and central Croydon, although close, are not chosen for cultural
activities. Over 90% of participants had never been to London and around 75% of participants did not go to central
Croydon. In keeping with the application made as part of the London Borough of Culture process, it is clear that a
localised approach needs to be developed to provide cultural experiences, and that experiences predominately
(or only) available in central locations are unlikely to be accessed by young people.
Figure 5e Where do you do creative and cultural things?
Where do you do creative and cultural things?
In central London
At home
At church
At clubs
On a mobile
On a compuer
In Croydon
In school
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Yes No
5.1 Schools and participation
The growth in schools means that there are schools with an appetite for, and that have success with, engaging in
arts and culture. For those that do not engage with the sector, it is not through lack of willingness. Their focus is
often on raising standards for Ofsted and increasingly tight resources. The overall achievement levels in Croydon
schools is improving and are now at or above national standards for all levels. A lead local authority officer
explained that a critical time for arts and cultural engagement is the transition between primary and secondary
school. He said, “The LCEP should ensure the engagement and enthusiasm that exists in primary school isn’t lost
in the transition.” Given the findings of the research, schools appear to be the major location for most children’s
and young people’s cultural experiences. If schools do not offer a high quality and comprehensive arts and cultural
programme, the data would suggest that the clear majority of young people in Croydon would miss out on cultural
experiences altogether. The importance of the school as an initiator of arts activities is crucial. The school seems
to be the main place where children and young people try different art forms. A school leader emphasised the
importance of addressing inclusion in arts and culture at a young age and investing in primary school children,
PAGE 18which often involves including the parents. It was also suggested that the school can be the conduit for connecting
young people with ‘out of school’ cultural experiences. It was noted that children of low income families may only
get arts and culture opportunities through schools. Moreover, the comment was made that, for young children,
it is important to see older children as role models who identify as proud citizens of Croydon.
Despite the centrality of the school as a site for cultural activity for children and young people, the teachers
interviewed were concerned that schools were under both financial and curriculum pressures to reduce arts and
cultural offers. It was also noted that the quality of offer in schools is highly variable and so while some pupils get
good experiences others may get limited or no offers. The following comments were made by teachers and
borough officers in terms of the importance of the school offer and the threats currently facing the scope and
quality of this offer:
A critical time for engagement is the transition between primary and secondary school. The LCEP should
ensure the engagement and enthusiasm that exists in primary school isn’t lost in the transition. (Officer)
The arts have been systematically cut out of the school syllabus. Children need access to the arts both in
and out of school. (School leader)
There should be more opportunities to combine the arts with other subjects to make those subjects more
interesting. (Teacher)
There is a mind-set in schools that the arts are not as important as maths and science. (Teacher)
It is important that children meet the arts in schools but also some people don’t want to engage formally
so there needs to be offers in school and outside of school. (School leader)
There is no emphasis on self-expression. (Teacher)
Schools are a great start into the arts. (Officer)
I think that a lot of it is down to what we do in schools. Kids need to try their own things. We need spaces
for the arts in and out of school. You need to try as many things artistically as you can. (School leader)
Culture, art and creativity are important. (School leader)
The impact of the programme on learning was strongly evident in the responses. There was strong evidence over
the course of the project on changes in both teaching pedagogy and in educational attitudes, as is apparent in
these comments:
Today we are going to do enjoyable super amazing maths. (Teacher)
I can see with this programme has really boosted the class and increased their confidence.
(Teacher)
Be as creative as you like. (Teacher)
PAGE 19The children and young people highlighted the importance of the school as a site for cultural experiences, as is
evident in the following statements:
I was lucky. My school was quite big on the arts and you learnt the skills and got exposed to different types
of arts. We had freedom to use and develop our skills.
I got into art at school … you start making friends with people with similar interests.
The amazing art room was where we just kicked around. We felt safe. We felt a real sense of freedom.
When I was at school I thought, ‘You have to try it . I might be good at it.’
There was also a genuine desire from the artists and cultural organisations to reach out to the schools.
We need more outreach to schools. Trying things is the most important. Co-creative support. (Artist)
The children expressed strong and clear preferences for the arts. Within the research the children were very keen
to express their enthusiasm for the arts and their interests in particular art forms as this small selection of quotes
from children indicate:
I like doing art. I am creative.
I like dancing because it is really enjoyable and because I like doing lots of cool moves.
I LOVE creativity and all I do I like. I would do art 20 times a day if I could!
I would like to do pottery and sculpture.
I like looking at pictures on my camera and I like playing video games.
I would love to do art and DT every day.
I like creative writing and reading.
I like doing art especially with my friends. Just making things, sewing and painting, sketching and lots
more!
I love art. Art is like a tree finding life. It is putting ideas in your head like nothing else. It is beautiful.
I love art ad I am very imaginative and creative.
My favourite thing to do is art like drawing, making and painting.
I love making things. I find it really fun. I have loved art since I was little. I like doodling anything.
I like doing creative things
I practice my violin as many days as I can.
I think we should do some more creative things.
PAGE 20I really love art. It is SO fun.
I really like doing art and I would do it every day and I really like creating things and making stuff.
I really like art and I am good at it. I like creating things.
I like drawing animals and making up creatures from my imagination and I like doing artistic things and I
like anything to do with the arts.
I like doing creative stuff at school and I do it on my phone when I get nervous, stressed or angry. When I
do art, people say that it looks good and that I should like art and be an artist.
Creativity is one of my favourite things. I love to get creative EVERYWHERE!
I love singing and dancing lessons. I would love to make a short film.
I like being creative.
An example of a school being changed positively by targeted creative and cultural experiences can be seen in the
Coulsdon Cultural Festival, held over the first three weeks of the new academic year, throughout Coulsdon Church
of England Primary. This project had considerable positive outcomes that were noted by the school’s Headteacher,
classroom teachers and the pupils. The cultural festival provided an effective and innovative start to the new
academic year as the following comments from the teachers and school leadership indicate:
We were not sure how this would go at the beginning of the year but the two weeks have been fantastic. I think this will now
become a regular way of starting the year at this school. Start creative and continue being creative!
Now we have tried this in the school I think there is the real potential to do a lot more. We need a good quality camera. But
we could go to the community and try to raise the funds. It has been so much fun. The nicest thing has been watching the
pupils. Seeing them come into their own. You can see their confidence in their body language. It has been a great way to start
the New Year - we are now going to follow a more vibrant and creative curriculum. There will be changes that have directly
come from the opportunity to do this project. It is amazing the way the arts build confidence. The arts can go into all areas of
the curriculum. The teaching staff got to know the pupils really well. They could watch how the pupils reacted. They also had
more opportunity to talk with the pupils. We had an inset day about the project and the staff all agreed that we have to find
ways to continue this. The staff are joining together more. One TA has started going to yoga classes. It is great to see. The
atmosphere has been wonderful between children and the staff. We have not had to deal with any behaviour issues so far
which is not usual for this time of the year. The teachers and the children have loved it. We must see how we can do this again
next year. I wish the funding was continuing. Budgets are tight and the arts always suffer. I wish too there were more chances
for sharing and hearing what the other projects were. The pupils have learned new techniques. There was nothing negative.
The variety and creative ideas was excellent.
The comments from the school leadership also point to the importance of the school as a fundamental site for
culture and the pressures on the arts due to budgetary and other constraints.
PAGE 21The following text box shows comments from pupils across the classes in the school. The pupils’ comments reveal
their likes and their concerns but also the manner in which the cultural festival was able to change perceptions
and strengthen educational outcomes, including outcomes around attendance, behaviour for learning and anxiety.
I am often worried about school and my SATs and my tests to get into grammar school. It is very stressful. There is a lot to
think about, but starting the year with the arts festival has made me calmer. The teachers are nicer and I feel I could talk to
them.
I really enjoyed all the activities and I was really happy about it.
I like drawing but not painting.
I like EVERYTHING.
The atmosphere has certainly changed. Now if you try something new or you make a mistake, people are really supporting
you and cheering you on. The school has become more encouraging. Kids say 'congratulations' and ‘better luck next time' we
cheer each other on.
The class has been better behaved and we are doing more performances. It is such a fun way to learn. My parents think it is
great too.
The art weeks are going on for three weeks, but we would like it to go on for longer. Maybe we need weeks like this once a
term, so we don’t forget.
Our school has changed since we did this project. We are doing more art but it’s funny because we are also doing more school
work. I think starting school this way has made the children more responsible. More grown up… I feel more responsible. The
teachers are different too. It was a really good start to the year and now everyone is happy. It is great fun and lively. Every
day I can't wait to get to school as there is always something different. School is more active. On the first day I really did not
want to go back to school but now every day I am excited and thinking ‘I wonder what we will do today’.
5.2 Accessibility
A feature of all the LCEP projects was their accessibility to a wide variety of young people. All projects involved
mixed ability groups, groups of different ages and groups of abled and disabled people. This very accessible
approach seemed to work extremely well. The diversity acted as a conduit for creative experimentation,
exchanges of ideas and for friendships to develop. The artists and arts organisations showed considerable
expertise and sensitivity in designing innovative and highly relevant creative opportunities that could be accessed
by a wide range of people. Creativity had been used proactively to design, develop and adapt activities to ensure
all people gained from the experience. This showed a high degree of flexibility and critical reflection and
innovation. At times, both the participants and the volunteers had additional educational, physical and/or social
needs. For example, one volunteer had learning difficulties and, yet she was able to be involved in the project as
a volunteer and as a participant and developed personal skills and professional expertise as a result.
While all the projects showed high levels of accessibility, both the Soda Jam project and the ‘Where the Wild
Things Are’ Immersive family arts day at St Giles’ school were remarkable examples of accessibility. The Immersive
Arts Day showed ingenuity in developing highly participatory sensory arts experiences for children and young
PAGE 22You can also read
