Arts Award Welcome Centre
Futurelab has been awarded Arts Award Welcome Centre status and is now able to provide single or short-term opportunities for young people pursuing an Arts Award. The Arts Award is a national scheme for young people aged 11-25 to receive an accredited award in a creative or arts area they are interested in. Becoming a Welcome Centre means that Futurelab can support young people to complete one or more tasks related to a Bronze or Silver Award.
Futurelab has significant experience in the involvement of young people in creative activities that help design, develop and test out ideas and technologies related to learning. We have also worked in partnership with schools and organisations across the country. This involvement of young people and organisations are central to Futurelab’s aims to support the creativity of practitioners in these sectors and to understand and value learner voice and participation. By becoming an Arts Award Welcome Centre, we hope to develop further links and partnerships within the Arts community and broaden the range of opportunities for young people to participate in Futurelab projects that align with their own interests and offer meaningful recognition for their involvement.
Arts Award areas that Futurelab activities could support include:
- Taking part
- Leadership/apprenticeship
- Volunteering or work placement
- Meeting arts professionals.
Opportunities on offer would most likely relate to current and future Futurelab research and development projects, though bespoke opportunities could also be explored. Activities would generally be subject to timing and resources of individual projects and may require the support of the young person’s Arts Adviser. Below are a sample of activities or events that Futurelab could support and that could be provided for young people, depending on staff and project availability:
Showcasing technologies and tools that Futurelab has developed
For example:
- Create-A-Scape: Spend a half day session learning how to create a mediascape using our online software and handheld devices
- Newtoon: Learn how to create and share quick and simple games using our Newtoon programme (2 hrs)
- Power League: Learn how to create ‘leagues’ on any topic or issues that can be used for polls or debates (2 hrs)
- Spatial design and creation tools: Tutorial on different digital tools that can be used to help design and capture images of spaces, such as Sketchup, DeepZoom and PhotoSynth (2 hrs)
Working with and shadowing design and video production professionals
For example:
- Witnessing giving of a brief/feedback to an illustrator/designer
- Introduction to the process and work environment of printing companies
- Participation in a creative brainstorming session on design
- Supporting photographer or videographer on a photo/video shoot, including setting up kit and managing equipment
- Assisting with production and creation of podcasts or vodcasts.
Participation in research workshops and focus groups
For example:
- Focus groups on playing computer games with families
- Workshops or individual sessions testing out and helping develop or design a web site for young people about their rights and entitlements.
For more general information about the Arts Award, visit www.artsaward.org.uk
For more information on Arts Award opportunities at Futurelab, please contact duncan [dot] thomson [at] futurelab [dot] org [dot] uk
