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A child wearing a mask spray paints a large canvas that is stood upright in front of him.
A child wearing a mask spray paints a large canvas that is stood upright in front of him.

Culture Start

About Culture Start

Culture Start is a three-year programme. It aims to reach has children and young people from low-income families in Sunderland. The programme will provide better access to cultural and creative opportunities. This will improve life changes and choices for children and young people. Furthermore, this will help to reduce the long-term impact of poverty.

Culture Start is led by Sunderland Culture, on behalf of a city-wide partnership:

  • Children North East
  • Gentoo
  • Inspired (Sunderland Local Cultural Education Partnership)
  • NE Youth
  • Sunderland All Together Consortium
  • Sunderland College
  • Sunderland Music, Arts & Culture (MAC) Trust
  • Together for Children
  • University of Sunderland

Culture Start is supported by a £1.2m Place Partnership award from Arts Council England through the National Lottery, and generously funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Sir James Knott Trust, The Sir Tom Cowie Fund at the Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and the Gillian Dickinson Trust.

The Culture Start Programme

The Culture Start programme includes four main strands:

Schools and Communities

Culture Start will:

  • Establish the Culture Start Schools Programme, working with 10 identified schools in Sunderland.
  • Introduce or support cultural and creative activities taking place in community settings.

Under 12 Programme

Culture Start will:

  • Set-up and run two creative groups in community-settings in Sunderland.
  • Offer a range of creative activities as part of the Holiday Activity and Food Programme. This will include provision for children that have special educational needs and disabilities.
  • Work with cultural and creative partners to provide free tickets for families.

Young Peoples Programme

Culture Start will:

  • Set-up and run three regular creative group for young people in Sunderland.
  • Administer the IGNITE Bursary Programme. The programme will award bursaries of up to £250 to help young people. Bursaries will help young people develop their creativity, as well as support routes into creative careers.
  • Work with cultural and creative partners to provide free tickets for young people.
  • Celebrate young people’s creativity as part of Bright Lights Festival.
  • Establish a Young Steering Group to

Supporting the Cultural Sector

Culture Start will:

  • Work with Children North East to deliver their Poverty Proofing model. This will take place in key cultural venues in Sunderland. This will remove barriers and provide greater access to Sunderland’s cultural attractions.
  • Establish the Culture Start Pledge Programme. This will outline the cultural sector’s commitment to children and young people’s creativity.

A Targeted Approach

Culture Start will work with a series of Referral Partners across the city. This will help us to reach children, young people and families most in need.

 

Find Out More

If you’d like to chat more about Culture Start, please email Michael Barrass.

Michael.Barrass@sunderlandculture.org.uk