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About Culture Start
Culture Start is a three-year programme aiming to reach children and young people from low-income families in Sunderland.
The programme provides access to cultural and creative opportunities, improving life changes and choices for children and young people, reducing the long-term impacts of poverty.
Why now?
Our strands
Schools and Communities
Working across schools, colleges, youth and community settings to deliver creative projects and workshops.
Under 12 Programme
Deliver a series of after-school clubs and creative sessions during school holidays.
Young Peoples Programme
Delivery regular creative groups and support young people connecting with creative industries via our Future Creatives community.
Supporting the Cultural Sector
Supporting cultural organisations and venues to be more accessible to children, young people and families.
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.
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 aims to reach children (5-11 years old) and Young People (12-18 years old, and up to 25 years old for young people with special education needs and/or disabilities) living in Sunderland.
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In receipt for Free School Meals
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Eligible for Pupil Premium
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Living in a low-income household*
*What do we mean by low household income?
Low household income is when a household’s earnings are below the level needed to meet basic living costs such as housing, food, healthcare and education. This could also include not being able to afford a creative activity like this.
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Living with a lone parent
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Part of a family with three or more children
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Living with a long-term health condition or have a disability
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Part of a family with a baby under one
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Part of a family where the mother is aged under 25
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From a minority ethnic background
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Excluded from, or at risk of exclusion from education
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Care experienced (including those in kinship care)
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A young carer
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A young parent
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Engaged in the criminal justice system
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Experiencing extenuating circumstances
Get in touch
If you’d like to chat more about Culture Start, please email Michael Barrass.
Our partners
Culture Start is led by Sunderland Culture, on behalf of a city-wide partnership
Our funders
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, and the Gillian Dickinson Trust.
