What can be learned from this project?
• Delivery of Art for All is co-ordinated by the Oldham Cultural Partnership, which brings together a wide range of public, private, voluntary, community and faith-based organisations. This model of partnership working is enabling Oldham to build a reputation as a centre of excellence for culture and the arts.
Art for All encourages
people to take up
new activities
• Oldham Partnership has found that using the arts in a strategic approach provides a great deal of flexibility for tackling different issues and changing needs. For example, Art for All has responded to the rise in violent extremism by developing a touring theatre production for schools and sixth form colleges.
• The Arts Council supported a study in Oldham to measure baseline levels of arts participation. This enabled Oldham Partnership to target their resources and tailor programmes of activity to the needs of the local community.
• Oldham’s Local Area Agreement was the first to include ‘stretch targets’ relating to culture and it is now being used nationally as an example of how culture can form part of these agreements.
• Winning a nationally-recognised award, ASC’s Creating the Future Award for Cultural Contribution, has helped to raise the profile of Art for All outside of Oldham, drawing attention to the role that arts and cultural activities can play in community regeneration. The Art for All initiative has also been recognised by the Local Government Association as best practice in using cultural services to deliver local priorities.
Topics associated with this project
Cohesion, Economy, Local government, Training