Report details how the project has changes lives
A total of 106 young people with additional support needs have taken forward creative arts projects as a result of funding from the Access All Arts Fund, led by Children in Scotland.
The fund, delivered through Creative Scotland’s Nurturing Talent Fund: New Routes programme, distributed £68,000 to young people across Scotland, supporting projects ranging from dance to drama and visual art to television.
As a result of the fund’s success, Creative Scotland will be supporting a second phase of the project from 2022-23.
A report on the first year of the Access All Arts Fund, capturing its aims, approach, impact and recommendations, is published today.
The Access All Arts Fund was established specifically to support children and young people with an additional support need or disability, a community who have experienced significant challenges during the pandemic.
Children in Scotland recruited four children and young people with a range of additional support needs as panellists to lead the design of the fund, make decisions about funding and support creative initiatives. The panel comprised young people aged 12-25 from West Lothian, Stirling and Glasgow.
With year one of the fund successfully completed, recruitment of young people to take part in the year two panel will begin shortly.
Activity in 2022-23 will have a strong emphasis on wellbeing and a continued focus on young people as project co-designers.
Ryan Cuzen, one of the panel members who took part in the project over the past year, said: “Having young people with lived experience of a disability or additional support needs involved in the design of funds, training programmes and opportunities is vital.
“It shows we are being listening to, included and our ideas and voices are being heard.”
David Mackay, Policy & Projects Manager at Children in Scotland and Access All Arts Fund project lead, said: “It’s been fantastic to work with the young people on our design panel over the past year and to see the incredible response to the fund.
“The Access All Arts Fund has had a significant impact on many children and young people’s lives – helping them to improve their wellbeing, learn new skills and open up new creative opportunities.
“We are delighted that Creative Scotland has announced it will be supporting a second round of the fund in 2022.
“We look forward to continuing to support children and young people with additional support needs or a disability to access the arts and realise their full potential.”
