‘Youth Matters’ says Arts Council England

IFACCA/Artshub, 29 July 2005,United Kingdom

Following the publication of the Government’s green paper, Youth Matters, on 18 July 2005, which addresses key issues relating to how the arts support and challenge teenagers, the Arts Council England has, in its response to the document, issued a call to all cultural sector organisations to respond to the consultation process, urging the government to make the arts central to its proposals affecting services for 13 – 19 year olds. The key aim of Youth Matters is ‘to radically re-shape services for young people’ and the paper proposes a range of measures and sets out a comprehensive package which utilizes the arts to improve life-chances for young people, with a particular emphasis on those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Norinne Betjemann, Director of Education & Learning at Arts Council England, said: “The Youth Matters green paper provides an opportunity to highlight the immense power the arts can have in young people’s lives. The arts sector has been working closely with young people for years, encouraging them to think broadly, learn new skills and grow into dynamic, intelligent and productive citizens. Numbers of young people who have lapsed into crime or antisocial behaviour have, though work with arts pracitioners, developed new and more constructive ways to see their future and the society around them. I hope every arts organisation and artist in England will join in this consultation process by telling their story. In doing so we can encourage the government to put the arts at the heart of future legislation relating to young people’s services.” Arts organisations can respond to the green paper’s proposals using the response form provided by DfES. This is available, along with a full copy of the proposals, HERE For further information, CLICK HERE

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