FEATURE FOCUS: CULTURAL EDUCATION
Unlocking access: bridging the gap to provide creative and cultural education for all
L
ucy Kennedy, Chief Executive of the National Saturday Club, discusses the importance of creative and cultural education, and the role of the National Saturday Club in ensuring all young people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to access creative and cultural learning experiences.
Creative and cultural extracurricular activities have been proven to enhance academic performance, boost wellbeing, and increase engagement in school. They create essential safe spaces where young people can develop, offering unique opportunities outside the constraints of formal education. Yet, there remains a persistent and troubling inequity of access to creative and cultural engagement opportunities and
experiences for young people in the UK. This disparity disproportionately affects those from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds, limiting their ability to pursue their interests, unlock their potential and pursue rewarding career pathways. If we aim to build a more inclusive society where every young person, regardless of circumstance, can thrive, addressing and bridging this opportunity gap is essential. Young people spend around 80% of their time outside the classroom during a normal week, highlighting a critical need to ensure equitable access to extracurricular opportunities. Saturday Clubs help to address this gap by providing free, high-quality, non-formal, creative education programmes that make visible pathways to further study and future career opportunities.
Inequity of access to creativity and culture Research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre reveals a stark disparity within the cultural sector. Individuals from more privileged backgrounds are twice as likely to be employed in this industry compared to those from working-class backgrounds. For instance, only 22% of people working in music, performing arts, and visual arts come from working-class backgrounds, while 60% are from more affluent families.
Similarly, a study from The Sutton Trust found that 38% of the wealthiest individuals in television, film, and music, and 44% of newspaper columnists, attended private schools. These statistics reinforce the need for increased
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access to programmes that offer extracurricular opportunities.
Providing all young people with access to cultural and creative opportunities isn’t just about providing joyful and rewarding learning experiences or cultivating the next generation of artists or performers – it is also about equipping them with the vital skills and mindsets necessary to excel in a complex and rapidly evolving world. Ultimately, this provision also supports the UK’s rapidly growing creative industries, developing a pipeline of diverse new talent that will futureproof the sector’s workforce.
The importance of extracurricular engagement
The National Saturday Club is an organisation dedicated to providing free, accessible learning opportunities for 13 to 16-year-olds throughout the UK, in partnership with a network of universities, FE colleges and cultural institutions. The programme is supported by organisations including Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, the British Fashion Council, Clore Duffield Foundation and Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.
The charity seeks to address the lack of equitable extracurricular opportunities for many young people by offering year-long programmes that equip them with vital skills and links to industry that are not typically gained within the formal education system. By creating an accessible, non-formal learning environment, the Club helps build confidence, nurtures a love
December 2024
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