Our Place in the World:

The Our Place in the World: Cultural & Creative Education Programme is a two-year initiative funded by Arts Council England via their Partnership Investment (PI) fund and in partnership with Curious Minds and Lancaster University.

Led by Lancashire Youth Challenge and the Culture Co-op the programme aims to reach over 150 young people aged 13-19 (up to 25 for those requiring additional support) from working class, vulnerable and marginalised backgrounds, by engaging them in high quality arts and cultural activities.

During this period of global uncertainty, the initiative will focus the Co-op’s collective energy on providing digital and offline educational resources for young people to explore and interrogate their place in this new and unfamiliar world.

The programme will also support local artists, practitioners and small organisations with much needed financial investment to realise their work.

Over the next two years the main tangible outputs will be: two rounds of creative commissioning, training for educators, academics, artists and creative practitioners, the development of a new digital HUB/ virtual creative learning space, a series of offline learning resources and a number of academic research papers.

Creative Commissions

Over two rounds, these creative commissions are for local artists, collectives and small organisations (not in receipt of regular funding) to develop new work for young people across the Lancaster District.

After a successful first round, the 20-21 commission recipients are; Charlotte Barber (SHAR), GRAFT, Theatre in the Rough and leo&hyde.

Creative Challenge Pack

Over the Summer of 2020 we developed an offline creative activity pack for young people aged 13-19 (up to 25 with a disability) across the Lancaster District. Inspired by Arts Council England’s Let’s Create initiative, the pack is crammed full of activities aimed at challenging young people’s creativity. A digital version is available for download below.

Digital HUB

As part of the Our Place in the World: Cultural & Creative Education Programme, we will be working with Lancaster University to develop a new interactive digital hub and virtual creative learning space for young people, practitioners, teachers and Co-op members.

Not just a ‘house’ to store resources, activities and other paraphernalia, this will be a ‘home’ where individuals can not only communicate with one another, share learning and guide those on the path to a career in the arts, but also actively discover and consume art and culture in a digital space. More information coming soon.

The New Radicals

A young people’s group brought together to steer the direction of arts and cultural education across the district. Once recruited they will challenge, provoke, direct, advocate and produce.

Cultural Care Series

A professional development programme for teachers, artists, community practitioners and cultural education enthusiasts wanting to learn and connect with peers, colleagues and invited professionals.

Series #1 & 2 ran from September 2020 to March 2021. Series #3 will begin in May 2021.