From September 2018 to July 2022 we have worked in partnership with The Burberry Foundation on a four-year schools programme to measure the impact of an immersive arts and cultural education programme within the curriculum.
Alongside Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Young Film and The Hepworth Wakefield the project worked with schools across Yorkshire to inspire young people to develop their own creativity.
Created in close partnership with the Ideas Foundation, the impact of the programme was studied by researchers from the Policy Institute at King’s College London, who have examined how cultural and creative education can help young people to overcome challenging circumstances, widen their horizons and realise their aspirations.
We offered the schools a dedicated Artist in Residence who provided Key Stage 3 students with a wide-ranging, hands-on experience of different areas of the creative arts and supported teachers to develop their skills and approach to creative teaching. Each organisation worked with two schools per year, with all eight schools working with all four organisations by the end of the programme.
'The benefits are always in the children’s eyes being opened to new experiences. One of our curriculum visions is that our children will receive opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have had, and all of the activities undertaken this term have added to that hugely.'Vice Principal, Leeds East Academy
Research outcomes
Year 1 Executive Review
In year 1 the project reached 4,623 students across the 8 partner schools. In total, there were 11,493 interactions with students.
Teachers at the schools valued the staff development and learning, the ability to reinforce the importance of creativity throughout the curriculum, and the new opportunities to showcase students’ abilities. 85% of teachers believe the Burberry Inspire project has increased confidence in participating students.
Year 2 Executive Review
Despite an unprecedented final six months of term with schools closed due to Covid-19, there was still much to report on the successes, relationships, and collaborations between the eight schools and four cultural partners. At the mid-point of the four year project, 6,073 students in eight schools in Yorkshire had taken part.
90% of teachers believe Burberry Inspire increases student confidence and ability to take risks. 70% of teachers believe participating pupils have a greater appreciation for arts and cultural organisations in the region. Two in three believe Burberry Inspire has opened up new cultural pathways for students.
The Partners
Leeds Playhouse
Leeds Playhouse help students to explore their sense of what it means to represent the future of Yorkshire today, inspired by plays such as Partition, a story about the impact of heritage. Students also have the opportunity to work with voice coaches, public speakers and performers.
Leeds Young Film
Leeds Young Film run filmmaking related workshops to develop transferable skills including virtual reality, documentary, music video, social media, vlogging and art film, developing the students’ technical abilities, problem solving and creative communication.
Northern Ballet
Northern Ballet introduce students to creative dance, developing their confidence and team working skills and helping them to discover different ways to express themselves through a universal language of movement for diverse communities.
The Hepworth Wakefield
The Hepworth Wakefield support students to explore the relationship between place, emotion and identity, focusing on the changing industrial cityscape and what excites and inspires them about their city. The programme provides an opportunity for the students to express themselves through a range of creative mediums - from print making to sculpting - taking inspiration from the legacy and achievements of Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, who were both born in Wakefield District, to help build a sense of civic pride and place in the community.
Leanne Wood, Chief People, Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer at Burberry
'We are very proud that the Burberry Foundation will deliver this unique programme in the heart of Yorkshire in partnership with these leading organisations.
At Burberry, we believe that creativity should be nurtured, and we are passionate about championing the benefits of making arts and culture available to all.
We want to inspire young people across the country to explore the wide variety of ways they can be involved in the creative industries and help to create a wealth of talent for one of Britain’s most important sectors.'
Photos Gavin Joynt, Lauren Godfrey, Simeon Quarrie.