About us

The Arts Award

The Arts Award is a national accredited qualification for young artists and arts leaders aged 11 to 25. Jointly run by Arts Council England and Trinity Guildhall, with the support of Canon (UK) Ltd, the qualification is uniquely based around a young person’s personal goals and challenges.

Awards can be based around any art form and can include technical or support roles such as marketing, set design or arts management. In addition, the award process develops the participant’s creative, communication and leadership skills and helps to prepare young people for further education and employment.

Young people work with a trained adviser - who could be an artist, teacher or youth worker - who helps them to set their goals and supports them to achieve. Participants can work towards an award at three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold – corresponding to National Qualification Framework levels 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

The Arts Award was launched in October 2005 and has grown very quickly since. There are now around 2000 Arts Award advisers across the UK and over 2300 young people have registered to do the award. As of December 2006, we have made almost 500 awards to young people of all abilities, backgrounds and talents.

The Arts Award is managed regionally by nine regional agencies. For details of you local regional agency, or for more information about the Arts Award in general, please visit www.artsaward.org.uk

Case studies
Case Study 1 - Bronze
Beth, South Lakes Federation, Cumbria

Beth developed her wide-ranging interest in dance, setting herself challenges in tap, ballet and modern dance and running dance workshops. Beth had become detached from school and worked independently on her award, supported by the South Lakes Federation. She now plans to start a performing arts course at college.

Beth says: “Doing my Arts Award really built my confidence. I don’t think I’d have gone for a performing arts course otherwise. Now I want to try for a dance college.”

Case Study 2 – Silver
Daniel, London Bubble Theatre Company, London

Daniel achieved his Silver Arts Award as a youth theatre leader, working with other young people on issues such as bullying. He liked the flexibility of the Arts Award and he recorded his plans and evaluation orally.

Daniel says: “I’m now looking to find a job or further training as a workshop leader, running drama sessions with children and young people.”

Case Study 3 – Gold
Saira, Holy Trinity Catholic Media Arts College, Birmingham

Saira, a young teacher from Birmingham, did her Gold award while supporting a group of young people to achieve their Bronze. She developed he digital arts skills by working with colleagues, researching fellow Islamic artists and mounting a public exhibition of her student’s work.

Saira says: “Being a Gold award achiever gives me great joy…and leading an arts project that has resulted in eight amazing individuals achieving Bronze awards…gives me immeasurable pride.”