Vale of Catmose College performing Bugsy Malone at the Nottingham Playhouse for the East Midlands Artsmark celebration event, November 2005.
Photo: Alan Fletcher
You may find the following national links useful when thinking about the arts in your area.
Art Teaching Ideas Contains downloadable resources for teachers of 5-11-year-olds.
Artswork Artswork is an independent youth arts development agency committed to developing creative opportunities for young people aged 12-25.
artscape The artscape directory features organisations and individual artists who undertake educational work.
Arts On The Move Arts On The Move specialises in producing high quality drama and theatre workshops, training courses and seminars.
Arts Inform Arts Inform builds relationships between professionals in the cultural industries and schools and colleges, and provides curriculum-based programmes. It is also developing models of good practice for work-based learning and teacher mentoring, in partnership with arts and cultural organisations.
Arts4Schools Art resources for teachers and students.
Arts Award The Arts Award is a national qualification for 11-25 year olds that recognises young people's development as artists and arts leaders. Taking part in an Arts Award develops creative and personal skills for further education or employment.
ARTS alive! ARTS alive! is the outcome of a QCA curriculum development project set up to identify ways in which the contribution of the arts to pupils' education can be maximised.
Artists in Schools Resource of artists offering workshops for schools throughout London and in the South East, East Anglia and East and West Midlands areas.
Aesop's Touring Theatre Company Specialises in touring schools, art centres and theatres nationally throughout the year with plays and workshops specifically written and designed for nursery, infant and junior age groups.
Action for Children's Arts Action for Children's Arts is a national membership organisation for professionals working in children's arts. The site lists forthcoming arts performances, conferences and workshops.
Access Art Access Art is a resource bank for digital and visual arts designed for pupils, students, teachers, gallery educators and artists including online workshops and learning spaces.
24 Hour Museum 24 Hour Museum is a monthly guide to news, exhibitions and events at museums and galleries around the country. The site features a teacher's section and an interactive zone for children aged 4-11.
British Film Institute The British Film Institute offers opportunities for people throughout the UK to experience, enjoy and discover more about film and the moving image culture.
Blast BBC Blast is an interactive site for young people to share ideas and showcase their talent in art, dance, film, music and writing.
Bigfoot Theatre Company Bigfoot Theatre Company is a UK wide charity that promotes theatre arts as a tool to educate and empower children and teachers.
Creative People A national network providing advice and guidance to support the professional development of people working in the arts and crafts.
Creative Partnerships Creative Partnerships establishes collaborative partnerships between schools and arts professionals, providing opportunities for school children across England to develop creativity in learning.
Creative Exchange Creative Exchange exists to educate people about the social role of arts and culture.
Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) The Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET) is the national standards body for the professional dance industry. It accredits programmes of training in vocational dance schools and offers a free and comprehensive information service on all aspects of vocational dance provision to students, parents, teachers, dance artists and employers.
Conference of Drama Schools The Conference of Drama Schools comprises Britain's 21 leading drama schools, setting and maintaining standards of training within the drama sector and providing listings of drama courses on offer to prospective students.
Centre for Creative Communities The Centre for Creative Communities generates local community development and facilitates partnerships among diverse sectors of society centred around arts and creativity.
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education is an educational centre for schools and teachers, parents, teaching assistants and other educators. CLPE has a national and international reputation for its work in the fields of language, literacy and assessment.
CfBT Education Trust CfBT is an education consultancy and service organisation providing education for public benefit.
CapeUK CapeUK is an independent research and development agency focusing on exploring and developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
Campaign for Drawing The campaign for drawing. Aims to get people to draw through events and educational programmes.
DfES The Standards Site DfES The Standards Site guidance on developing the needs of gifted and talented children.
Drake Music Project The Drake Music Project enables disabled children and adults who are unable to play conventional musical instruments to discover their musical abilities and explore, compose and perform their own music.
DfES Music and Dance scheme Run by the Department for Education and Skills, the aim of the scheme is to help identify and assist children with exceptional potential, regardless of their personal circumstances, to benefit from world-class specialist training as part of a broad and balanced education.
Design Council Learn about design on the Design Council's web pages.
Dance 4 Dance 4 is the National Dance Agency based in Nottingham. It produces new dance works as well as offering professional training and advice to dance artists.
Education group Education Group is a provider of creative and multicultural workshops to Primary Schools throughout the UK.
English National Youth Arts Network (ENYAN) The English National Youth Arts Network (ENYAN) is a project proposed by Artswork to support and develop arts provision and arts opportunities for young people in England.
Every Object Tells A Story An interactive collection of stories about objects people care about, including museum objects, visual arts, fashion, entertainment and childhood objects.
Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT) Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT) is the UK's leading organisation for commissioning and presentation of artists' film video and new media. The FACT Centre houses galleries, cinemas and exhibition and support spaces for artists.
Hilal Dance The Suraya Hilal and her London-based dance company teach and perform contemporary Egytian music and dance. They have toured extensively around Europe.
Heritage Lottery Fund The Heritage Lottery Fund awards funding to projects that enable communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about this country's diverse heritage.
International Drama/Theater and Education Association (IDEA) The International Drama/Theater and Education Association (IDEA) represents more than 50 countries around the world. It aims to promote and advocate drama and theatre as part of a holistic education and to provide an international forum for those working as drama and theatre educators throughout the world.
Investigation into arts-rich schools, October 2002 A report by the QCA featuring 11 examples of arts-rich schools, including four primary schools, two special schools and five secondary schools which achieved Artsmark Gold in 2001.
Laban One of Europe's leading dance conservatories offering undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in contemporary dance artist training and professional development.
Learning and Skills Council National organisation responsible for post-16 education and training in England, excluding the university sector.
MusicTeachers MusicTeachers.co.uk aims to support musicians in every aspect of education and performance.
Music Manifesto Music Manifesto offers a strategy and set of priorities for the next 3-5 years which is intended to become a benchmark for future musical opportunities for children and young people.
Music for Youth Provides opportunities for young people to perform before live audiences at a national and regional level.
Music for Change Music for Change is an educational charity that promotes awareness, understanding and respect for cultural diversity through music and the performing arts.
Music:ed A magazine style approach to the music curriculum for schools, after school clubs and lifelong learning.
Music and Dance Scheme The Music and Dance Scheme helps to identify and assist children with exceptional potential to benefit from specialist training as part of a balanced education.
Music Advice Guide The Music Advice Guide is the UK's online portal for the music industry and music education.
National Drama National Drama's journal features a membership area plus events, news and publications concerning National Drama and drama in education.
National Dance Teachers Association The National Dance Teachers Association is a membership organisation supporting dance teachers at all key stages and working to ensure all young people in the UK have access to high quality dance education in schools.
National Curriculum in Action National Curriculum in Action gives practical ideas on how to promote pupils' creative thinking and behaviour.
National Association of Writers in Education The National Association of Writers in Education supports the development of creative writing of all genres in education and community settings throughout the UK.
National Association of Music Educators (NAME) NAME is the professional association which represents all those involved in music education: advisers, inspectors, consultants, teachers in schools, instrumental teachers, heads of instrumental services, lecturers working in teacher education and in conservatoires, community musicians, publishers and other retailers.
National Association for the Teaching of English NATE is the UK subject teacher association for all aspects of English from pre-school to university. NATE supports effective teaching and learning, keeps teachers informed about current developments and provides them with a voice at a national level.
Noise Festival Noise is the national showcase for the creative talent of young people under 25.
Osun Arts Foundation Osun Arts Foundation, based in Liverpool, develops African Arts projects in schools. OAF engages schoolchildren and their teachers in the creative process to share their diversity and cultures. It also tours its works to arts venues regionally and nationally.
Pals Productions PALS is an educational theatre company that puts on curriculum-linked performances and workshops for children at key stages 1 and 2, in schools across the UK. The website lists upcoming performances.
Performing Right Society The Performing Right Society collects and distributes licence fees for the public performance and broadcast of musical works.
Random Dance Random Dance produces innovative and high quality contemporary dance, exploring the uses of new technology. It carries out extensive national and international touring, commissions and site-specific work. The company also offers education and training programmes.
Rambert Dance Company Rambert is Britain's flagship modern dance company, committed to presenting the broadest possible range of modern repertoire, programming established works from choreographers of international status alongside the new and challenging. The company also offers education and training.
Start Workshops Innovative and informative art workshops for schools and groups.
Stagework Managed by the National Theatre, Stagework is a unique resource which goes behind the scenes to unpack the complex process of making theatre performance. For teachers it offers curriculum resources based upon key productions.
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust delivers the Government's Specialist Schools and Academies programme. This site is a gateway to information about the Trust, the schools network and the Trust's international arm.
South Asian Dance Information resource for South Asian Dance in the UK.
Show Me Part of the 24 Hour Museum, Show Me is a children's interactive website looking at museums and galleries around the country.
Shine Week Shine is a national festival celebrating all the talents in all young people and is taking place between 6th and 10th July 2009. Embracing the energy and enthusiasm of young people, teachers and youth workers Shine Week creates a real buzz across the country and in the media and is a really exciting way to celebrate the talent that every young person has. Shine Week is about celebrating all talent, it can be in the performing arts but it can also be in technology, science or working in the community.
Shakespeare Schools Festival The Shakespeare Schools Festival is a unique arts education initiative that enables young people to perform abridged productions of Shakespeare's most famous plays in their local professional theatre.
Schools Music Association The Schools Music Association provides a national network for music teachers.
Samling Foundation The Samling Foundation invests in youth and the pursuit of artistic excellence. By providing unique opportunities for young people to learn from and perform alongside great artists, it provides a sanctuary where distinctive talent can be nurtured.
The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation Arts & Kids works with committed arts partners around the UK to give children a chance to get to know and feel at home in their local theatre, orchestra and gallery over the course of a year.
Take One Picture The National Gallery's Take One Picture is a countrywide scheme for primary schools focusing on one painting a year from the Gallery's collection to inspire cross-curricular work in primary classrooms.
Take It Away Take It Away is a musical instrument purchase plan scheme operated by Arts Council England. You can borrow up to £2,000 for the purchase of any musical instrument and pay it back in 10 monthly instalments, interest free.
Theatre in Prisons and Probation Research and Development Centre (TiPP) The Theatre in Prisons and Probation Research and Development Centre (TiPP) develop and implement participatory arts projects and undertake training for artists and for professionals working in the Criminal Justice System.
Youth Dance England Youth Dance England is the national agency to connect young people and dance.
Youth Music Youth Music funds and supports music making and training as well as working to bring together partnership organisations from across the music, education and social sectors.
Zone - Music Education Online Zonemag is an online music magazine for class teachers and music specialists featuring reviews, features, resources and news.
