What we do
Arts Award
Between 2012 and 2015, we became the biggest Arts Award deliverer across Arts Council England’s entire North West National Portfolio and the third biggest nationally, earning recognition as a Centre of Excellence.
Creative achievement. Recognised.
Pioneering creative excellence
For over fifteen years, we have transformed arts education in Greater Manchester through our delivery of Arts Award - Trinity College London's creative qualification. Our journey began with delivering Oldham's first-ever Gold Arts Award to former trustee Faz Shah, now a renowned musician and theatre artist, signalling our ambition to provide world-class creative opportunities in our borough. Between 2012 and 2015, we became the biggest Arts Award deliverer across Arts Council England's entire North West National Portfolio and the third biggest nationally, earning recognition as a Centre of Excellence and establishing our team members as national leaders in youth arts accreditation.
Remarkable growth and innovation
By 2020, we delivered an astounding 80% of all Gold Awards across the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area, demonstrating our resilience even during global challenges. Our innovative approach embeds Arts Award within our Artist Development programme, ensuring accreditation becomes an integral part of young people's creative journey rather than an add-on qualification. This integrated model has enabled us to reach diverse community spaces - from the Fatima Women's Project supporting women and girls from various backgrounds, to local schools across Oldham where we complement existing provision with additional creative pathways.
Creating tomorrow’s creative leaders
Fifteen years on, our Arts Award alumni have become professional artists, arts administrators, teachers, and creative entrepreneurs, reshaping Greater Manchester's cultural landscape. Our programme has provided crucial UCAS points (16 at Gold level - equivalent to half an A-level), opening doors to universities and conservatoires whilst fostering international collaboration through exchanges to Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. As we continue evolving, our Arts Award programme remains a cornerstone of our work, proving that with the right support, young people from any background can achieve creative excellence and become confident, creative citizens who understand their power to shape the world around them.