Government pumps 125m pounds into youth arts and culture
Alison Bennett
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The government is to spend 125m pounds on helping cultivate young creative talent.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has teamed up with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to give every young person in England the chance to experience high-quality arts and culture.
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and Children's Secretary Ed Balls will unveil the move today (13 February) with the aim of giving every child the chance to develop their creativity. Billed as the cultural offer, it will be piloted in 10 areas across England in a bid to give all young people the chance to discover and develop their talents.
The offer will develop to become a right to five hours of arts and culture a week. The plan will be delivered by a new body, the Youth Culture Trust, that will oversee and expand on the government's current creativity scheme, Creative Partnerships.
The trust is backed with £100m over three years as well as £25m to pilot the cultural offer.
