Arts Connect West Midlands has invested £5000 in Friction Arts as part of their investment in 60 arts and cultural organisations across the region to enable organisations to develop inspiring new arts experiences for children and young people and help them attract new funding. The total investment across the region is £384,068.
Friction Arts creates safe spaces for conversation, working with communities to create art projects that share their stories and challenge the status quo. With research funding from Art Connect Friction will develop an operational model for a new kind of mentoring to give young people from all backgrounds a leg up into the arts.
Tim Franklin, Operations Co-ordinator at Friction Arts said: “Friction’s work is based on reciprocation – the idea that if you want to create art that really means something to a community, you need to be a contributing member of that community as well. We want to train a new generation of artists who understand how to work intelligently and ethically with communities. Arts Connect’s funding gives us the time to develop our mentoring scheme, as well as a business model that will ensure every young person can access it, no matter their circumstances.”
Rob Elkington, Director of Arts Connect WM said: “We are delighted to be supporting so many innovative organisations who are full of ideas and ambition for their work with children and young people. These significant investments across the region will improve quality and increase opportunities for children and young people to be inspired by arts and culture.
“We intend too, that our investment will contribute to the successful long-term future of these organisations so they can continue to benefit young people in the long-term.”
Arts Connect WM is one of 10 Bridge organisations, funded by Arts Council England and working across the West Midlands. Its aim is to connect children and young people with the work of arts and cultural organisations to ensure they can access and enjoy great cultural experiences.
Organisations such as theatres, museums and galleries were invited to apply for funding from three investment programmes: to offer Silver and Gold Arts Awards which recognise leadership and artistic achievement for anyone aged 7-25 years; to research and develop new work for young people and to strengthen their business models; to secure additional funding through a Partnership Investment Fund to work with young people who have least access to the arts and culture.
For further information on Friction Arts visit www.frictionarts.com
For further information on Arts Connect WM visit www.artsconnectwm.co.uk
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