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In 2024, four cultural organisations and four Virtual Schools took part in a national action research programme commissioned by Arts Council England. Artful Alliance was led by Blue Cabin and aimed to explore cultural and creative education for care-experienced children and young people.
One of the four cultural organisations taking part was Creative Briefs, a community interest company dedicated to empowering care-experienced and neurodiverse young people through creative education. In this blog, Creative Briefs founder, Jason Bowers, reflects on the transformative impact of the project the team delivered and tested during Artful Alliance.
Creative Briefs and North Yorkshire County Virtual School (NYVS) were selected to take part in Artful Alliance, exploring how arts organisations and Virtual Schools can work together to enhance the creative education of care experienced children and young people.
Together, we delivered and tested a new initiative called Creative Camp. Delivered during February half-term in 2024, Creative Camp provided a space for participants to shine through creative activities. The experience extended far beyond the sessions, leaving a lasting impact on the young people, our work, and our partnerships.
The aim of Creative Camp was to build confidence, spark motivation, and highlight the value of education through the arts. Over five days, participants explored creative activities and worked towards their Bronze Arts Award, equivalent to a GCSE. Nine out of 11 participants achieved the award, with another earning a Discover Award. Creativity proved to be a powerful tool, opening doors and helping young people engage with learning in a positive way.
A highlight was giving participants the freedom to choose their focus. They chose to dive into things like podcasting, stop-motion animation, and digital animation. This freedom to make their own choices meant the work was truly theirs, reflecting their interests and creativity.
Creative Camp stood out for its emphasis on trauma-informed practices. Training with Blue Cabin helped us create sessions that felt distinct from a classroom, offering a safe, supportive environment. Breakout spaces provided calm when needed, and small group sizes ensured everyone could feel comfortable and engaged.
We also considered sibling dynamics, carefully managing interactions to ensure the best experience for each individual. This training in Trauma Informed Practice has strengthened our wider work with Virtual Schools and other partner organisations.
Read more about the training included in the Artful Alliance programme>>
The final day’s sharing event was a highlight. Participants proudly presented their work to parents and carers, showcasing their achievements and new skills. For many carers, it was a moving experience to see the pride and confidence radiating from the children, with informed knowledge and future aspirations shining through.
One carer shared, “Every night she’s come home and hasn’t stopped talking about what she’s doing. Knowing this is equivalent to a GCSE is such a relief. She struggles with school, so seeing her thrive here is incredible.” Hearing this kind of feedback confirmed just how important this project was to young people and their families.
While the project faced challenges, such as managing family commitments, flexibility and creativity allowed us to adapt. One participant preferred to observe rather than actively engage, teaching us to accommodate diverse needs and roles.
Working with NYVS enabled us to tailor the programme to participants’ needs while embedding trauma-informed principles. The involvement of carers, social workers, and teachers amplified the impact, with our “Design Process” framework offering a clear structure for creativity and confidence-building.
Creative Camp has sparked exciting plans for the future. We aim to run it again, welcoming new participants and offering a Silver Arts Award pathway for those returning. We’re also exploring partnerships with Pupil Referral Units and EOTAS (Education Other than At School) learners to expand its reach.
Recognition as a Trinity Champion Centre for Arts Award delivery strengthens our ability to share this model more widely and inspire even more young people across UK locations.
Creative Camp highlighted the power of letting young people lead, of creating safe spaces, and of celebrating their achievements meaningfully. It also underscored the importance of partnerships, with NYVS and Blue Cabin playing vital roles in its success.
Ultimately, this project was a celebration of care-experienced young people’s achievements. It was a privilege for Creative Briefs to be part of their journey. We look forward to building on this experience to continue championing creativity as a tool for empowerment and inspiration.
Thank you Jason for this brilliant insight into Creative Camp.
Creative Camp was delivered as part of Artful Alliance, a national action research programme commissioned by Arts Council England. The following virtual school and creative organisation partnerships took part in the Artful Alliance programme, with each partnership using an existing or new project to explore questions about creative education for care-experienced children and young people.
– Leicestershire Virtual School and Care to Dance
– Norfolk Virtual School and Norfolk Music Hub
– North Yorkshire County Virtual School and Creative Briefs
– Brighton and Hove Virtual School and Creative Learning, Theatre Royal Brighton
Learning from Artful Alliance
tialt (there is an alternative), who specialise in human-centred research and evaluation, gathered the learning from Artful Alliance and produced an impact report which can be seen here>>
