Our Vision

What we do

Arts Brokerage

Creative Schools + Creative Colleges aims to understand the challenges and gaps faced by educators and learners.

We visit schools and colleges to understand their improvement plans, their ambitions, and hopes for the future.We then harness the power of our network of cultural partners across East London and beyond to deliver projects or interventions that respond to school need.

By bringing together diverse elements of the cultural sector –museums, galleries, film, libraries, heritage, dance, poetry, digital arts, drama, visual art, and music we respond to school need, improve pupil outcomes, and feed young imaginations.

Creative Schools Community and CPD

Through a combination of online resources, termly CPD events, and Annual Symposium, we support schools to develop the knowledge, confidence, and ambition to foster a culture of creativity that benefits pupils and teachers alike.

The Benefits of Cultural Learning

Arts education is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s really the air many of these kids breathe. It’s how we get kids excited about getting up and going to school in the morning. It’s how we get them to take ownership of their future.
Michelle Obama

Participation in structured arts activities can increase cognitive abilities by 17% .
Cultural Learning Alliance, 2017

Learning through arts and culture develops skills and behaviour that lead children to do better in school
Cultural Learning Alliance, 2017

It was a one of a lifetime experience
Pupil from Newham

The Creative Schools Programme was a brilliant way for us to connect with like minded schools and teachers. The programme was extremely well thought out, and the brokerage at the start meant that we knew which schools we could best support with our resource.  As a result of participating we are now working with a number of schools to support their Artsmark journey and the feedback from the teachers has been extremely positive. This is a great way for creative companies to work with primary schools
Tilly Brook, Now>Press>Play

Our Reach and Impact

• 5000+ children and young people have taken part in Creative Schools so far
• 4800 of those children participated in a creative project at school
• 178 cultural organisations have taken part so far
• More schools have their improvement needs met through a creative and collaborative approach
• Increased commitment and practice around delivering high quality cultural education
• More cultural education investment available for the benefit of children and young people

Innovative Brokerage Structure

Our established brokerage infrastructure enables schools to meet their improvement needs through the arts

Led by Stratford Circus Arts Centre on behalf of the East London Cultural Education Alliance, Creative Schools is helping to connect schools with arts opportunities through a bespoke, collaborative and innovative approach that makes sustainable connections and high quality learning experiences possible.