On 3rd July, the Creative Influencers joined Curious Minds and other LCEPs from around the North of England at LCEPs Connect in Bradford!  

The event was a time to network, feedback and share ideas and inspiration with other LCEPs (Local Cultural Education Partnerships) about the best way to improve cultural education provision in the sector. This annual meetup took place in Bradford, this year’s City of Culture. The Creative Influencers are made up of students and alumni from Chorlton High, Chorlton High South, Parrs Wood High School, Pioneer House & PINC College. They were accompanied by Lizi Ransome, Head of Drama at Chorlton High School and trustee of MADE.

The day started with a presentation from the Arts Council about their work around Artsmark, and their successes using place-based action research with the help of 5 LCEPs as strategic partners. This was a great reminder of how important LCEPs are in providing a local, targeted service for our communities, thanks to our specific knowledge and networks in the area. 

After this, the Creative Influencers were invited to share their experiences being a part of the youth group from its launch in 2020 and their recent project, where they have been using digital art skills to put together an animation they will premiere at HOME this month. They provided a case study for a great way to involve youth voice in the structure of an LCEP, to give young people the agency to speak on what matters most to them! 

The Creative Influencers are MADE’s youth voice group. They meet monthly to do free creative workshops, visit Manchester’s arts venues and make their voice heard. Their recent project has involved digital art and animation, and they have taken part in a variety of artistic projects such as banner-making, video production, podcasting, and even co-hosting a panel at a conference. 

If you know a young person who would like to join the Creative Influencers, please let us know at mademcr@z-arts.org.