Creative & Cultural Skills to run Creative Employment Programme for Arts Council England

Arts Council England has today announced that it has selected our National Skills Academy as the national partner for the Creative Employment Programme which aims to help young unemployed people find paid entry level work in the arts and cultural sector.

The decision, which came about after an open application process, means that we will be responsible for delivering the Arts Council funding of up to £15 million which will directly benefit unemployed young people aged 16-24.

Through the Creative Employment Programme, Creative & Cultural Skills through our Skills Academy network will create:

1. 1,600 Young Apprenticeships, targeted at 16-18 year olds
2. 2,900 Creative Apprenticeships, targeted at 16-24 year olds
3. 2000 paid internships through a new Internship Academy in partnership with New Deal of the Mind.

Alan Davey, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said: “We talk a lot about making arts and cultural organisations more resilient in light of the current economic climate. This too extends to upskilling the workforce which keeps these organisations running.

“In order to ensure that this country continues to deliver excellent art in the years to come we need to nurture and encourage the new talent which will be creating, producing and distributing it. The Creative employment programme aims to do just that.

“The work of Creative & Cultural Skills aligns well with the culture and values of the Arts Council and the sector and I think their expertise in this area will prove to be hugely beneficial for all involved.”

Pauline Tambling, Joint Chief Executive, Creative & Cultural Skills, said:

“We are delighted to be taking the Creative Employment Programme forward on behalf of Arts Council England.  Fair access to the creative and cultural industries has been part of Creative & Cultural Skills’ mission from day one. We have, to-date, created over 1,800 Creative Apprenticeship places working in partnership with creative organisations, and given many thousands more young people careers advice about how to get a job in this sought-after sector. It is fantastic that Arts Council England are stepping up to help the sector create more entry level jobs for young people at this much-needed time, and we look forward to working in partnership to make it happen.”

Vic Grimes, Director, National Apprenticeship Service, said: “The launch of the Arts Council‘s Creative Employment Programme to support employers to take on young people into real paid jobs will be a huge boost to the creative industries. Employers who would benefit from recruiting an apprentice can now have the additional support they need to realise the potential of some of the brightest and most talented young people in the UK today.”

The Creative Employment Programme is designed to support up to 6,500 new apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships and paid internships in a variety of roles across the arts and cultural sector at a time when many young people are struggling to find paid employment. A large number of creative and cultural sector employers, partners and agencies supported our bid and we will be working with them to make this programme a reality. 

Interested parties should contact cep@ccskills.org.uk to express an interest.

Update...

A new Creative Employment Programme portal is now available at www.creative-employment.co.uk.