At a Glance
IN THIS SECTION: Our findings at a glance
What’s working well
The power of creativity Creativity is an inspiring and empowering concept that many recognise to be pivotal for young people’s enjoyment and wellbeing. It is valued as a way for them to be imaginative and think outside of the box, as well as expressing themselves.
The role of community Both young people and adults recognised how important creativity and culture are for developing communities and our abilities to work with and understand others. Culture in particular was identified by young people as a way to bring people together and celebrate their identities.
Accessible creative activities Young people often take part in cultural activities, even daily, that are easily accessible to them, such as listening to music. Many recognise the breadth of possible activities, and have found activities that they enjoy and are accessible to how they prefer to experience culture.
A range of cultural provision in Calderdale There is a wide range of cultural provision in Calderdale that young people are accessing, both in terms of what is on their doorstep and travelling across the borough and beyond.
An interest in cultural activities Young people’s responses show a clear interest in a wide range of arts and cultural activities. General interest levels were high, with participation levels often determined by other barriers such as time constraints and issues with travel.
What could be better
Confusion and awareness of culture Young people’s understandings of culture tend to be more blurred than those of creativity. It is less frequently linked to the arts than creativity, and often viewed as something you either do or don’t have. Young people aren’t always aware that the activities they take part in could be viewed as cultural or creative, or the potential ways that they can develop skills in these areas.
Supporting young people and prioritising their voice Adults are passionate about supporting and enabling young people to take part in cultural and creative activities, but often feel limited by external factors. Although there is often a desire to co-produce activities with young people, this is very limited in practice with young people often feeling that their voices have not been heard.
Pursuing cultural and creative careers Young people and their parents have a limited knowledge of the range of cultural and creative career opportunities available to them here in Calderdale and further afield. Developing awareness of how cultural and creative activities can aid young people in developing a wide range of transferable skills will support this.
Concerns about funding cuts The consultation revealed a widespread concern about cuts to funding of arts provision and education, and how this impacts young people’s participation in the cultural sector. Adults often cited limited funding as the reason why they felt limited in how much they could support young people to access cultural provision.
Barriers to participation Young people told us that they experience a range of barriers that prevent them from getting involved in cultural and creative activities. Their key concerns are the ease and availability of travel, costs of activities and balancing extracurricular commitments with their school work.