Hot on the heels of the launch of the new national arts agency Creative Scotland, the Highlands will have its own platform to focus attention on how children and young people’s can access creative experiences.

The event, at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness on 6 April 2011, is open to everyone (including young people) to say what they think is important to them about the arts and is free of charge.

“This is an exciting chance to explore why the arts are valuable to children’s and young people’s lives and what we can do to ensure we develop creative opportunities,” said Julia Nelson, chair of Artsplay Highland, the local organisers.

“We hope that young people and the adults who work with them as well as artists, will come along and share their beliefs and ideas. The aim is to stimulate discussion in an informal setting. We will note the views expressed and use them to encourage politicians and practitioners to grasp the opportunities they have to enrich children’s lives”.

The event is being run in association with Action for Children’s Arts (ACA), the UK charity whose patrons include poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn, writer and illustrator Shirley Hughes, artist Quentin Blake and author Michael Foreman. Vicky Ireland MBE, a member of ACA’s executive committee and a children’s theatre director, will be leading the discussion in Inverness.

Since 2003, Artsplay Highland has been creating opportunities for artists, children and those that work with them to come together to have fun and discover and develop their talents. Like ACA, Artsplay founds it work on Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This states that:

“Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”

Meanwhile, Creative Scotland has just launched its first three-year plan. Its goals for 2020 include that Scotland has the highest level of participation in the arts in the UK and that Scotland is recognised as an international leader in the arts for children and young people, giving every child access to the arts. As part of this, the Scottish Education and Culture Ministers have signed up to a new plan to raise the profile and value of creativity and the arts in learning.

“It’s welcome that there is a commitment at national policy level – now we must make it become a reality in the Highlands, despite the cutbacks in government spending. We hope that the 6 April event will capture the enthusiasm that exists for ensuring young people can experience the enjoyment and challenge of being involved in the arts”, said Julia.

The event takes place 4.30-6.30pm and space is limited: to book a place, contact Artsplay Highland co-ordinator Jelica Gavrilovic jelica@artsplayhighland.org.uk

More information is available at www.spanglefish.com/ArtsPlayHighland/ and about ACA at www.childrensarts.org.uk

Source: Artsplay Highland