Adeline Pitu – a participant of the Cultural Connections Programme

With a current lack of representation in the arts and culture industry, this programme will provide young people from diverse backgrounds particularly BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) and challenging social and economic circumstances a taster of a career in the arts sector.

IVE’s goal is to link these young people in Leeds with arts professionals working in the city.  We will aid the young person’s progression and help them build new connections between large and small scale cultural providers in the city. Working with the Leeds Grand Futures network we can offer advice and guidance on the many pathways that there are to progress in the arts industry.

The aim is to connect 6 young people aged 13-25 years old with an inspiring artist, arts organisation or arts professional. This incredible opportunity will allow the young person and their parent to ask the arts professional any questions and get a taster of what it is like to work in that particular field.

We hope that this programme will make a small impact in lifting the barriers for young people from diverse backgrounds in terms of their progression into the arts. This scheme could be the first step in developing a mentoring relationship between young people and an arts professional. Young people may also receive further training as an outcome of this pilot scheme which would in future help with securing paid work and internships.

PARTNERS