Over 400 Young People Discover Arts Award at Deer Shed Festival

IVE and Deer Shed Festival teamed up for the fourth year in a row to deliver Arts Award Discover to over 400 children.

Deer Shed is the ultimate family festival. With music, arts, science, sports and wellbeing activities in abundance there really is something for everyone. Their ‘Making Waves’ theme for the 9^th annual festival is a great reflection of their accessibility to all: from ripples to rolling tides, rapids to meandering rivers, waves come in all different shapes and sizes and so do families! The wide variety of live music, spoken word, outdoor performances, comedy, cinema screenings, science workshops and sports events, as well as the phenomenal array of arts activities, guarantees that Deer Shed offers something for every member of the family.

With such a rich assortment of practical and creative activities to be involved in, Deer Shed Festival provides the perfect opportunity for children to be exposed to new art forms and skills and therefore presents a unique opportunity to complete the Arts Award Discover in a Day.

Arts Award aims to support children and young people in deepening their engagement with the arts, building their creative skills (both practical skills and thinking creatively) and their leadership skills. The qualification has 5 levels, with the entry-level, Discover, helping to broaden children and young people’s perceptions of what the arts are and how they can be produced.

Children from St Mary’s School taking part in activities on the Schools Day.

This year the IVE Arts Award team were on hand for the Deer Shed Schools Day, before the festival officially opened to the public, to guide young people from 9 different primary schools through the Arts Award Discover in a Day. The children engaged in an assortment of activities including crafts, science, yoga and circus skills, all the while documenting their discoveries by collecting stamps and sharing their new skills in their bespoke Arts Award Maps.

The Arts Award Hub was set up in the WilderWild area and IVE were there throughout the weekend to deliver the Arts Award Discover Qualification to interested participants. Young people were given a bespoke Arts Award Discover map on their way into the festival and were invited to fill in the resource as they discovered the creative delights of the festival. The map asked children to record and reflect on the arts that they discovered, on the activities they’d taken part in and on the skills they had learned. The maps were handed in over the weekend and, once they have been assessed, each young person will receive their Arts Award Discover Certificate in the post.

The IVE Arts Award team got the opportunity to speak to many of the festival goers over the weekend. One parent told us;

“The amazing activities are the reason we return to Deer Shed year after year. My children loved getting their Arts Award Certificate in the post last year!”

A young person taking part in the marbling workshop said;

“I love art! Getting really messy is part of the fun.”

Young People taking part in the paper marbling activity in the WilderWild.

If you’re a school or an arts organisation, Arts Award Discover can easily be incorporated into a day of arts and cultural experiences to increase the educational impact of the experience. IVE holds regular training events where we can teach you how to deliver Arts Award at any level. Have a look at our events page to find your next nearest event.

This year, IVE are excited to be introducing Arts Award Discover in a Day at Broughton Hall Children’s Literature Festival, 28^th-30^th September. It’s set to be a spectacular weekend of performances, workshops and literary magic.

To find out more about Arts Award please visit our Arts Award page.