Engaging a young audience through Circuit
The challenges of getting young audiences to engage in the arts via galleries and museums include a lack of connection …
The challenges of getting young audiences to engage in the arts via galleries and museums include a lack of connection and sense of belonging, the spaces provided, and artistic and learning programme sign-posting.
Though galleries and museums across the country are producing excellent projects and programmes, they need sustainable long-term resources and funding to deliver a regular and identifiable offer to younger audiences.
The Circuit programme, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, presents a unique opportunity to offer long-term access to cultural activity across nine national sites (the four Tate galleries; Firstsite, Colchester; Mostyn, Llandudno; Nottingham Contemporary; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester; and Wysing Arts Centre and Kettle’s Yard, Cambridgeshire).
Four years of funding for this programme means that young people can create positive, visible change for these organisations through their participation in and contribution to gallery programmes.
Young people are being given the opportunity to challenge the traditional notions of what a gallery can be. At the heart of Circuit are the voices, creativity and critique, and the social and cultural experiences, of these young people.
One of the programme’s most dynamic areas is the representation of a diverse mix of young people, from rural, urban and suburban locations.
There are often misconceptions that programmes for young people need to be made “cool” or that contemporary art and digital platforms are key to engagement, rather than art and analogue experience.
What young people from any background want is the opportunity to progress, broaden horizons and gain a sense of ownership.
Through Circuit, nearly 200 young people are regularly involved in delivering workshops, talks and events, which have reached an audience of more than 135,000. Circuit continues to establish and test partnership potential with 87 youth sector organisations.
One of this year’s highlights will be Tate Liverpool’s Blueprint Festival, which will present a wide range of art and performance activities by young people for young people.
Galleries and museums must continue to reach young audiences and increase engagement with the visual arts. Eight years working with young people at Tate has shown me that art has a big part to play in wider social concerns and benefits that intersect with learning and wellbeing.
It builds self-esteem and communication skills. It encourages learning to be questioning of the status quo. Through collective and collaborative projects, young participants can gain experience of teamwork and research, as well as insight into the art world and creative industries.
Young people are our future visitors, curators and critics, and need to experience the rich potential that museums and galleries offer.
Collaboration with government youth provision, schools, colleges and universities is vital to making programmes sustainable. Knowledge sharing across art institutions is growing and will be integral to the future of learning-based practice.
As resources become leaner, understanding the structures and aims of youth sector organisations has the potential to change attitudes to focus on centralising or integrating these projects as core activity.
Circuit aims to shift perceptions of young people with complex needs, to make museums and galleries’ social role and significance more transparent.
It utilises visual culture to expand cultural skills that present real opportunities and choices for young people’s progression as mediators between culture, the public and the institution.
Mark Miller is Circuit programme lead, convenor: young people’s programmes, Tate Britain and Tate Modern
Though galleries and museums across the country are producing excellent projects and programmes, they need sustainable long-term resources and funding to deliver a regular and identifiable offer to younger audiences.
The Circuit programme, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, presents a unique opportunity to offer long-term access to cultural activity across nine national sites (the four Tate galleries; Firstsite, Colchester; Mostyn, Llandudno; Nottingham Contemporary; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester; and Wysing Arts Centre and Kettle’s Yard, Cambridgeshire).
Four years of funding for this programme means that young people can create positive, visible change for these organisations through their participation in and contribution to gallery programmes.
Young people are being given the opportunity to challenge the traditional notions of what a gallery can be. At the heart of Circuit are the voices, creativity and critique, and the social and cultural experiences, of these young people.
One of the programme’s most dynamic areas is the representation of a diverse mix of young people, from rural, urban and suburban locations.
There are often misconceptions that programmes for young people need to be made “cool” or that contemporary art and digital platforms are key to engagement, rather than art and analogue experience.
What young people from any background want is the opportunity to progress, broaden horizons and gain a sense of ownership.
Through Circuit, nearly 200 young people are regularly involved in delivering workshops, talks and events, which have reached an audience of more than 135,000. Circuit continues to establish and test partnership potential with 87 youth sector organisations.
One of this year’s highlights will be Tate Liverpool’s Blueprint Festival, which will present a wide range of art and performance activities by young people for young people.
Galleries and museums must continue to reach young audiences and increase engagement with the visual arts. Eight years working with young people at Tate has shown me that art has a big part to play in wider social concerns and benefits that intersect with learning and wellbeing.
It builds self-esteem and communication skills. It encourages learning to be questioning of the status quo. Through collective and collaborative projects, young participants can gain experience of teamwork and research, as well as insight into the art world and creative industries.
Young people are our future visitors, curators and critics, and need to experience the rich potential that museums and galleries offer.
Collaboration with government youth provision, schools, colleges and universities is vital to making programmes sustainable. Knowledge sharing across art institutions is growing and will be integral to the future of learning-based practice.
As resources become leaner, understanding the structures and aims of youth sector organisations has the potential to change attitudes to focus on centralising or integrating these projects as core activity.
Circuit aims to shift perceptions of young people with complex needs, to make museums and galleries’ social role and significance more transparent.
It utilises visual culture to expand cultural skills that present real opportunities and choices for young people’s progression as mediators between culture, the public and the institution.
Mark Miller is Circuit programme lead, convenor: young people’s programmes, Tate Britain and Tate Modern