Arts Award

Arts Award can be achieved at five levels; four accredited qualifications and an introductory award.

About

What is Arts Award?

Arts Award inspires young people up to the age of 25 to grow their arts and leadership talents. It’s creative, valuable and accessible.
 
Arts Award can be achieved at five levels; four accredited qualifications and an introductory award.
 
These levels are Discover, Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

ARTS AWARD’S MISSION

To support any young person to enjoy the arts, to support young people to connect with and take part in the wider arts world, and develop creativity, communication, and leadership skills. Arts award reflects many different interests and ambitions, encourages individual development and helps young people to define their creative futures. The Courtyard, Herefordshire’s Centre for the Arts, provides arts activities in all art forms across the county. We are a registered Arts Award Supporter and Arts Award Centre. We have a range of events and opportunities to help you complete your Arts Award at Discover, Explore, Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. We work with young people aged 4-24 years within our Youth Theatre, Schools Programme and Outreach work.

We have a range of Supporter events that are easy to participate in. Our team of trained Arts Award Advisers are happy to support young people to complete their Arts Award.
 
For more information contact our Education team via email: takepart@courtyard.org.uk

Achieving your Arts Award with The Courtyard

In addition to our Youth Theatre, Schools workshops and outreach work, we offer £5 tickets to selected shows each season for participants who are working towards getting their Arts Award. Participants can also explore the exhibitions in our gallery free of charge at any time, and can get £3 tickets to films shown in The Courtyard Cinema with a free Courtyard Card membership.

Upcoming Arts Award Shows:

Jennifer Crook 

Jennifer Crook image: a close up of a woman singing holding a guitar

Friday 12 May, 7.45pm

Jennifer Crook is a songwriter and performer who has consistently carved her own path through the worlds of Folk and Americana. With her latest album The Broken Road Back Home Jennifer brings together an A-list band and an exciting new musical landscape for her timeless songs. With themes of perseverance and overcoming, seeking out beauty and belonging in a broken world and the quest for home – these songs are right on time.

Book now for Jennifer Crook

 

Magical Bones

Magical Bones: A man stands in a red suit holding a playing card

Wednesday 24 May, 7.30pm 

Following sell out runs at the Edinburgh Festival and across the UK, the Britain’s Got Talent finalist takes to the road with a brand-new show full of the most awe-inspiring and high energy magic you’ll see this year. Direct from appearances on America’s Penn & Teller Fool Us, BBC1’s BAFTA Awards, ITV1’s This Morning and Sky’s Around The World In 80 Tricks. Age guidance 10+.

Book now for Magical Bones

 

What Songs May Do

Two images of two dancers superimposed together over a purple background.

Thursday 15 June, 7.30pm

What Songs May Do… is a contemporary dance production by former National Dance Company Wales dancer and award winning choreographer Mathieu Geffré. Performing to the evocative songs of Nina Simone, two dancers expose the fractured relationship of a once romantic couple as they delve into the past in an attempt to rebuild their future together. What songs may do… shines a light on our deep rooted connection to memory through music and suggests the power of what songs may do. Poetic, passionate and highly virtuosic What songs may do… celebrates the diversity of love with unashamed romanticism.

Book now for What Songs May Do

 

Adam Beattie

A close up of a man with long hair holding a guitar and looking upwards deep in thought

Thursday 22 June, 7.45pm

Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist Adam Beattie has become a celebrated artist of the London scene. He has released 5 solo self-penned albums. Having roots in Scottish folk music, as well as a lifelong interest in old time jazz and blues, Adam’s music is held together by his distinctive voice, narrative lyrics and fingerstyle guitar. As a multi-instrumentalist accompanist he has recently played guitar and bass for global singer-songwriter star Birdy and 60’s star Lulu.

Book now for Adam Beattie

 

The Diary of a Nobody

The Diary of a Nobody image: a man sat in an armchair holding a cup and saucer. He looks surprised

Friday 7 July, 7.45pm

Often cited as being one of the funniest novels of the Victorian era, Mr Pooter’s diary has now been adapted for the stage in this new one-man show. Jonathan Goodwin plays the beleaguered Pooter, a City clerk at odds with the world around him and the butt of jokes he rarely understands. You will laugh and cringe in equal measure as he relates the daily mundanity of his suburban existence with his wife, Carrie, and son, Lupin.

Book now for The Diary of a Nobody

 

To book £5 Arts Award tickets for any of these shows, use code CY5ARTS online or call Box Office on 01432 340555.


Discover

We can support parts A, B and C through our Youth Participation programme, Family Saturdays, Live events and much more.

Part A: Discover

Young people will be able to take part in practical arts activities such as weekly Youth Theatre, Musical Theatre or Film Club sessions, we run Holiday workshops during most school holidays, our Family Saturday events are a great way to experience different art forms and every October we host our annual Family Festival which has a whole host of free activities to get involved with.


Part B: Find Out

Young people will be able to find out about artists and their work through interviewing practitioners* and post show discussions and Q&As**.


Part C: Share

If young people take part in our weekly sessions, they will be able to share their work with the rest of the group and through end of term showcases


 


Explore

We can support parts A, B C & D through our Youth Participation programme, Family Saturdays, Live events and much more.

Part A: Inspire

•Young people will be able to take part in practical arts activities such as weekly Youth Theatre, Musical Theatre or Film Club sessions, we run Holiday workshops during most school holidays, our Family Saturday events are a great way to experience different art forms and every October we host our annual Family Festival which has a whole host of free activities to get involved with.


Part B: Explore

Young people will be able to explore the work of artists and arts organisations through visiting The Courtyard, meet & greets with artists and production companies, interviewing practitioners* and post show discussion and Q&As**.


Part C: Create

Young people will be able to create a piece of work through participating in activities listed in Part A. Art work could include; a monolgue, song or dance, a performance piece, a painting or picture, etc. There are endless possibilities!


Part D: Present

If young people take part in our weekly sessions, they will be able to present what they enjoyed, achieved and are most proud of from their Explore work by giving a short presentation to the rest of their group and through our end of term showcases.


 


Bronze

We can support parts A, B, C & D through our Youth Participation programme, Family Saturdays, Live events and much more.

Part A: Explore The Arts – as a participant

Young people can take part in practical arts activities such as weekly Youth Theatre, Musical Theatre or Film Club sessions. Young people can visit our Art gallery, get involved with Holiday workshops (ran during most school holidays), our Family Saturday events are a great way to experience different art forms and every October we host our annual Family Festival which has a whole host of free activities to get involved with.


Part B: Explore The Arts – as an audience member

Young people can sign up to The Courtyard Card or Courtyard Club and receive discounted tickets to live events and films. Young people also have the opportunity to write a review of what they have seen and share this on The Courtyard’s website or Facebook page.


Part C: Arts Inspiration

Young people will have the opportunity to research artists/craftspeople/arts practitioners through meet & greets with artists and production companies, interviewing practitioners* and post show discussions and Q&As**


Part D: Arts Skill Share – passing on arts skills to other

Young people share their arts skills/knowledge through running a short workshop which can be arranged through Ellen Dorsett (contact details above).


 


Silver

We can support Unit 1 parts C & D and Unit 2 through our Youth Participation programme, Family Saturdays, Live events and much more.

Unit 1 Part C: Review Arts Events

Young people can sign up to The Courtyard Card or Courtyard Club and receive discounted tickets to live events and films. Young people will be able to review our gallery exhibitions, live shows or events and also have the opportunity to share this on The Courtyard’s website or Facebook page.


Unit 1 Part D: Arts Research

Young people will be able to find out more about the arts through meeting and/or working alongside arts practitioners by assisting with some of our weekly sessions, signing up to our work experience programme or applying for an internship***. All of which will help the young people to find out more about The Courtyard and the various roles available within it.


Unit 2: Arts Leadership

The Courtyard can support young people through Unit 2 under the mentorship of one of our trained Arts Award advisors. To find out more, please contact Ellen Dorsett on 01432 346536 or ellen.dorsett@courtyard.org.uk