Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) WorkshopMonday 30 January, 4-6pm at John Hansard Gallery, Southampton
Photograph: Nosa Malcolm
Colleagues from across Southampton working with children and young people are warmly invited to take part in an active workshop mapping out the SCEP’s future work answering the question: what can we achieve for all children and young people in Southampton if we work together?
After time for networking, in small groups we will run an imaginary scenario activity asking how we would spend £2 million pounds on children and young people in Southampton, before discussing how we can work together using the ideas we generate to make real change.
This is a chance to come together as a sector, network, have your voice heard and be part of shaping the future of children and young people in the City and the work of the SCEP over 2023.
To RSVP email us with your name, job title and organisation.
Our six Creative Mentors have been busy training. Visual artist Ellen Gillett describes the initial session in the first of our Mentors’ blog posts.
Ellen Gillett, visual artist, SCEP Creative Mentor
It is rare, outside of therapy; intimate conversations with friends; or job interviews, that we get a chance to talk about ourselves and our creative practice. We are conditioned to believe that as adults it is rude or self-centered to spend too much time talking about oneself.
The first session of Creative Mentor training was, therefore, a rare pleasure in that we were afforded the opportunity to speak about ourselves, our creative practice and what motivates and drives us, in a friendly and supportive environment. This was truly beneficial as it allowed us to stop and reflect on why we do what we do, and where it might all be heading.
In the same manner, we got to hear exciting stories, insights and personal observations from other creatives, across a broad range of creative disciplines. This was enriching due to the information and stories they shared but also really encouraging as this group of people is the team that we will be collaborating with for the next six months in order to deliver this exciting mentorship project.
Artwork by Ellen Gillett
In that first week we also were introduced to some activity-based techniques and icebreakers for engaging groups of mentees. We began to learn how we might use tools like these to encourage participation, learn about our mentees and break down boundaries between us and a group and between the participants themselves.
The second week built on what we had learnt in the first, expanding what we know about each other’s motivations to join the project. The main focus for the week’s session was learning about the landscape of Southampton and the surrounding area, in terms of provision and services for young people, arts organizations that operate in the area, and how all of these initiatives link and join up. We also delved into different types of organisational structures, how they might be funded and considerations for creatives working within these networks: ideas such as boundary setting, copyright and intellectual property considerations, and the concept of safeguarding.
Overall, the enthusiasm and creativity of those involved with this project; the forward-thinking, inclusive, and continually reflective teaching style; and the exciting hints about what’s in store has made me feel truly enthused about being part of this project and look forward to our next session.
Ellen Gillett
The Southampton Cultural Education Partnership’s (SCEP) objective is to develop a cohort of Creative Mentors as local role models in Southampton, who will work directly with and inspire Children and Young People, including those from at risk, marginalised backgrounds or NEET (not in employment education or training).
Cultural practitioners and organisations alongside educators, health workers and youth agencies came together at the John Hansard Gallery on 21 November 2022 for the Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP) EXPO.
SCEP EXPO at John Hansard GalleryJHGChild Friendly SouthamptonSouthampton Music HubAfrican ActivitiesTheatre for LifeCultural Connectors, University of SouthamptonSCEP ChairSCEPSound Pop AcademySoCo Music Project, ZoieLogic DanceMayflower TheatreArtswork
Photographs: Nosa Malcolm
This well-attended event, the first in-person event for over two years, was held to showcase the diverse, cultural education offer of SCEP member organisations available for children and young people across Southampton. It included networking opportunities, a gallery tour, a stunning vocal performance by a student from Redbridge Community School. Sam Cairns, SCEP Transition Manager and Lucy Marder, Artswork presented how Arts Awards and Artsmark can enhance learning for children and different settings.
Louise Coysh, SCEP Interim Lead and Associate Director of Arts and Culture, University of Southampton, said, “The SCEP’s power is connecting people. It was amazing to have our growing community back together again, joined by our Creative Mentors and Cultural Connectors, to share the city’s exciting cultural offers and ambitions for children and young people.”
If you want to learn more about SCEP, become a member, hear about future events, or to join our mailing list, please email us
After months of work behind the scenes, the SCEP team is excited to share our progress on the Better Lives Through Culture programme (BLTC) and introduce you to some new and familiar faces joining us.
Through BLTC, the SCEP sets out to increase the number of children and young people benefiting from cultural education from priority groups in Southampton, through a strengthened cross-sector framework.
After months of preparation, call-outs and recruitment for partners and creative practitioners from our SCEP community, we’re thrilled to be entering a busy period of delivery. Here we share what we have been up to, behind the scenes, across the programme’s two strands:
How Arts and Culture can enhance Southampton School Curriculums
Connecting Culture Research Project, 2021. A student at Mount Pleasant Junior School, Bevois, Southampton, with their Arts Award Discover certificate.
The SCEP is a consortium of diverse organisations working together, hosted by the University of Southampton, to nurture creative and cultural education for all children and young people in the City.
This workshop, held online on Monday 4 July, is part of the SCEP Transition Programme training offer of Southampton Cultural Education Partnership (SCEP), in partnership with Artswork.
Colleagues listened to five presentations given by cultural leaders and educators from the Cultural Learning Alliance, Mount Pleasant Junior School, The Polygon School, Redbridge Community School and Regents Park Community School, that discussed how they defined cultural capital in their own setting and how we could all work together across Southampton to ensure every child has an arts-rich education that develops their potential.
Below is the introductory presentation to Cultural Capital. Additionally SCEP Members can view three of the five event presentations via the SCEP Sharepoint Site.*
What is Cultural Capital?
Sam Cairns, Co-Director, Cultural Learning Alliance
*SCEP Membership is free and open to individuals and organisations engaging in cultural education for children and young people in Southampton. For more details and how to join, visit our Members page.
