Arts Award goes digital at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Children and young people are invited to complete this year's digital Arts Award Discover with Hastings Museum & Art Gallery.

The Arts Award will feature five different levels, to allow children and young people up to 25 years of age to explore different art forms digitally. This digital approach will help young people, and their families stay connected with the museum and other cultural venues from home, creating an accessible activity for all.

This Arts Award is free for the first 70 applicants and aims to help young people build their confidence, which will prepare them for further education and employment, while also encouraging them to engage with art and enjoy taking part in cultural activities. This will not only develop their creativity skills as artists, but also their leadership skills as art leaders. This is a rewarding project with a national qualification being presented for their efforts.

Cllr Colin Fitzgerald, lead Cabinet member for Regeneration, Culture and Tourism, said,

"We are delighted that the museum is now able to offer Arts Award Discover digitally. The museum worked with all the schools in the local area last year and reached nearly 5,000 young people. This new approach is COVID-secure and means the museum is continuing to be accessible with its educational offer to families and young people in Hastings. We would like to thank Tees Valley Museums for their kind support in developing this resource and to thank the Arts Council England who have provided the much needed funding."

Michael Cooke from Arts Council England said,

"COVID-19 has not curtailed the limits of our creativity. Despite us not being able to meet and exercise our creativity in the same physical space, there is no limit to our imagination. Digital platforms allow us to explore our creativity wherever we are and to continue to build creative communities virtually.

"Hastings Museum's new digital Arts Award will allow new opportunities for children and young people to create in a structured way and to gain accredited recognition for their achievements."

To find out more go to the learning section of Hastings Museum & Art Gallery website: http://www.hmag.org.uk/learning/award/.