Know a grassroots creative organisation doing extraordinary work for children and families in their community? 🌿 Nominations are open for The Mighty Roots Award, as part of the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026. Deadline: midday, 1st June 2026. Nominate here 👇 [LINK]

Know a young person using creativity to drive real change? 🎨 Nominations are open for The Young Arts Activism Award as part of the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026! Deadline: midday, 1st June 2026. Nominate here 👇 forms.office.com/e/HAk1HKh1gD

We are accepting nominations for 10 categories for the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards. Nominate now: curiousminds.org.uk/nace-awards-...

Join us for an insightful hour with Zafeerah Heesambee, a curator, producer, and interdisciplinary artist whose work bridges creativity, community, and social justice. 🗓️ Thursday, Apr 23 🕛️ 12 pm to 1 pm 💻️ Online and free We are excited to see you there:

Arts education is finally gaining the policy support it deserves - but real change depends on what we do next. In an article for Art Fund’s Art Quarterly, our CEO Derri Burdon explores how cultural organisations can turn this long‑awaited policy shift into genuine entitlement for every child.

Huge thank you to everyone who attended our wonderful conversation with Justin O'Connor, author of Culture is Not an Industry: Reclaiming Art and Culture for the Common Good. We had people register from all around the world. Let us know if you were there!

The NACE Awards are not only a celebration of arts and cultural education, they also provide a platform for us to support fundraising for our Chance to See Fund, a partnership between us and Wigan band, The Lathums, created to open up access to creative experiences for children and young people.

We caught up with Helen Stalker, Helen Stalker, Director of Engage (the National Association for Gallery Education) and SLiCE alumni about the impact of taking part in the programme. 🗣️ Applications for the 26/27 cohort close on Monday! 🗣️

⏰️ Deadline approaching ⏰️ The SLiCE Fellowship is an 18-month professional development programme for school senior leaders and cultural organisation leaders. Learning and developing side by side, you'll forge powerful partnerships + develop the vision, tools, + network to lead system change.

Nominations are OPEN for the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026! We are inviting nominations for 10 categories. Find out more: curiousminds.org.uk/nace-awards-...

Naomi Lord, Director of Creative Learning & Partnerships at Bolton School, reflects on her experience as a SLiCE® Fellow as part of the 2019/20 cohort - a year shaped by the onset of COVID-19.

Are you a senior school or trust leader ready to strengthen cultural education in your setting? The SLiCE® Fellowship supports education leaders to influence curriculum design, build strategic cultural partnerships and advocate for equitable access to arts and culture.

Culture is not an industry… so what is it for? Join Professor Justin O’Connor (University of Adelaide), author of Culture is Not an Industry, for a live talk and conversation that challenges the default story in cultural policy. UK folks: grab your coffee and feel free to join: bit.ly/4aX4Dpf

Leading the Arts In Your School Cohort 1 has started in full force! Teachers have been looking at leadership styles and asking, what quality and richness in arts education and cultural learning looks like.

With a new Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education Fellowship cohort now open for applications, we revisited the experience of SLiCE® Fellow & Headteacher David Wearing.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Seherish from The Cosy Desi Club. 📅 Wednesday, February 25th 🕛️ 12pm to 1pm 🖱️ Online and free to attend. Don't miss out: thehourspotlightfeb26.eventbrite.co.uk

For Children's Mental Health Week 2026, we spoke to our Director of Education and Leadership at Curious Minds, Emma Bush. Read her thoughts here: curiousminds.org.uk/belonging-be...

The Awards are back! Coming in 2026. The National Arts and Education Awards will be held on Wednesday, October 21st, at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). Nominations will launch early in March 2026 with criteria, eligibility information, and guidance on how to enter. Keep your eye out.

We've had 4 amazing young people work with us on a 3-month placement. Last Thursday was the Wigan Creative Futures Fair, an event produced, promoted, and evaluated by our placements. We tasked our Social Media Assistant, Eve, to gather quotes about their time and what lessons they've learnt.

Come and find out more about our Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education (SLiCE®) Fellowship 💬 SLiCE Online Briefing Wed 11 Feb, 4-5pm Book your spot: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/slice-fell...

📣 SLiCE® Fellowship – Applications now open! 📣 Building on 15 years of leading, shaping and strengthening the field of cultural education, we’re launching a pioneering and prestigious 18‑month Fellowship designed to develop bold changemakers, ready to reimagine the role of culture in education.

📣 Exciting news! 📣 We’re delighted by the recent announcement from the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, of a 5% funding uplift for National Portfolio Organisations from Arts Council England this year.

New year, new events ✨ Networking, wellbeing, careers, creative inspiration; we've got a lot coming up over the next few months. All are free to attend: linktr.ee/Curiousmindsnw Here's to a creative 2026 🎉

We're launching our new season of The Hour: Spotlight with three incredible speakers in the new year. Each session, we'll sit down with a guest speaker to hear their creative journey: the real story, not the highlight reel. Last Thursday of each month | 12–1pm | Free | Online

Curious Minds is looking for a Head of Communications and PR, a leader who wants their work to create real change in children’s lives. ⏳ Hours: 30 hours per week, permanent 💫 Salary: £39,837 to £43,570 FTE (pro rata) More information and how to apply: curiousminds.org.uk/head-of-comm...

J tried drums at a youth hub, got hooked after a family concert, and wanted to learn properly. The Chance to See Fund got him an invisible drum kit + 2 months of lessons. Now he's in 2 bands and says he's found his creative voice 🥁 curiousminds.org.uk/seeing-is-be...

Come The Hour, come the creatives 🎨 Teaching artist? Youth worker? Freelance creative? Cultural practitioner? Join us Thursday for The Hour: Connect—a relaxed online space to meet peers who share your values. 📅 11 Dec | 12–1pm | Free No agenda. Register: TheHourConnectDec25.eventbrite.co.uk

We're proud to share a beautiful new short film we’ve created, in collaboration with poet and teaching artist Tom Stocks. We've submitted it to this year's Smiley Charity Film Awards. The more votes our film gets, the more hearts and minds we reach: smileycharityfilmawards.com/films/when-w...

We can’t wait to welcome you to Liverpool’s Royal Court tomorrow for our Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Action. If you haven’t bought your ticket yet... there’s still time! Come along for a packed day. teachingartistryinaction.eventbrite.co.uk

Wondering what the Symposium will look like? The Teaching Artistry in Action Symposium brings together artists, researchers, arts leaders, educators and community practitioners to explore the purpose, power and practice of artists who teach. teachingartistryinaction.eventbrite.co.uk

Join us this week for an engaging conversation with Jodi-Alissa Bickerton, Deputy Artistic Director at Graeae Theatre Company. When is it? Thursday 27th November. 12pm to 1pm. We'd love for you to join the conversation: thehourspotlightnov25.eventbrite.co.uk

📣 10 days to go 📣 Teaching Artistry in Action is a national symposium designed to put the artistic workforce who teach in education and community settings firmly at the centre of the conversation.

We’re excited to welcome Ashleigh Nugent & Andy Ash as featured speakers at our upcoming Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Practice 2nd December @royalcourtliv.bsky.social

The Curious Minds team is deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Paul Collard. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with Paul’s loving family, friends and colleagues. In memory of our dear friend: curiousminds.org.uk/remembering-...

Two more speakers to announce for our Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Action. Both of these brilliant artists will be speaking on our panel discussion, Artistic Voices in Practice.

🎤 Meet our next speakers! We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer John & Hafsah Naib as speakers to our Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Action at @royalcourtliv on 2 Dec.

Over 5 years, we've delivered 7,473 creative care kits to families in need across the North West. From pandemic response to tackling creative inequality, this work brought art materials & joy to children who need it most. 🎨 curiousminds.org.uk/crafting-connections-l3lg

Chance To See Fund funding round is open! Applying is straightforward. If your organisation is based in Wigan Borough and is committed to working with children and young people, you are eligible to apply. Deadline: Wed 31st Dec More information here: curiousminds.org.uk/chance-to-se...

We’re preparing our programme for next month’s symposium and its looking action packed! Join us for a full day of inspiration, connection and creativity. Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Practice, 📅 Date: 2nd Dec 📍 Location: Liverpool’s Royal Court

Our next The Hour: Spotlight will be on 27/11/25 – 12pm – 1pm and we will be hosting Graeae Theatre’s Deputy Artistic Director – Jodi Alissa Bickerton! Sign up here: thehourspotlightnov25.eventbrite.co.uk @graeaetheatre.bsky.social

A big day for arts education – and for Curious Minds. For the first time in years, policy and purpose are pulling in the same direction. We’re ready to help make it real. curiousminds.org.uk/a-new-chapte... #ArtsEducation #CurriculumReform #CulturalLearning

Big step forward for arts education! We welcome the Government’s response to the Curriculum & Assessment Review and the chance to help make cultural learning a true entitlement for every child – built on quality, equity and opportunity. curiousminds.org.uk/a-new-chapte... #ArtsEducation #EdReform

🌟 One month to go! Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Action | 2 Dec | Liverpool's Royal Court A one-day gathering putting artists who teach at the centre of the conversation. Together we’ll explore the purpose, practice & power of artists using creativity across education, culture & communities.

Why do artists teach? We know the benefits to participants, but why do we choose to be in the workforce? Why are we committed to it, what do we get out of it? We all have different reasons, from wanting to make the world a better place, to it enriching our own art, to needing to pay the bills….

Curious Minds and Storyhouse Chester have teamed up with Mahmood Reza, a brilliant financial expert who understands the freelance mindset, to help demystify what HMRC expects and how to avoid costly mistakes. Free and online. 20th November, 13:00 to 15:00 financewithoutfears1.eventbrite.co.uk

We're excited to introduce speakers for our upcoming Symposium: Teaching Artistry in Action, taking place on 2nd December at @royalcourtliv.bsky.socialTheatre 🎭 ✨ Will you be joining us? Book: teachingartistryinaction.eventbrite.co.uk

This month, we are joined by Keith Saha, a multi award-winning theatre maker, writer, and director, and the Co-Founder of 20 Stories High. 💫 Thursday, 30th October 💫 12-1pm 💫 Free and online Register now: thehourspotlightoct25.eventbrite.co.uk

The Hour is a bi-monthly, one-hour gathering for artists, educators, producers, creative and cultural workers. No pressure. No pitch. No to-do list. Just one hour of being in the room – showing up as exactly as you are. Come connect: thehourconnectoct25.eventbrite.co.uk

This is your last call to apply to be part of Curious Works - paid, short-term work placements in real creative workplaces. Deadline tomorrow! (Wed 15 October, 4pm) Who can apply? Young people aged 16-25 in Wigan Borough who are not in education, employment or training. This year’s placements:

We are really excited to have @drdaveobrien.bsky.social @markrt.bsky.social and @orianbrook.bsky.social join us in 10 days. It is online and free. Please join us: CuriousAboutCultureisBad.eventbrite.co.uk