Gallery 37 is an award-winning multi-art form training programme for 16 to 24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training. The programme offers young people an opportunity to work alongside artists and other creative professionals for a four-week period. Gallery 37 was pioneered in Chicago and has been delivered in Birmingham over the last ten years. Since 2007 the programme has taken on a national profile, operating in five other English regions and two cities in Scotland.
Birmingham’s Gallery 37 programme is developed in consultation with previous participants and runs annually between July and August. Activities take place in a central location and a number of key cultural venues around the City. The project engages up to 200 young people living in Birmingham and Solihull, including patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Young people (Apprentice Artists) from challenged backgrounds are provided with a unique opportunity to work alongside professional artists, to develop new work, to share their work with the wider community and gain accreditation towards Arts & Design and Key Skills qualifications. The Arts Award is also delivered through this project.
In addition, the programme offers a professional development ‘Shadow Artist’ programme where artists wishing to develop their skills and gain qualifications and experience working with children and young people can do so, supporting the lead artists on this programme. Shadow Artists are given additional opportunities to gain further professional experience leading out of hours arts activities in schools, year-round.
Project leads work with various partners to ensure the successful design and delivery of this programme. Partners include key arts organisations and education settings across the City; recruitment partners such as Connexions, Probation Service, Birmingham Youth Offending Team, Community Support Groups, Homeless Hostels, libraries and other community based organisations. Many City Council departments provide invaluable support, including the Arts Team, Lifelong Learning, Youth Services, Social Services, Economic Development, Education and the European and International Team. Partners also help to ensure progression routes for young people to employment, training and / or education.
Project Funding has previously been secured through the Learning Skills Council (through the European Social Fund Objective), in-kind contributions, Birmingham City Council contributions and additional support from Arts Council England, Home Office, Eve Brook Scholarship Fund and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Watch this space for this Summers programme.