Creativity Week to provide new opportunities for young people in East Riding

Schools across East Riding are taking part in Creativity Week, with an ambitious new programme of arts and culture.

Running 21 to 25 October, East Riding’s Cultural Education Partnership invites all schools to get involved in celebrating creativity, whilst providing new opportunities for children and young people.

Local creative professionals including poets, painters, dancers and drummers will deliver exciting new workshops.

Schools can also access resources such as online films and worksheets to support creativity in classrooms. These include interviews with local rapper Chiedu Oraka fresh from his first Glastonbury appearance, story-writing workshops with well-known author James Nichol, and Northern Girls, a film by local theatre company about experience of growing up in the north.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, cabinet member for children, families and education said: “I’m delighted that our schools have a chance to be involved in Creativity Week and the diversity of the arts and culture on offer. It will enable our children and young people to experience and learn new things, whilst having fun.”

Cultural institutions will also open their doors with free events for local schools, enabling local children to see high quality professional events and build connections between schools and their local venues. Hawk Dance will perform their show The Greatest Robot at Pocklington Arts Centre and Goole Junction, while Balbir Singh Dance Company will bring their retelling of the Ramayana to East Riding Theatre, free for local primary schools.

Creativity Week is made possible through a partnership between East Riding of Yorkshire Council and cultural, education and voluntary sector partners. The project has been funded by Arts Council England and is free for schools.

Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism said: “I’m really pleased that we have funding once again to hold Creativity Week in the East Riding. Last year was fantastic!

“This year we have over 40 schools signed up so far, but i’d encourage more schools to look at the range of arts and culture on offer and get involved.”

Schools can sign up by email cultural.education@eastriding.gov.uk, or for more information visit: www.eastridingculture.co.uk/east-riding-arts/creativity-week/