A project improving Scottish children and young people’s access to the arts has today announced that 88 awardees will receive a total of £65,095.40 in funding to progress their creative interests.
Artwork created by Access All Arts awardees.
The Access All Arts Fund, managed by Children in Scotland and supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, supports young people who are experiencing barriers to accessing creative opportunities. Funding decisions are made by a panel of children and young people, who considered a wide range of barriers to the arts, including mental health, language and cultural barriers, financial barriers, lack of access to materials or equipment, disabilities, and geographical barriers.
Now in its third year, the fund was open for applications from 19 September to 4 November 2024 and received 148 applications from children and young people aged 11 to 25. Awardees will be funded to pursue a range of arts activities, including photography, painting, music and dance.
In 2023, a survey of participants indicated that 92% of recipients experienced a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing. 82% said that receiving funding had helped them to overcome barriers to the arts.
Sophie Elliott, Policy, Projects and Participation Officer at Children in Scotland, said: “For a third year, the Access All Arts Fund has given children and young people across Scotland increased access to creative opportunities. The panel of children and young people and staff team were delighted to learn about the creative interests of young applicants.
We look forward to hearing about how the children and young people receiving awards will progress their creative projects and activities.”
Sarah Lockhart, Youth Engagement Officer at Creative Scotland says: “We proudly support Children in Scotland’s Access All Arts programme, a beacon for young creative minds across the nation, for the third consecutive year. In 2025, a generous funding of over £65,000 will empower 88 children and young people to explore their passions and hone their talents. Spearheaded by a dynamic youth panel, the programme ensures that young people have a voice in how the funding is allocated, making it easier for them to dive into the arts in their unique ways.”
To find out more about the Access All Arts Fund, visit the Children in Scotland website.
Background
Children in Scotland is Scotland’s national children’s sector network giving all children and young people an equal chance to flourish. By bringing together a network of people working with and for children, alongside children and young people themselves, they offer a broad, balanced and independent voice. They create solutions, provide support and develop positive change across all areas affecting children in Scotland.
They do this by listening, gathering evidence, and applying and sharing learning, while always working to uphold children’s rights. Their range of knowledge and expertise means they can provide trusted support on issues as diverse as the people they work with and the varied lives of children and families in Scotland.
Founded in 1993, Children in Scotland was the new iteration of what had previously been a small network of voluntary children’s organisations, known as the Scottish Child and Family Alliance. At that time, children were facing huge social change, with a new emphasis on the rights and freedoms of children, brought forward by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which the UK had ratified in 1991.
Read more about the 2023 Access All Arts Fund project in its final report here: https://childreninscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AAA-report_Year-2_FINAL.pdf
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery, which, now in its 30th year, has supported over 14,600 projects with more than £501.9 million in funding through Creative Scotland and its predecessor, the Scottish Arts Council. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
Media contact
Julie Thomson, Communications & Marketing Manager, Children in Scotland