This month we bring you news of a Welsh Labour manifesto commitment to a National Music Service; the #ProtectStudentChoice campaign fighting for BTEC funding; the new Future Skills report from Kingston University; why a change in recording date means that children most in need are missing out on pupil premium funding; the call for Proposals for the World Alliance for Arts Education Virtual Global Summit and an uplifting video compilation of Tweets from the Festival of School and College Arts.

The Advisory Panel provides sector insight, advice, and information relevant to the delivery of the CLA’s overall aims and objectives. It is made up of representatives of both the cultural and education sectors, and other key stakeholders in the core work of the Alliance. Applications are now open to join the panel. Deadline 12 July.

This month we bring you news of Creativity Collaboratives school grants; a report from the EPI calling for a £13.5bn multi-year programme of support for children and young people to reverse the damage of the pandemic; the launch of Amplify Voice; resources from the Centre for Cultural Value; a Dance in education survey and Thank You day for schools.

Part of our series of guest blogs about models that could be adapted for use as part of Recovery Summer Schools or Holiday Activities and Food programmes, Trevelyan Wright of Newhampton Arts Centre in Wolverhampton writes about their summer arts programme.

Curious Minds have developed an interactive digital map to help demonstrate to school leaders and policy-makers the vast scale of the creative and cultural education workforce which exists in our communities nationwide. The map will also make it easier for schools to identify and connect with their own local cultural learning resources and expertise, all of which they can tap into this summer.

Join us and the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) on 28 May 2021 on Twitter to celebrate the vital role of the arts in our schools and colleges around the country, and the fantastic work created by children and young people. After over a year of despair and disruption, let’s get back to the creativity and joy which forms such an important part of education. 

The first in our series of guest blogs about models that could be adapted for use as part of Recovery Summer Schools or Holiday Activities and Food programmes over summer 2021.

Korantema Anyimadu, Arts Emergency Community Manager, writes about the work of Arts Emergency. The charity supports young people who are underrepresented in the cultural industries because of their race, income, class or disability, to turn their passions into sustainable careers. Read on for actions you can take to help.    

The Office for Students is the independent regulator for higher education in England. They are running a consultation on funding decisions for the 2021-22 academic year they have been directed to make by the Department for Education, requiring a 50% reduction in funding for university courses on performing and creative arts. The consultation closes on Thursday 6 May.

The £200 million Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme runs in England with funding from the Department for Education (DfE) distributed via top tier local authorities who are responsible for spending the grant.

The grant is for local authorities to provide free places at holiday clubs in the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays in 2021 for children who receive Free School Meals.