Arts as a bridge to change

Our vision is a society in which all children and young people have the skills, self-esteem and aspiration to achieve their full potential regardless of their social and economic position, as part of a society in which the arts are highly valued and in which communities are strong and connected.

Arts Bridge Charity began life as ‘Bridge Arts & Culture’. Since our inception in 2011 we have delivered engaging arts-based projects throughout London. We are strong believers in the ability of the arts to inform and transform. With the notable success of our final project as a company, The Windrush Project.

In 2014, Bridge Arts & Culture became Arts Bridge Charity focusing on using the arts as a bridge to learning. Many of our projects have a literacy, community cohesion and/or intergenerational focus.

Building on the experience gained since 2011 we are using this knowledge to deliver projects in areas where this work is most needed. Working with the needs of the community, we deliver specialised interactive, arts-based projects devised around a carefully chosen series of books, themes or local history.

Arts Bridge Charity engages communities with the arts – with a particular focus on children and young people from B.A.M.E backgrounds and those from areas of high poverty, as these groups are most at risk of being excluded from participation and appreciation of the arts. Social inclusion is key to the ethos of Arts Bridge Charity.

Through creative learning we aim to help communities develop cognitive skills (e.g. academic success) and non-cognitive skills such as confidence, motivation, integrity, determination, interpersonal interaction and aspiration.

Engagement with the creative arts can have a wide range of benefits including higher self-esteem, improved social interaction and better communication skills – all vital skills for personal development. Projects take place in collaboration with schools and within the local community.

The sustainability and legacy of our projects is important to us, so in addition to our work with pupils in schools, we will always include a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) element for their class teachers.

In addition to our commitment to working with B.A.M.E. children and children living in poverty, Arts Bridge Charity will include a mentoring programme within some of our projects which will bring like-minded young people from the local community together. Offering an opportunity for creative young people to come together to make positive change in their area, meet new people and prevent people from becoming socially excluded by providing opportunities to meet new people, gain skills, experience and explore potential career pathways within the arts.

Artistically, Arts Bridge Charity aims to encourage people to explore artforms they know and enjoy, and enable them to try new, untried ones. We want the communities that we work with to discover themselves as emerging artists and for the teachers that we work with to unleash their creativity as a means to enhancing their teaching practice.

Creating friendships, developing creativity, developing career aspirations, building respect for our elders and the area we live in.

Amanda Bright
Founder / Director, Arts Bridge Charity