Arts and Education Partnership in Ellesmere Port Celebrates a Decade of Success!
In the heart of Ellesmere Port, an extraordinary collaboration between arts and cultural organizations, including Theatre Porto, The National Waterways Museums, The Libraries Service, Edsential, and C-Change, alongside a network of local schools, has blossomed over the past decade, yielding remarkable outcomes for the town’s children and young people. Together, they have created multiple initiatives to enrich children’s learning through the arts, marking a decade of successful partnership.
Formally established as the Ellesmere Port Cultural Learning Exchange (EPCLE) two years ago, this vibrant network has flourished with the generous support of Curious Minds. With the newfound resources, EPCLE has empowered schools and educators to take part in specialized training in arts leadership, facilitated the integration of artists into school settings, and supported schools with transformative Artsmark journeys. Welcome artsmark.org.uk !
Today, Ellesmere Port proudly holds the distinguished title of ‘Artsmark Town’ with an impressive 70% of schools demonstrating their commitment to utilizing arts and creativity to enhance learning experiences and elevate aspirations.
Moreover, the partnership, in collaboration with esteemed partners such as Theatre Porto, The National Waterways Museums, The Libraries Service, Edsential, and C-Change, is spearheading innovative work experience pathways, offering students from Ellesmere Port invaluable opportunities to explore diverse career avenues within the arts sector.
To document this remarkable journey, a short film was made celebrating a decade of collaboration and our shared achievements.
Looking ahead, the partnership’s vision and ambition is growing as we aspire to welcome new allies, including our colleagues in Neston, into our ever-growing family. Our next milestone involves crafting a strategic roadmap for cultural education in Ellesmere Port, advocating for increased investment from esteemed funders such as Arts Council England. A recent funding boost from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund brings us one step closer to realizing our vision. This invaluable support enables us to enlist the expertise of an independent lead consultant, who will support our network partners to formulate robust plans and attract vital investment.
If you are an Arts or Education Leader in Ellesmere Port or Neston keen for more information, please contact info@theatreporto.org
Join us as we continue to create a thriving ecosystem where arts and cultural education help to shape brighter futures for the children and young people of Ellesmere Port and beyond.
This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
