The BACE Twinning Project is an exciting opportunity in Bedford Borough, matching schools with cultural providers to work together in a spirit of collaborative leadership. We are looking for both cultural organisations and individuals who are interested in being ‘twinned’ with a local school to share skills and contribute to the cultural education of children and young people.

Through a guided series of 6 training days and independent 1-1 contact time over the course of this academic year organisations from both the education and cultural sectors will work together to devise and deliver cultural activity that meets both the needs of children and young people and supports the school development plan in the twinned school.

The project has been devised by the Bedford Arts and Cultural Education (BACE) group, a strategic group of leaders from the education and culture sectors in Bedford Borough who are working to increase the opportunities for the children and young people of the Borough to access excellent arts and cultural activity. Due to a successful funding bid to Educational Improvement Strategy Group, we are able to take eight schools and eight cultural providers on a collaborative leadership journey, providing practical support in delivering high quality creative and cultural experiences for your learners.

Who are we looking for?

• Cultural Twins are confident, resilient, professional cultural providers who are experienced at working with a range of schools.
• They have excellent communication skills, are active listeners and can advocate on behalf of other cultural providers (rather than simply selling their own services).
• They will be open to becoming Artsmark and Arts Award Supporters and will commit the time needed to work intensively with one school and as part of the BACE twinning programme.
• The BACE twinning programme includes fees to cover time allocated to the programme (6 training days and 1-1 time), and the possibility of Culture Vouchers being spent with the practitioner twinned to the school.

How to apply

• The Culture Challenge would like to invite expressions of interest from cultural organisations which are based in or work extensively in Bedford Borough who feel they have what it takes to become a Cultural Twin.
• We are also looking for up to two individual practitioners who would like to be considered for a place on the programme but who may need the support of The Culture Challenge team to fully support the school.
• We invite expressions of interest from organisations who are represented by The Culture Challenge (preferably verified), based in Bedford Borough and who meet the description of Cultural Twins above.
• Please email Kaytej@bedfordcreativearts.org.uk with a concise response to this brief, and outlining your suitability for consideration on the twinning programme by the 5th October.
• Selection will be made by the BACE group.