What is Artsmark?

Artsmark is the creative quality standard for schools and settings, accredited by Arts Council England. It is a recognised mark of excellence for settings delivering and developing quality arts and cultural provision, and provides a clear framework to develop practice and celebrate achievements.

Open to primary, secondary and special schools, pupil referral units, youth offending teams and sixth form colleges, the Artsmark journey will help all of these settings to audit current strengths, identify priorities, and articulate and align arts and cultural provision against their whole school/setting improvement plans and needs.

Artsmark can help you to:

  • Build young people’s confidence, resilience and engagement through creativity
  • Support the health and wellbeing of pupils through arts and culture
  • Strengthen pupil voice and develop young people’s leadership skills
  • Embed creativity across your whole curriculum and address school improvement priorities by using Artsmark’s clear and flexible framework
  • Access CPD, professional support, advice, and resources to help plan, evaluate and strengthen your arts provision
  • Celebrate and raise the profile of your long-term commitment to cultural education with pupils, parents and your local community
  • Develop new partnerships with local and national cultural organisations, providing young people with exciting opportunities

To register for Artsmark, simply complete this short form on the Artsmark website.

Support from SPAEDA

Spaeda can help your setting at any stage of your Artsmark journey, with signposting to artists and cultural partners, inspiring case studies, and some fantastic resources such as the creative skills videos that can be found at the bottom of this page/in the shop, which are free to all Somerset Artsmark schools and settings!

Artsmark SPARK Scheme

From 2019-2021, Spaeda and Sound Foundation Somerset ran a Challenge Fund project funded by Real Ideas, called the Artsmark SPARK scheme. The scheme closed in December 2021 with all the funding being allocated, and we look forward to sharing the stories and insights of the 50 Somerset schools taking part in spring 2022.