Rick Wills
Chairman, The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, Education
I’m Rick Wills, Chairman of The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts. We are a national educational charity committed to helping children experience the arts in a high quality and sustained way. We provide access for children and young people who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to engage with the arts.
In 2008/09 we are helping 32,000 children to experience the arts. Every child will participate in a sustained experience of the arts – getting to know a local cultural venue, the people who work there, and the magic it produces. Supporting work in the classroom followed up that experience.
Feedback from teachers and children involved in Children & the Arts has been extremely positive. A recent survey of teachers involved in Start 2007/08 confirmed Children & the Arts’ belief in the positive impact of the arts on children’s lives.
94% of teachers said that pupils had improved their personal skills. 77% reported that pupils gained confidence and 74% stated that their pupils’ self esteem had increased.
The survey also confirmed that the arts help to develop intellectual, social and emotional skills. 94% of teachers stated that children gained communication skills, 89% said they improved their listening and speaking skills and 73% said pupils gained social skills.
Children’s behaviour and attitudes to learning were also affected. 82% of teachers said pupils gained creative thinking skills while 81% reported that their pupils developed academic skills literacy, teamwork and reasoning.
Many children in the UK still have no real access to the arts. There is clearly much for us to do and we look forward to building on our successes.
