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Evaluation February 2008

Flux Evaluation Update: 11th February 2008

Key Flux achievements to date include:

Establishing the project and embedding Flux within the Priory Vale Community:

• The Flux team has established a dynamic and professional arts project at the heart of a newly developing community, located within the Isambard Community School on the Learning Campus.
• Young people have been active, creating the name and designing the logo for Flux.
• Flux project engages participants via the Isambard Community School curriculum, via primary schools and through activities in the community.
• A mobile digital arts studio has been especially designed and commissioned.  The FluxMobile is now a familiar sight in Priory Vale and North Swindon, offering young people access to arts and new technology.  
• Digital artists The Evil Twins are artists in residence throughout the Flux project. With the Twins and other digital artists working with the FluxMobile and in other locations, Flux has delivered 298 hours of digital arts activities, and enabled 591* participants to experience this art form.

Partnership working:

• Flux brings together a wide range of arts and education specialist organisations, artists and other partners to collectively deliver the project.
• The project creates a network of partnerships between the following organisations and agencies: Isambard Community School; Mobile Media; Swindon Dance; Music Services (SBC); Sixth Sense Theatre Company; ICIA, University of Bath; project funders; ISB; Arts Council England; Swindon Borough Council (SBC); Childrens’  Services, Youth Service and Arts Services (SBC); and primary schools in North Swindon.
• Flux maximises the skills and expertise of its partners in the Swindon area to create and deliver Flux, and to work collectively to ensure the sustainability of the project.

Taking Part:

The Flux project offers young people the chance to participate, to try out new arts activities and to work with professional artists. From September 2006 – Easter (April) 08 Flux will have delivered:

• 89 projects that have created opportunities to take part in visual arts, drama, dance, digital arts and music activities.
• Projects have taken place in Secondary Schools, Primary Schools, Youth clubs, libraries, shopping centres and the FluxMobile.
• 80 different professional artists have participated in leading the projects.
• 958 hours of Flux activities have taken place
• 2, 387* young people have participated in Flux activities 
• 127 Isambard students are registered for the Arts Award – the nationally recognised qualification for young people.
• 17 went for moderation in February 2008. (18 young people in Swindon have been accredited so far.)
• 7 students have been recruited to the Evaluation/Documentation project and have now established themselves as the IDs (Isambard Documentors).  The IDs are supported by film-maker Paul Gilbert and photographer Elise Hurcombe and have a studio/workspace next to the Flux office.

Creating and Piloting an Innovative Curriculum Model:

• The Flux team and Isambard Community School are piloting a curriculum model in which the arts are delivered by an external partner (Flux) working with professional artists and specialist artform agencies. The model provides the pupils with access to an exciting range of arts and creative experiences which are delivered through modular thematic projects, designed to have the potential to integrate the arts across other subject areas, and using them to bring cohesion to the different curriculum modules. 
• By Easter 2008 modules will have been delivered in: Music (singing); Drama; Digital Media; Latin Dance; and Ceramics
• 220 + Year 7 pupils, the first generation of pupils in the new school, are currently experiencing a curriculum rich in arts experiences, and together, Flux and Isambard staff teams are developing a school community in which culture and the arts are celebrated and can play a key role.
• The arts are delivered through enrichment activities, voluntary activities and after school projects as well as the formal curriculum. 
• Arts Award: All of the Isambard staff are trained Arts Award Advisors.

* these figures may in some cases represent the same young people who have taken part in more than one activity/project.)