RSA & Fred Longworth High School: Where Did All The Art Go? Film Now Live!

Around 18 months ago, Fred Longworth gained a grant from Arts Council England to produce a film about the importance of the arts in schools. With more and more schools cutting out creative subjects in response to budget cuts and a focus on academic subjects which form part of the ‘EBacc curriculum’, FLHS staff & students felt compelled to make the film. Find out more below.

As a former specialist Arts College, Fred Longworth is deeply committed to keeping the arts alive for all students as we have a fundamental belief that access to a creative education is crucial in preparing young people to make a positive contribution to society and to ensure they are prepared to work in an ever-changing world where problem solving and adaptability will be fundamental skills in the workforce of the technological age.

Funding and support for the students to make the film celebrating the arts in schools came following a visit to the school by Darren Henley (Chief Executive of Arts Council England) who was impressed by the students work across the arts.

The official launch of the film took place at The Lowry, Salford Quays on the 9th May and was supported by RSA North, The Lowry and Curious Minds. Martin Ainscough, Director of Creative Learning at Fred Longworth said “We are lucky to see every day the impact that a fantastic arts curriculum can have on young people. However, I am becoming increasing concerned about the disappearance of subjects like art, dance, drama and music in many schools, and the relentless focus on examinations in what are considered to be “more academic” subjects, which is having a significant impact on the mental health of children. Creative education should be a fundamental aspect of education for young people no matter which school they go to. We hope that our film will play a small part in promoting the arts in schools and help to stop this demise.”

It’s not only our staff who have a strong belief in the arts – Harvey Newby-Redmayne, a year 10 student at Fred Longworth said “It sounds very cliche, but I think subjects like drama, dance, art and photography allow people to unlock their true potential.”

In fact we didn’t make just one film, we made two:

The short version HERE is based on a poem by Dave Moloney, our head of drama, called ‘The Spark.'

The longer version HERE features our students talking about the importance of the arts along with interviews with key people from the creative sector.

The films were co-created by our students and staff with the filming and editing expertise of Elerby Studios.