Today, the Royal Opera House ran its very first national Create Day – a unique event showcasing the power of the arts in schools, which brought together almost 2,000 students and teachers at iconic locations, school halls and classrooms across the UK.
A live broadcast from Covent Garden, led by Blue Peter’s Mwaksy Mudenda and Royal Opera House Artists, reached 360 school children in Coventry Cathedral, 360 school children outside the Royal Opera House’s Backstage Centre in Thurrock, and hundreds of school children in Doncaster classrooms. Across the day, the schools performed together at large-scale venues, drawing on resources from some of the world’s best ballet and opera practitioners. The event celebrated creativity, and was this year inspired by choreographer Crystal Pite’s Light of Passage, Ayanna Witter-Johnson’s ‘The Hope’ and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Next year, it will be open to every school taking part in one of the Royal Opera House’s National Programmes.
Mwaksy Mudenda said:
‘Today’s event was a real celebration of creativity – a chance for young people around the country to join something incredible. We know how important it is that students of all ages get to enjoy and take part in the arts, and it’s thanks to events like this that so many of them get that chance. It was a privilege to lead the event from the Royal Opera House’s Clore Studio, and to speak directly to so many teachers and school children in Coventry, Doncaster and Thurrock.’
Jillian Barker, Director of Learning and Participation at the Royal Opera House, said:
‘Today’s event was extraordinary. We work with schools across the country year round, and know the very real impact that arts education can have on inspiring creativity in young people. This event gave participating schools the chance to feel part of something bigger – to celebrate with thousands of other children from across the UK. It’s a pleasure to be bringing it back next year.’
The Royal Opera House has run dedicated programmes in all three locations over the last few years. Its programme in Coventry, set up in 2019, began as a partnership between Coventry schools, the Local Cultural Education Partnership (CCEP), Coventry City Council and Coventry City of Culture – offering dedicated events, activities and training days to address a gap in cultural education provision. The dance offer in the area recently won Gold in the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards, under the ‘Impact through Partnership’ category, and was recognised for the real impact it has had on children in the community. Its programme in Doncaster is similar – one that began, following conversations between Ed Miliband (MP for Doncaster North) and Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare, as a partnership between Cast theatre and Doncaster Council, and has grown to reach almost every school in the borough. And so too is its work in Thurrock – the company’s ‘second home’, from which it delivers high quality arts education projects.
The event marked the culmination of the schools’ participation in the Royal Opera House’s dedicated Create & Learn programme, which brings music and dance to thousands of children and teachers across the country. Split into three disciplines – Create & Dance, Create & Sing, and Create & Design – the programme works to fully embed cultural learning at the heart of the curriculum, make a sustained impact in schools and communities, and improve access to quality cultural learning in communities from Cornwall to Cumbria. Over the last two weeks, 390 children in Rotherham took part in mass performances inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, 540 children in Exeter took part in Create & Dance workshops, 150 children in Doncaster came together for the Doncaster Cultural Education Partnership and Literacy Hub’s summer Storytelling Festival, and additional events have taken place in Essex, Rochdale (in partnership with Rochdale Music Service), Blackpool (in partnership with Blackpool & Fylde College and the Blackpool Grand Theatre) and online. The programme is completely free to state-funded schools, and no previous experience of opera and ballet is needed.
