Ukulele student and teacher

Celebrating Arts Award achievements

You have successfully entered some young people for Arts Award, congratulations! Now it's time to celebrate – and get some publicity for your young people's hard work and success.

Blowing your own trumpet

Having young people's Arts Award achievements recognised – in your organisation, the local community and the media – is a valuable addition to the Arts Award process. It's great for their confidence and self-worth and could give them valuable insights into the workings of the press, broadcast and social media.

It's also a wonderful way of raising the profile of your work and your organisation (and of Arts Award and arts education more broadly) with young people and their families, local artists and cultural organisations, and the wider community. Your Arts Awards achievements could inspire others to get involved and bring exciting new opportunities.

Getting the word out

So how do you get publicity for your project? Here are some ways that have worked for other Arts Award groups:

  • hold a celebration event, such as a reception, exhibition or gala performance, at your centre or a nearby performance space – you could combine it with a certificate presentation for your Arts Award achievers if you are choosing to buy hard copy certificates 
  • share photos, press releases and case studies with local newspapers, community websites and radio stations
  • invite a local VIP – a politician, councillor, celebrity or business leader – to meet your group, see the work they've been doing, and maybe try some activities themselves
  • take a guest spot on a popular blog or vlog, or at an arts festival or community event
  • organise a taster session where your Arts Award achievers can pass on the skills and knowledge they've gained to others

Secrets of success

  • Always get permission before sharing young people's details and photos/recordings of them and their work.
  • Media outlets love strong images and powerful stories, so gather these throughout your Arts Award journey. Local reporters are often short of time and resources, so make it as easy as possible for them to give you coverage.
  • Get young people involved in the publicity. Could they design invitations, write press releases, take photographs, make a film…?
  • Think about new media as well as traditional outlets. You might find a bigger audience on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or a podcast than through your local paper.
  • Follow up your press release or invitation with a phone call. People are more likely to respond positively to personal contact

Support to get your message heard

We have a range of resources to support you, including Arts Award centre logos for your website, emails, paperwork and publicity materials (login to your account to access these), as well as a guide to getting media interest and templates for your press release.

Arts Award centres are welcome to use the Arts Award logo, within our brand guidelines.

The Arts Award team can help you promote your successes and raise your profile. Mention or tag us (@ArtsAward or #ArtsAward) when using social media so we can share your posts.

Or write about your experiences and ideas in a guest blog for us. Just get in touch and pitch your idea for a post, explaining why it would be interesting to other advisers and centres. You could also apply to become a Trinity Champion Centre, sharing good practice and being an advocate for Arts Award – it could bring exciting opportunities like a professional photo shoot at your centre for Arts Award.

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