CAST is the Creative Arts Schools Trust.
CAST was founded by actor-director David Morrissey, who started a drama workshop project after a visit to Lebanon where he witnessed the lack of creative learning for young people in Palestinian refugee camps. This led to the creation of a pilot scheme in October 2009. That project proved to be a great success and when we returned we decided to form a company to run more sustainable programmes of work. This led to a further teachers training workshop in March 2010 supported by UNWRA (the United Nations Works and Relief agency) and the British Embassy in Beirut. The intention now is taking similar projects other regions that have a need for such resources and a project is planned for Sri Lanka in 2011 and I have now taken on the role of CEO for CAST.
CAST is unique in the way we work with global communities. We look at local governments, their education criteria and creating workshops that both support and amplify their own teaching policies. We seek to find the gaps in both techniques and resources helping to fill them with exciting and inspirational projects for young people.
Our training projects enable local teachers to integrate creative learning into their teaching practice without disrupting their timetables and can be adapted for both mainstream and special needs classes, with the aim that they then initiate their own creative projects. Our Artist's Network encourages artists from within the communities we work in to be part of our teams, meaning that the methods we pass on stay within the local area rather than leaving at the end of our projects.
We seek to promote the development of communication skills and confidence building in young people through drama, music, movement, dance and film.
CAST recently had a hugely successful public launch at the BFI Southbank and was well attended by some familiar faces - this will hopefully push CAST's profile out into the public eye gaining more support for our work..
So here’s the idea… we’re launching the CAST A COIN campaign where if you’re working at a theatre, or are in a show this season, see if you can persuade the powers that be to do a collection as part of your show to give some money to CAST. After all, you’re all part of a creative industry and entertaining others and what we’re doing is providing the opportunity to allow children to do the same.. Even if you’re not working on a show, but you like our work go and persuade your local theatre to do a collection for us – just one night will make a difference!
So do your best and get out there with the news about CAST – if you need logos (for signs and buckes etc) information, visual material or flyers get in touch. Otherwise all the information you need is on the website – www.creativeartstrust.org . Any money that you raise can be sent either as a cheque made payable to THE CREATIVE ARTS SCHOOLS TRUST LTD , into our bank account number 78285445 sort code 53 70 44,
or donated securely through our Just Giving page http://www.justgiving.com/creativeartstrust/
Please help – just a little bit of creativity from you could mean so much creativity passed on to those who really need it…
At the heart of our organisation are the artists who deliver the work - each are experienced practitioners in their own fields, both as creatives and as educators. Teams are built from a wide spectrum of specialisms and are created so that artists to get as much from working with each other as with the participants.
Or you can email me directly at emma.wee@creativeartstrust.org
