Nominations are OPEN for the National Arts and Cultural Education Awards 2026!
We are inviting nominations for 10 categories.
Find out more: curiousminds.org.uk/nace-awards-...
Like the sound of the SLiCE Fellowship?
Applications are now open for our 26/27 cohort.
🗓 Deadline: Monday 30 March
curiousminds.org.uk/slice-fellow...
Images from Naomi Lord. Image 2: Clockwork. Image 3: Creatives Now.
Working in partnership with Manchester International Festival, Naomi explored ways to help children and young people connect with their local places and spaces, and to co-design cultural activity at a time of intense challenge.
👉 Read Naomi’s story:
curiousminds.org.uk/slice-r-case...
Naomi Lord, Director of Creative Learning & Partnerships at Bolton School, reflects on her experience as a SLiCE® Fellow as part of the 2019/20 cohort - a year shaped by the onset of COVID-19.
Work alongside cultural sector peers, expand your leadership impact and help shape cultural education beyond your own organisation.
🎓 Applications are now open.
More info: curiousminds.org.uk/slice-fellow...
Are you a senior school or trust leader ready to strengthen cultural education in your setting?
The SLiCE® Fellowship supports education leaders to influence curriculum design, build strategic cultural partnerships and advocate for equitable access to arts and culture.
🎤 Professor Justin O’Connor
🎙️ Hosted by Saphena Aziz (Director of Inclusion and Workforce Development) with Adam Iqbal (Programme Manager, Inclusion), Curious Minds
📅 Wednesday 25 March 2026 | 8:00AM to 10:00AM (UK time)
💻 Online & FREE
A graphic with a focal image of a man with blue eyes and a blue shirt. His book Culture is Not an Industry is seen next to him. Text reads "Culture is Not an Industry - so what is it? Online and Free. 25/02/26. 08:00-10:00 (UK time)."
Culture is not an industry… so what is it for?
Join Professor Justin O’Connor (University of Adelaide), author of Culture is Not an Industry, for a live talk and conversation that challenges the default story in cultural policy.
UK folks: grab your coffee and feel free to join: bit.ly/4aX4Dpf
Applications are now open for our next cohort which will run Sept 2026 - March 2027
Apply anytime before 13 July 2026.
Find out more: curiousminds.org.uk/leading-the-...
Leading the Arts in Your School is a professional development programme for teachers who want to embed creativity, culture, and the arts across their school.
Suitable for early and mid-career teaching professionals across all settings – from Nursery to Secondary, including SEND and PRU.
Leading the Arts In Your School Cohort 1 has started in full force! Teachers have been looking at leadership styles and asking, what quality and richness in arts education and cultural learning looks like.
If you are thinking about applying to SLiCE®, I would say this - if you care about making a difference through culture and want to grow as a leader who can do that with impact, SLiCE® is an exceptional opportunity.”
Full case study on our website.
“My experience of SLiCE® was deeply transformative... It reshaped how I think about arts, culture and leadership in education.
I developed strong relationships with cultural organisations and invested time in meaningful collaboration... and this genuinely expanded my influence as a leader.
With a new Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education Fellowship cohort now open for applications, we revisited the experience of SLiCE® Fellow & Headteacher David Wearing.
A graphic with text that reads "The Hour Spotlight. Online and free. Wednesday 25/02/26. 12:00 to 13:00. An hour with Seherish, the creator of The Cosy Desi Club - a platform and biannual magazine celebrating South Asian creatives with a focus on new and emerging talent. An editor in Bradford, Seherish is passionate about creativity and the intersections between culture and community. Curious Creatives Network."
Join us for an engaging conversation with Seherish from The Cosy Desi Club.
📅 Wednesday, February 25th
🕛️ 12pm to 1pm
🖱️ Online and free to attend.
Don't miss out: thehourspotlightfeb26.eventbrite.co.uk
For Children's Mental Health Week 2026, we spoke to our Director of Education and Leadership at Curious Minds, Emma Bush.
Read her thoughts here: curiousminds.org.uk/belonging-be...
The Awards are back!
Coming in 2026. The National Arts and Education Awards will be held on Wednesday, October 21st, at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM).
Nominations will launch early in March 2026 with criteria, eligibility information, and guidance on how to enter. Keep your eye out.
Graphic with text that states: My experience working with Curious Minds as an Event Producer has been a great, hands-on experience. Learning from creative professionals who supported me every step of the way, this opportunity has opened up a whole world of local creative networks and allowed me to grow my skillset both personally and professionally. “I’ve learned to work both independently and collaboratively on a purpose-led project, gaining confidence in liaising with venues and artists behind the scenes and making informed decisions in a timely manner.”
Graphic with text that reads: My favourite part was seeing how thoughtful communications can bring arts projects to life. “I learnt how strategy and creativity work together in effective arts communications, showing how clear objectives, audience awareness, and creative expression combine to deliver messages that are both engaging and impactful.”
Graphic with text that says: My experience working at Curious Minds as a Storytelling and Insights Assistant has been incredible. With the help of the team, I have developed several skills and built my confidence in feeling that a creative career in attainable. My role has been extremely fulfilling and I am grateful for the opportunity.“Through the support of my Curious Minds mentor, I have been able to solidify what the next steps in my creative career are. All staff have been extremely accommodating and helpful in giving advice, and I am now feeling optimistic and prepared as I enter the job market.”
A graphic with text: My experience with Curious Minds putting on this careers fair has been an inclusive, safe and informative experience. I’ve enjoyed getting a real glimpse of what a professional event producing job entails as-well as having a great team guiding me throughout the process. “This experience has taught me that there are lots of creative opportunities outside of the big cities and has given me a wide range of contacts to help me in my next steps”
We've had 4 amazing young people work with us on a 3-month placement. Last Thursday was the Wigan Creative Futures Fair, an event produced, promoted, and evaluated by our placements.
We tasked our Social Media Assistant, Eve, to gather quotes about their time and what lessons they've learnt.
Come and find out more about our Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education (SLiCE®) Fellowship 💬
SLiCE Online Briefing
Wed 11 Feb, 4-5pm
Book your spot: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/slice-fell...
Find out more and apply on our website: curiousminds.org.uk/slice-fellow...
Who it’s for:
🎓 Senior school leaders from any phase of education, committed to arts‑rich practice and system influence
🏛️ Leaders from cultural organisations ready to develop a strategic, collaborative and ambitious approach, and elevate their offer for schools and young people
The Specialist Leaders in Cultural Education (SLiCE®) Fellowship is an 18‑month professional development programme that will equip leaders to be at the forefront of system design and change - ready to embrace and lead the new implementation of arts and culture within the revised curriculum.
📣 SLiCE® Fellowship – Applications now open! 📣
Building on 15 years of leading, shaping and strengthening the field of cultural education, we’re launching a pioneering and prestigious 18‑month Fellowship designed to develop bold changemakers, ready to reimagine the role of culture in education.
Image: Lisa Nandy at the launch of The Fire Within – The Forge Cultural Strategy Sept 2025. Credit Bill Lam.
This is a welcome investment that will support Curious Minds’ work, + other cultural organisations, across England. We see this as a strong vote of confidence in the power of arts and culture to bring people together, boost access for hard-to-reach audiences, + invest in local creative communities
📣 Exciting news! 📣
We’re delighted by the recent announcement from the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, of a 5% funding uplift for National Portfolio Organisations from Arts Council England this year.
New year, new events ✨
Networking, wellbeing, careers, creative inspiration; we've got a lot coming up over the next few months.
All are free to attend: linktr.ee/Curiousmindsnw
Here's to a creative 2026 🎉
🎬 March 26: Baka Bah, founder of SNE Studios CIC, on leaving the 9-5 for community filmmaking and radical storytelling: thehourspotlightmar26.eventbrite.co.uk
📖 February 26: Seherish, founder of The Cosy Desi Club, on building platforms that celebrate under-represented voices: thehourspotlightfeb26.eventbrite.co.uk
