The Visual Arts Education Awards reward and recognise education work that increases access to and enjoyment of the visual arts. The Awards celebrate achievement and promote good practice. The Awards celebrate Scottish creativity and promote professionalism in development and management of participatory projects in the visual arts.

The Awards can take a particular focus each year. The Awards have an annual overall theme of good practice and innovation in Visual Arts Education and within that theme can utilise the Awards programme to highlight particular audiences or areas of work. In 2004 The Awards had a Community focus and this year we are pleased to announce the 2005 Mental Health & Well-Being focus.

The Awards: Up to ten Awards of £1,000 will be made. The ten awards are divided into two categories with four awards and six awards respectively.

The 2005 Awards will have two award categories:

Projects which promote Well-Being and Creativity: Six awards for projects that help promote general well-being and creativity, rewarding projects that offer participants quality engagement in visual arts activities. engage believe that access to creativity is a vital part of healthy living.

Projects which promote positive mental health and well-being and/or projects which promote improved quality of life and social inclusion for those affected by Mental ill health: Four awards are available for projects that explore the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing; and/or projects that challenge stigma and discrimination and promote and support recovery from mental illness.

Who can apply?

Scottish based:-

Galleries, museums and other visual arts organisations;

Groups and organisations who work on collaborative projects with artists;

Mental Health sector organisations working with artists;

Artists who have initiated/managed artist-led projects.

Projects should have been completed between 31 March 2004 and 1 April 2005. (Projects may have started before that date.)

There will be a publication launched in Autumn celebrating the Award winning porojects and addressing creativity & well-being.

Deadline 16 May, 2005. Awards Ceremony 30 June. Publication in Autumn.

For application form and guidance notes please contact engage Scotland Co-ordinator, Rebecca Marr at scotland@engage.org or on 01592 563110 / 07762 570215

engage Scotland are funded by the Scottish Arts Council, previous funders and managers of the Visual Arts Education Awards and seed funders of the initiative.