INFORMATION - Essex Arts Award - presented on a rolling programme to encourage young people who have shown an aptitude for working in the arts. Young people aged between 13 and 23 inclusive, who have undertaken a significant piece of work in the arts in their leisure time, not as formal school or college study.

A significant piece of work might be in dance, drama, music, visual arts, photography, video, or any artform - an arts project fully embarked upon and completed. If this is deemed to meet the appropriate criteria, it qualifies for an award of a basic certificate. It can include extra mural work in school, as part of a club or after school activity.

Nominations for Bronze Essex Arts Award Certificate can be made by youth leaders, youth arts workers, or persons in charge of youth organisations, for members of their respective youth projects. Individuals can be nominated by a local authority Arts Development Officer or by someone professionally involved in the arts, who is not a relation of the nominated young person. Only complete the first part of the form and sign at the end.

Extra to the basic certificate, a Silver Certificate can be awarded to someone who had not only completed a significant arts project in their own right, but has also involved other young people in the process and helped them share the experience. A specific questions to test the criteria for Silver Level are included on the reverse side of the nomination form.

A Gold Certificate can be awarded to a young person organising a complete project from start to finish, involving other young people in the experience and resulting in some sort of public performance or exhibition. The criteria for gold level is related to the taking of a particular initiative and being fully involved in a project all the way through. Criteria on the reverse side of nomination form.

Young people should countersign nominations for Gold & Silver Certificates

A Platinum Certificate might be awarded at the discretion of the Awards panel for particular outstanding work in the arts either noted from the gold submissions or brought to their attention in some other way. Such awards will be subjected to particular scrutiny and it is anticipated that there will be only two or three platinum certificates each year.

Make sure all details are correct: Please check that all details recorded on the nomination form are accurate, with the names particularly in block capitals, and ensure that the young person fills in their own relevant section. An adjudication panel then checks the given information at an appropriate assessment meeting, ensuring reasonable moderation between submissions from various quarters throughout the county.

Forms may be photocopied for extra entries.

There is a rolling procedure for nominations and there will usually be a six weeks turn around between nomination, the review of those nominations and the delivery of the certificates. All the certificates will be posted back to the nominating agency, where ideally a modest local presentation ceremony should be arranged.

Forms to be returned to:

Stephanie Wise

Essex County Council

IYS - Room CG32

County Hall

Chelmsford CM2 6NN

The Essex Arts Award is an Artswork Essex initiative supported, recognised and administered by Essex County Council.