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“I was blown away by the evening event; the standard of work was great, just a fab range of young people and creativity”

past projects & history

OYAP Trust – THE OVERVIEW 1998-2009

OYAP Trust started out as Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership until becoming an independant charity in 2005. In its eleven years OYAP Trust has progressed from an organisation with a part-time worker and a turnover of £19,000, to its current team of 5 (equivalent of 3 FT) workers and an annual turnover in the region of £200,000 per year. I have taken this opportunity to chart the progress of OYAP Trust’s work by giving you a guide to its development year-by-year. It is worth noting that aside from the projects and initiatives I have outlined that OYAP Trust has been providing an ongoing service of networking, information, advice, advocacy, project development and partnership working in the field of youth arts to the county, and is now recognized as one of the leading youth arts organisations in the South East region. It now regularly profiles its work at regional and national conferences and events, and is frequently asked to advise other parts of the country on its work, especially with young people at risk.

Below is a brief year by year history of OYAP Trust, starting with the present day and working it's way back to when we started back in 1998.


2009


The Big Green Umbrella - Following on from the success of ‘The Big Umbrella’ in February 2008, it was logical that in our quest to offer platforms for young people to showcase their own work and see the work of others, we would aim to make this as low carbon as possible! The Big Green Umbrella took place on 26th and 27th April 2009 at Oxford Brookes Student Union. For more infomation or photo of this event please contact Holly on admin@oyap.org.uk. To view OYAP Trust's report on the project click here. To see photos of the event click here.


2008


The Big Umbrella – work on this project started in 2007, but it was delivered in Feb 2008. It features over 160 young performers, an audience of over 600, visual arts gallery and a VIP reception for the Portrait of a Nation launch for Oxford. An accompanying film project sees the highlights of the event presented beautifully.

Hill End 7 – themed ‘The Hill End Olympiad’ featured the artistic and athletic achievements of The People’s Republic of Sofalessness, Ecomatrix and Fruitopia. The Arts Award continued to be offered to some of the young people.

Zero Footprint – OYAP Trust working in partnership with Active Ten20 responded to young people’s wishes to be more environmentally aware. This pilot project featured felt making, wombling and inner tube art.

Oxfordshire Youth Theatre Collaboration Circus Residency – OYAP Trust working with Electric Cabaret transformed The Courtyard Youth Arts Centre in to a circus from ‘The Past, Present and Future’. To view OYAP Trust's report on the project click here.

Portrait of Nation Car to Spire – This campaign ran during Liverpool’s year-long reign as the European City of Culture 2008 by the Liverpool Culture Company, 17 other member cities of the Cultural Cities Network and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Oxford project, ‘Car to Spire’ was a collaboration between OYAP Trust, Pegasus, Electric Cabaret and Oxford Preservation Trust, supported by Oxford Inspires and took take place throughout 2008. OYAP Trust successfully gained support of £29,500 from Heritage Lottery Fund to run this project. A group of young people from Oxford meet regularly to learn about their heritage and what it means to them. They produced a performance for the Capital of Culture Celebrations in Liverpool in December 2008. They celebrated the culmination of their project here in Oxford on 22 November at BMW Plant Oxford. To view OYAP Trust's report on the project click here.

OYAP Trust's brand new website designed by MWS Media went live on 23rd September 2008.


 

 

 

2007


Arts Awards – OYAP Trust places itself at the forefront of this new major national initiative, and trains as advisors and subsequently gains a training licence, and is now providing moderations as well.

Hill End 6 – themed ‘Street Life’, featured a 24ft long graffiti board, and sees the delivery of our first Arts Awards. The project features in the Arts Council South East’s newsletter and in the Who cares? Trust book on creativity for children in care, and Helen presents the work of Hill End at their national conferences.

Moving premises, new staff team – OYAP Trust moves to the Bicester Courtyard in October 2007, with a completely new staff team after a period of being unsettled. 

 

2006



Afroreggae – in partnership with Social Services and Dragon school, we welcomed Afroreggae from Brazil to Oxford. OYAP managed and ran the event, and had a huge success at the Town Hall in Oxford, with 100 young people participating in the workshops, and over 500 people in the audience for the event.

Reaching The Parts continues without major funding, but with a fundraising effort that sees its work continue. However, our presence in Huntercombe Young Offenders comes to an end after three years due to changes in their internal funding structures.

Hill End 5 – themed ‘Boxes in Farmoor Dimensions’, this features an 18ft high articulated giant made out of boxes.

Free Running in the Park – free runners and break dancers take over the skate park in Bicester as part of the Oxfordshire Youth Dance Collaboration Awards 4 All funded project.

OYTC have a residency with Network of Stuff Theatre Company, and also stage a platform performance featuring all of the youth theatres, called ‘Fragments’.

Recycle Reuse Fashion Show – in partnership with Activeten20, this project featured over 50 young people from across the county working with a number of artists to put on this show at Dragon School in December.

Celebrating Children now becomes an annual event
 


2005



The year Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership became an independent charitable organisation – OYAP Trust.

Social Services film two –the second film in the series of four. This film concentrates on the reasons placements can break down and contribute to personal difficulties and underachievement. The ethos continues to be younger children in care learning from the wisdom and experiences of those who have been through the system and learned their lessons the hard way. The film above all takes a creative and professional approach to this subject, using animation and music developed by the young people, who also perform on screen. This film has achieved national recognition, been covered on TV and the young people presented their work at various conferences.

Celebrating Children project takes place, to honour the achievements of young people in care. Features a performance devised for the event.

Hill End 4 – North South East West theme.

Re:action festival – As part of the Evolving City programme OYAP Trust co-ordinated a major Youth Arts Festival that took place in two hangars at RAF Heyford in October 2005. A post was seconded to OYAP Trust from the MAP project for a year.
This festival featured hundreds of young performers and new collaborations, and has had long-term positive impact. Unfortunately as we know only too well, it did end prematurely and under difficult circumstances, however there was some outstanding work on show, lots of lessons learned and a report that looked into the events that occurred.

Securing the Voice – an ACE commission to creatively consult with young people on the role and value of the arts and culture in their lives. A film was also made, ‘No F in Arts Council’, and both the report and film have been influential, featuring at conferences, ministerial visits etc. 

 

2004


Social Services film – The first film in a series of films commissioned by Social and Health Care is completed. The title ‘ A Voice, A Choice’ reflects the content of the film, which is made for young people leaving the care system to be give to young people and new foster parents entering the care system. Again RTP is at the heart of the project, producing all the music and lyrics.

RTP – continues to strengthen with a major piece of evaluation to inform the future development, and participation in lots of other projects, such as the Cowley Rd Carnival and Summer Screen events.

Hill End 3 – Themed circus ‘The Farmoor Fun Circus’ had its unique and exceptional performance on Friday 13th after a week of rain.

Major organisational development phase – the development of the business plan began as soon as Helen returned from maternity leave in May. Work towards independence started in earnest in September.

 2003

 

Youth Music phase of RTP begins. Project Manager appointed in June 2003.


Courtyard residency – Easter 2003, 20 looked after young people transformed the Bicester Courtyard into a cave of legend and recounted with drama, music and poetry new legends of Bicester.

Hill End 2 – Themed ‘Space, the Farmoor Frontier’, the piece involved travel on a
space ship to far off galaxies, meeting far out space creatures.

Museums Madness summer project – Based at the Woodstock Museum, in partnership with the Cultural Entitlement Officer, a week long project with various groups of at risk young people, aged 11-14, using the collection to make a short film.

Youth Theatre Collaboration begins a year-long series of residencies, platform events, training opportunities and evaluation, and appoints a part-time (3day a week) Youth Theatre Co-ordinator.

Youth Dance Collaboration starts meeting after a period of research into the dance community in Oxfordshire and its activities and requirements.

There was also the small matter of Helen beginning 6 months of maternity leave in October 2003!

At the end of 2003 the OYAP team now consists of four full-time and one part-time worker.
 

 

 

2002

The Conference
‘The Oxfordshire Challenge – Leading the way in youth arts’

In October 2002, OYAP brought together those best placed to influence the future of youth arts in Oxfordshire to consider the issues and challenges facing Oxfordshire in responding to new social trends. This included elected members, policy makers, managers and practitioners, funders, venues and key service providers.

Speakers with a national reputation were invited to speak with insight and authority about current social trends and central government’s aspirations for young people and the arts. This outlined the challenges for the various partners in the County to deliver against the national policy agenda.

The symposium was also informed by the findings of independent research commissioned by OYAP into youth arts in Oxfordshire. The symposium set an action plan and vision for youth arts in Oxfordshire for the next five to eight years.
 

Reaching the Parts: End of phase One, with the publication of a major evaluation report.

Meeting brokered by Southern Arts in Winchester looked at the future of the project, with invited guests from national agencies, such as the Youth Justice Board, Arts Council and Department of Media Culture and Sports.

The funding application to Youth Music was submitted to continue the project. It was a successful solicited partnership programme funding application to broaden and strengthen the work, concentrating on its strengths in the area of youth justice, achieving the full application for £290,000 over three years - the largest partnership grant they had ever awarded.

Website developed - www.oyap.org.uk

Hill End – The first Hill End Project took placer in August 2002. Themed ‘Hillside Seaside’ the piece recreated a beach and seaside scenario in Farmoor.

 

2001

 

The year of Reaching the Parts. Full time Project Leader appointed, more hours for administrator, Professional Evaluator, Independent Inspector appointed to the project by Southern Arts. 

Oxfordshire Youth Theatre Collaboration, preparation of RALP application and formation of partnership between youth theatres, venues and professional companies.

Berinsfield – theatre/music/dance project at Berinsfield Youth Centre, developments from this project include bursary for young boy to Oxford Youth Theatre at Pegasus, video documentary project and music technology/percussion work with group of disaffected young men.

Partnership with Oxford Literary Festival to set up Poetry Slams and workshops for young people at risk.

Cogges Farm Museum Project – Reaching the Parts and film maker make short film with vulnerable young people based at the Museum.


 

1999-2000

Sound Folk Live 2000, nine music projects countywide, on theme of Oxfordshire’s folk music heritage. Millennium Festival Large Scale Award of £25,000.

Starting with and inspired by the rich heritage of folk music in Oxfordshire, young people created new music, theatre, dance and performance during the Millennium year.

The Word and Youth Culture Festival on Isle of Wight. Multi artform regional project working with disadvantaged young people on expressing themselves in written form, music, dance and film.

Successful RALP application for Reaching the Parts. Two-year maximum award for £60,000. Forming steering group for RTP, increasing partners

 
 

1998-1999


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