Past Early Years Projects

From 2021 – 2024 this cross-artform Early Years programme brought together artists, educators, arts organisations, researchers and cultural centres in Somerset, Derby and Surrey.  It was motivated by the belief that the arts have a special educational role due to their capacity to develop imagination, curiosity and possibility thinking. Click here for full info.

The SoundWaves Network was an Early Years (EY) Music Network with a concentration of activity in three Music Education Hub (MEH) areas: Somerset, Bristol and Plymouth. Download our Summary Report below or click here for full info.

In 2017 Take Art joined forces with Surrey Arts and China Plate to launch Hopper, a 20-month initiative to create opportunities for over 3,500 pre-school children to experience art in their Early Years setting. See report here and the Promoter's Toolkit here.

In 2018 we welcomed over 150 Early Years practitioners, artists, music leaders, funders, researchers and strategic partners from all over the country to the South West’s biggest ever Early Years Expressive Arts Conference. See the reports here and findings here.

Soundwaves Extra has shared its learning through its Early Years network, Music Education Hubs, CPD opportunities and partner meetings, concluding with a final Symposium in Spring 2018. See the Top 5 Findings here and full report here.

Using the theme of elements, six artists worked in settings in Wells and Taunton to deliver a rich programme of work with the children. The project aimed to strengthen the creative practices of the Early Years in Somerset. Read the report here.

An innovative project that was run across more than 300 Somerset pre-schools around Taunton, supporting under-fives with the sometimes daunting transition to primary school. See the supporting website here, and report here.

LBB sought to develop a new role and a new conception for the arts in Early Years – that of a resident, lead creative practitioner working with organisations serving both the arts and young children and their families. Download the final project report here.

An exciting collaboration between Somerset Arts Promoters and Somerset’s Early Years professionals. All the learning was evaluated by Dr Susan Young of the University of Exeter, available as a download here.

Zest was an action research project, which demonstrated the fact that quality of creativity is enhanced when young children have access to a wide range of materials. The project was evaluated by Dr Susan Young of the University of Exeter & Dr Kerry Chappell, see report here.