Arts Council England has announced that its young people’s Arts Award, to be launched in October, is the first youth arts leadership scheme to be accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Following a successful pilot the award is to be rolled out nationally thanks to funding through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Arts Council England. DCMS has committed £700,000 to help establish the award nationally, and Arts Council England has committed £300,000 per annum to support the delivery. The award is to be run by Arts Council England and Trinity Guildhall examinations -a division of Trinity College London. Arts Council England has established a five-year delivery partnership with Trinity College London to provide quality assurance and certification for these Arts Awards. For more information on Trinity’s involvement in the Arts Award, CLICK HERE The award is targeted at teenagers but young people between the ages of 11 and 25 will be encouraged to take part. It aims to give thousands of young people the chance to gain a qualification that recognises arts development and arts leadership outside formal education. Young people will plan and run their own arts projects with support from professional arts practioners. The young people’s Arts Award has been accredited at three levels – bronze, silver or gold – that equate to the National Qualifications Framework levels one, two and three. Said Sir Christopher Frayling, Chair of Arts Council England: 'We are delighted that the young people’s Arts Award has become the first arts leadership scheme to offer a QCA-accredited qualification. Creating more opportunities for young people to engage with arts is a key priority for the Arts Council. The Arts Award will give thousands of young people the opportunity to experience the arts and will help foster a new generation of artists.' Mary Curnock Cook OBE, Director of Qualifications and Skills division at QCA, said the Authority had played a key role in shaping the program by working in partnership with Arts Council England and Trinity College. For further information, CLICK HERE.