Plus Tate Learning Programme Supported by JP Morgan Brings Together Young People Across the Country

Tate launches On Collaboration, a publication celebrating national partnerships

The Plus Tate Learning Programme supported by J.P. Morgan will be celebrated today at a seminar to mark the culmination of the 15-month project. The programme has enabled young people between the ages of 11 and 26 to develop and lead learning activities centred on visual art and to stage these throughout summer 2012 at 20 Plus Tate partner venues or localities. The activities provided young people with a platform for research into self-led evaluation. Their findings can now be shared across the sector.

Among the highlights were residencies at Grizedale Arts in Coniston where young people from partner organisations in Birmingham, Middlesbrough and Liverpool discussed rural/urban issues with young people from the Lake District. At Kettle’s Yard, a group of young people not previously involved in the life of the gallery, took part in a new, experimental programme of workshops to help inform future youth engagement at the gallery by interviewing members of staff, working with the artist-in-residence Matthew Darbyshire and visiting artist-led spaces in Cambridge.

Tate today also launched On Collaboration, a publication which outlines Tate’s national partnership programmes from the past seven years: Art in Yorkshire, ARTIST ROOMS, the Great British Art Debate, Plus Tate, Tate Movie Project, Turner Prize 2011 at BALTIC and Visual Dialogues.

Through these projects Tate has been able to respond to and propose ideas for making art visible to a wider cross section of society. Tate’s national initiatives share three fundamental objectives: to inspire more people through art by working collaboratively with fellow museums and galleries where there is a common sense of purpose; to contribute to the visual arts ecology that supports organisations to be successful on their own terms; and to learn and to gain new ideas through the process of collaboration.

Art in Yorkshire attracted 1.47 million visitors, more than 22 million people have now visited ARTIST ROOMS displays, the four-year Great British Art Debate Project drew in 1.65 million visitors across four venues and Plus Tate partner venues see 3.6 million people visit annually with more than 8000 young people reached through the Plus Tate Learning Programme. In addition, 34,000 children participated in the Tate Movie project, Turner Prize 2011 at BALTIC drew in 149,000 visitors and there were 1.8 million visitors to Visual Dialogues displays and events.