The Summer programmes taking place annually in five different parts of the country will provide young people with the chance to become apprentices in the arts.  They will work alongside professional ‘lead’ artists who are supported by ‘shadow’ artists throughout the four week programme. These young people who might have faced challenging circumstances in their lives will learn new skills as well as develop existing ones. They will be able to develop an artistic skill and use technologies or techniques that they might otherwise not have access to. During the programme routes into education, training or work placements will be made available to them. 

Gallery 37 Plus sprung from an annual programme taking place in Birmingham. Gallery 37 Birmingham in its turn came from Chicago where the original idea started in a gallery on Block 37 in the city centre. The ethos behind the programme was to motivate and enthuse young people who were not actively involved in positive pursuits, either professionally or personally.  It has enabled many young people to enter education, training or employment as a result of their involvement in the programme and is now replicated in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland as well as Birmingham.

With funding obtained from the Big Lottery Fund, Youth Music and Gallery 37 Birmingham together with the five delivery partners, the cities of Bristol and Leeds, the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, the district council of Newark and Sherwood and the Roundhouse in London will be delivering summer programmes in 2007/2008 for over 600 young people.

For further information about Gallery 37 Plus or Gallery 37 you can contact Samantha Mellows the National Co-ordinator at
Youth Music.
T: 0207 902 1099
E: samantha.mellows@youthmusic.org.uk

Alternatively, you can contact one of the regional co-ordinators listed below:

Katy Noakes – Bristol City Council
T: 0117 922 3699
E: katy.noakes@bristol.gov.uk

Samantha Blackburn – Leeds City Council
T: 0113 247 8539
E: samantha.blackburn@leeds.gov.uk

Barbara O’Brien – The Roundhouse, London
T: 0207 424 8474
E: barbara.obrien@roundhouse.org.uk

Becci Mason – Newark & Sherwood District Council
T: 01636 657 401
E: Becci.mason@nsdc.info

Julie Ashforth – Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
T: 0161 770 3097
E: julie.ashforth@oldham.gov.uk