Our Research

Inspiring Futures is the Barking and Dagenham Cultural Education Partnership, and we work with schools and the creative industry to develop the cultural education offer within the borough. Over ten years, we have supported schools in ambitious programmes of work, advocated for creativity and art, and built champions and leaders within the education and arts sector. 

Throughout this time, we have also focussed on large scale research and development projects, tackling systemic issues our schools were facing through the arts, to find new, creative solutions. 

You can read more about Inspiring Futures and access our other resources here.

In the current context of Barking and Dagenham, it is important to acknowledge that school is a place of safety and security for all of our pupils, even more so for our most vulnerable and most challenging. 

Our House aims to create an alternative education provision which allows hundreds of students to have the opportunity to not only visit local heritage spaces, but to take them over with their own creative expression. 

The project aims to raise aspirations of the pupils, as they see their work showcased to their fellow students and the public, but also historically archived for future generations. We aim to increase their sense of pride and belonging, as well as most importantly, help them reintegrate into their school setting successfully – with improvements in attendance, behaviour, and outlook. 

Our first year is earmarked for research and experimentation, with no expectations for big delivery numbers. Our education, heritage, and artistic staff will be guided through a CPD programme, with sessions on topics such as radical safeguarding, considerations when working with SEND young people, and hands-on workshops with students that they can shadow and participate in, to ensure we have a robust and knowledgeable workforce to deliver this project. 

Year 1 will culminate in an exhibition of the work completed in year 1 in the heritage spaces. Exhibitions experts Install Archive are helping to develop methods for showcasing the work created by the young people in a safe, exciting way; key to this is working in a respectful way to the sensitivities of working within a protected heritage space with logistical challenges. 

Year 2 will kick off with our two lead partners heading straight into delivery of the Our House Creative Alternative Provision, ending with more contributions to our growing youth archive, and an exhibition of the work completed. 

Year 3 will expand the programme, offering more students the opportunity to experience the Our House programme, again ending with an exhibition to celebrate the work. Alongside this, Inspiring Futures will be presenting the final evaluation of the programme and looking into further development and potential roll out as a continued service for our schools.