What is the Northumberland Cultural Education Partnership?
NCEP is a network of cultural and educational professionals with the shared purpose of promoting arts and cultural opportunities to improve the lives of young people across the region.
What is an LCEP?
Promoting culture in education
Local Cultural Education Partnerships (LCEPs) were launched in 2015 by Arts Council England in partnership with the Department for Education, to improve access to cultural education for children and young people.
Art for everyone
They aim to ensure every young person – regardless of background or location – can reach their creative potential and engage with high-quality cultural experiences. The success of the initial pilots has led to the development of over 140 LCEPs across England.
Supporting young people
Creativity and the arts play a vital role in education. There is growing evidence that arts engagement improves young people’s wellbeing, increases school attendance, enhances learning outcomes, and supports confidence and communication.
Future proofing creative careers
Opportunities for creative expression and cultural learning can also open up pathways to future careers – especially when supported through placements and partnerships that build real-world skills.
Welcome message from the chair
Welcome to Northumberland Cultural Education Partnership. We are fortunate to have a wealth of cultural assets and creative organisations working in partnership with schools and educators in Northumberland.
From arts centres to theatre companies, museums, music services, and heritage sites, the county is rich in opportunities. Children can connect with local traditions like Northumbrian pipes and sea shanties, learn craft techniques like proggy mat-making, and explore powerful stories such as The Pitmen Painters. There is also a growing focus on co-creating contemporary work with young people across a wide range of art forms – from dance to visual arts, from drama to film-making – ensuring that creative voices are heard and celebrated.
It’s an exciting time to be working in cultural education across Northumberland, as strong partnerships between schools and cultural providers are helping to make creativity an essential part of every child’s learning journey. If you are a school or cultural organisation who is interested in getting involved, we would love to hear from you!
Katy Taylor, Artistic Director of Queens Hall Arts Centre.
How we work
NCEP aims to make cultural experiences accessible to ALL young people in Northumberland
Engaging young people
Breaking barriers to participation
We challenge the idea that arts and culture are ‘not for me’, making creative opportunities feel relevant and accessible to all.
Expanding cultural experiences
We find opportunities for young people to take part in workshops, performances and projects led by professional artists and cultural organisations.
Building confidence and skills
Through creative learning, we help young people develop self-expression, problem-solving abilities and pathways into creative careers.
Working with schools and educators
Making cultural learning more accessible
We support schools in embedding cultural education into the curriculum, ensuring that arts and culture reach more students.
Providing training and CPD for teachers
We help educators develop confidence in delivering cultural education through practical training and workshops.
Creating a cultural engagement framework
We work with schools to develop an adaptable model for cultural engagement, making it easier to access and integrate the arts into school life.
Strengthening the cultural and education sectors
Bringing schools and cultural partners together
We connect educators with arts organisations to improve access to high-quality cultural learning opportunities.
Supporting regional and national collaboration
We work with partners like North East Museums and The National Trust to develop models of best practice that can be shared across the region.
Improving access to information
We help schools navigate the landscape of arts and cultural learning by linking them with networks like the Northern Cultural Ambassadors Network (NCAN) and other resources.
NCEP Steering Group
The NCEP Steering Group meets once a term to share ideas, and discuss challenges and solutions we face in our mission to provide cultural education opportunities for all young people in Northumberland. This joined up approach means that we are all on the same page with our purpose and can share developments and resources from each of our different areas of expertise.
Find Out More
Take a look at our projects and find out how to get involved!
