Time to Shine is Scotland’s first National Youth Arts Strategy (PDF). It sets out a ten-year vision to enable Scotland’s children and young people to flourish and achieve in and through the arts and creativity.

Time to Shine launched in 2013. Since then, the strategy has supported a broad range of activity, including:

• Establishing nine regional youth arts hubs
• Supporting the national youth arts companies to extend their engagement across Scotland
• Working with the literature and film sectors to deliver art form development projects
• Delivering TTS.Digital, a fund to inspire digital creativity in young people
• Supported a programme of Creative Traineeships as part of the Year of Young People 2018

One of the key elements of the strategy was establishing a National Youth Arts Advisory Group, a group of 14 to 24 year olds from across Scotland who help ensure young people are embedded in the forward delivery of the strategy. Since 2014, they have been involved in a wide range of activities, including:

• Leading and developing on the Nurturing Talent Fund, a fund that awards up £1000 to young artists aged 11-25
• Serving as knowledge partners at the 2018 Edinburgh International Culture Summit, with roles included youth delegates, panellists, rapporteurs, delegates aides and speakers.
• Participating in an Erasmus+ funded exchange with the Danish “Tænketank for Ungelkultur”, the advisory group for youth culture in Denmark.
• Developing and delivering the TTS UNCON, a free national youth arts event held in 2016 and 2018.
• And much more!

NYAAG Overview (short version) from Media Education on Vimeo.

Supported by a  sector working group, made up of representatives from organisations from across the youth arts and youth work sectors, the NYAAG have also developed the Culture and Connection Report. Launched in January 2019, it outlines their vision for the future of youth arts around the three themes of Community Participation, Recognition for the value of youth arts, and Pathways for Growth.

We are continuing to support and develop the TTS strategy, working with the sector, the NYAAG and other partners to ensure that Scotland is at the forefront of youth arts provision and supports a diverse and inclusive youth arts sector.

A complete list of resources relating to the delivery of Time to Shine to-date, including the original strategy document, can be viewed on the Time to Shine Resources pages.

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