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Creativity and self-expression are vital to a child’s well-being, and dancing is a fun way to get children active. Déda is part of the city's cultural education partnership, alongside Derby's other arts organisations. It's aim is to provide every child and young person with cultural education opportunities to enable them to thrive.
Prior to the pandemic, we were able to enrich the lives of over 16,500 children and young people in a year, through dance and the arts.
"It was fun to do lots of different activity because we don’t usually get to do things like this"
Start – Déda is working with three primary schools in Derby delivering an in-depth arts experience to improve social mobility and embed the arts into their school curriculum. Over three years we have engaged with over 1,000 children and young people, embedded arts into the school’s curriculum and supported two of the schools to achieve Gold Artsmark.
“I can achieve more than I thought I could. I’ll never stop doing creative things...”
STEAM - We are working with Rolls-Royce STEM Ambassadors, circus artist Matt Pang and Choreographer Joss Arnott Dance to engage school children in STEM subjects using the Arts. This project will increase attainment levels in primary schools in disadvantaged areas of Derby. This project is supported by a Royal Academy of Engineering grant.
"My favourite bit of the project was doing creative things..."
Re-imagine (as part of This is Derby) – is a three year project to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding of performing arts with children and young people living in areas of high deprivation in the city. We are part of a unique consortium of sport, arts and cultural activity providers supporting the development of essential life skills of young people. This project supports the work of the Derby Opportunity Area, which aims to increase the number of children achieving a good level of development, improved attainment in school and benefiting from a broad range of experiences.
"It nurtures our talents... it doesn't care about our past, only our futures"
Plus One – as part of our work with Derby’s Cultural Education Partnership - the Cultural Campus - we support Plus One which provides looked after children and care leavers with arts opportunities.

Why Support Déda
Déda is a registered charity, our mission is to enrich people’s lives with dance and the arts. Find out more.
Why Support Déda
Little Steps Big Change
Déda is bringing dance, circus and the arts to children and young people from disadvantaged areas in Derby.
Little Steps Big Change