Little Steps Big Change

We are passionate about making sure that every child gets the chance to enjoy the arts, and that’s why we’re working with children and young in Derby, who may be facing barriers to engaging with the arts. Many of the people we reach have their first experience of dance through a Déda workshop or class. We’re using dance and circus as a tool for learning, developing new skills, raising aspirations, empowerment and creating opportunities in Derby. Prior to the pandemic, we were able to work with over 16,500 children and young people over the course of a year, through this work.

#LittleStepsBigChange

• £5 can enable a young person to access a class or workshop
• £20 can pay for a family of four to attend a creative workshop experience
• £50 could facilitate an artist to deliver a creative session in a school which could be a child's first experience of the arts
• £100 could subsidise a class of 30 children to come to Déda to experience a professional performance in an arts venue

‘Children from low income families who take part in arts activities at school are three times more likely to get a degree’ Arts Council England

Your donations really do make a difference. Thank you.

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.

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.

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.