Impact Report 2022-2023

16 ST EDWARD’S, OXFORD

The Big Donate and other initiatives

Working with partners of Oxfordshire Youth including the Children’s Book Project we held our first ‘Big Donate’, encouraging families to have a sort out. Many of our partner organisations needed supplies for various projects running in the local community and we collected books, gardening equipment, skateboards and helmets, and educational games. We have also collected resources and shipped them to Africa ready for the first group of Year 8 students in Nyanga High School which is opening in 2024. Field House fundraised for the school building a few years ago.

The North Wall

The North Wall Trust is a charity that runs from The North Wall Arts Centre. It was established by St Edward’s School which continues to be the main financial sponsor and supporter. The North Wall has a focus on bringing together audiences and artists from Oxford and beyond to make, share and experience art of the highest quality. It delivers a year-round professional programme of public events, including theatre, dance, music and comedy performances, exhibitions and talks; workshops and courses for local young people; and residences and programmes for early-career artists. Activities take place in the arts centre itself, as well as in local outdoor spaces, schools and community centres around Oxfordshire.

The North Wall is run by a small, dedicated team who oversee the various aspects of the charity including programming, producing, marketing, technical, front-of-house, finance and fundraising, and all of the participation work. This is how The North Wall describes its work:

We encourage our community to create and participate We put children, young people and families at the heart of our participation programme. We forge long-term partnerships with local schools and community groups, co-creating projects for all ages that bring together people from different cultural and social backgrounds, fostering new relationships and empathy through creativity.

We support young artists through residencies, workshops and mentorship We create a nurturing environment where young artists can challenge themselves to grow their practice and flourish through residencies and mentorship. We encourage and support our network of early-career artists to collaborate to create new projects and offer opportunities to develop and showcase this new work.

We share inspiring performance and visual arts with our community Our programme celebrates the cultural diversity of our city, amplifying diverse voices and offering a platform for untold stories. We actively seek out dynamic work that pushes boundaries, challenges preconceptions and sparks our audience’s curiosity.