Art makes Children Powerful was the theme of a Panel event on Young People and the Arts in Manchester today. 

I joined Sam West, Actor and Director, Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, Julie Ward MEP, member of the European Committee on Culture and Education, and two young people - Jorge Walsh, Filmmaker and Afreena Islam, of Contact Theatre - on a panel chaired by Dave Moutrey CEO of, HOME.

We had a wide-ranging discussion with the audience on subjects including the arts in schools, regional disparity, and the need to shout loud and proud for the arts. 

I launched Labour Arts Alliance – you can read more about this here.

Before the event, I had the opportunity to find out about the plans of HOME, from its CEO, Dave Moutry. Formed by the merger of two of Manchester’s best-loved arts organisations, Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company, HOME will open its doors for the first time in Manchester in Spring 2015, as a new purpose-built centre for international contemporary art, theatre, film and books.

It was great to be launching Labour Arts Alliance in Manchester, centre of so much art and culture.