An ambitious crowdfunding campaign hopes to improve primary school arts education in schools across Kent.

Animate Arts, based in Canterbury, has set itself the daunting task of raising more than £28,000 to offer a comprehensive arts programme to every primary and special needs school in the county.

Jo Dyer, director of the organisation, is asking people to pledge money on the Crowdfunder platform for their Art Builders 2020 project

She said: "I think quite often art is deemed as a soft subject and over recent years I think it's really been de-valued in the curriculum.

"So many schools are not pushing for creative subjects and government policies aren't particularly pro the arts at the moment."

Miss Dyer wants to use the money to create a handbook written by professional artists, which will be filled with ideas and tools for primary school teachers to use in the classroom.

If the goal is met, the company will give a copy of the handbook to every primary school and special needs school in Kent, as well as putting on art classes in schools.

The not-for-profit company is using flexible funding, which means they will still receive any money pledged even if the goal of £28,190 is not reached.

At time of writing, the amount pledged was sitting just under £2,500.

Miss Dyer said even if they fall short of the goal, everything pledged will go towards offering arts activities and events to primary school pupils in Kent.

She added: "We need to take the creative subjects much more seriously, and we have seen the benefits and the impact [in schools] this year.

"It could be quite profound if we work with far more schools and see the benefits of that."

Eight schools in east Kent took part in Art Builder sessions with the company this year, including St Alphege Primary School in Whitstable.

The head of school, Jacqui Spinks, said primary schools should consider the arts an important part in their pupil's early development.

She said: "We’re a school that really values the arts and sees the immense benefits it brings to our children.

"The national curriculum for the arts in primary school is quite sparse, and leaves a lot open to interpretation which means that provision can vary a lot.

"Schools are facing really tough budgets and when you look at certain other schools its the first thing that gets cut."

"It's much deeper than allowing your children to do a bit of painting on a Friday afternoon..."

Earlier this year, The Fabian Society published a report claiming primary schools arts education was in 'dramatic decline.'

The organisation surveyed 350 primary school teachers and found 68% believed there was less arts provision in the curriculum than in 2010.

In addition, 56% said they had no access to the resources needed to give their pupils a quality arts education.

Mrs Spinks added: "It's much deeper than allowing your children to do a bit of painting on a Friday afternoon."

To find out more about Animate Arts' crowdfunding campaign click here

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