Arts
At the heart of the PDHCT arts programme was IdeasTap, the creative network founded in 2008.
IdeasTap helped young people find work in the creative industries through training, mentoring, seminars, CV clinics, paid internships and an extensive employment database.
It worked with leading arts organisations and creative businesses to provide career opportunities and paid commissions, and offered facilities and support for start-ups through its Creative Space programme.
IdeasTap grew quickly, and in April 2010 PDHCT launched IdeasTap as a separate charitable entity (number 1132623) to allow it to continue to expand. During the seven years the charity was running, IdeasTap awarded more than £2.3 million worth of direct funding and accompanying expert mentoring to emerging artists.
Membership reached 200,000+ and partners included BFI, Magnum Photos, Mother London, The National Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre and Sky Arts.
In March 2015, IdeasTap announced plans to close due to unconfirmed future funding of its operations.
IdeasTap was able to bring together so many organisations, to create something bigger than the sum of their parts, using digital and multi-platform distribution to reach out in a way that is particularly relevant to the 21st century.
We’ve worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to confirm future funding for our operations. It is with great sadness and reluctance that we have reached this decision. What the IdeasTap team have achieved over the last seven years has been nothing short of astonishing, and clearly if it’s possible to secure funding we would love nothing more than to continue this work.
They have helped hundreds of people to achieve their ambitions and realise their potential in the arts and the creative industry. We are proud of all the members we have supported and wish them the very best in their future careers.
IdeasTap closed on 8 July, 2015.
