Best Practice Network

For the Creative and Cultural Sector

Join our Best Practice Network: Sign up today

The Best Practice Network support professionals working with children and young people in the creative and cultural sectors, fostering a community of shared learning and development.

The Network is shaped by its members, who help decide the topics, speakers, and opportunities explored together.

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Connect Through Online and In-Person Meet-Ups

The Network meets up regularly (three times a year) in person and online, to hear best practices from speakers, share experiences and support, and find opportunities for collaboration.

Curated Sector Learning and Opportunities

You’ll also receive regular mailouts with curated opportunities, insights, and news from across the creative learning sector.

Share Your Opportunities and Work with the Network

We also invite our network members to share their work and opportunities with our wider networks. If you have exciting work, events, or announcements to share, we can feature them in:

  • The Cultural Sector Newsletter
  • Best Practice Network events and mailout
  • Cultural Sector Masterclasses

Upcoming network meet-ups:

We’ve planned three network meet-ups for the year ahead, focusing on the topics most requested by members. Each session will feature speakers from the Best Practice and A New Direction networks, sharing their practice and tips on the topic, then informal discussion to learn from each other – with plenty of snacks and drinks too!

Join our Best Practice Network: Sign up today

After joining the Best Practice Network, members will be added to our mailing list and receive Eventbrite links to RSVP for upcoming meetings.

  • Effective Work with Schools - Tuesday 9 March 2027

    Date & Time: Tuesday 9 March 2027, 3pm-5pm

    Location: Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

    Want to find better ways to communicate with time-poor teachers, or understand what schools need from us in a changing environment?

    Join us at the new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration to learn about the creative tips and logistic challenges of their work with schools of all types, plus hear from a school leader about their side of what makes effective work together. Find new solutions, share your ideas, and discuss with others who do similar work. Arrive early from 2pm to explore the Centre while it’s closed!

  • Social and Cultural Inclusion - Thursday 10 June 2027

    Date & Time: Thursday 10 June 2027, 9am – 11am

    Location: Roundhouse

    How do we create programmes where children and young people from all social backgrounds feel able to participate?

    Learn from the Roundhouse team’s approach to access at scale, from financial support to representation - and from Kirsten Ho’s extensive experience in turning policies into meaningful practice. Hear each others’ tips, discuss your goals, and enjoy snacks and drinks with others in the sector who can support you.

    When you join the network you will be sent Outlook calendar invites and a welcome email to sign up to the events on Eventbrite.

Got a question or query? Email us at culturalsector@anewdirection.org.uk and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Keep the conversation going via JiscMail

Get involved beyond our events by joining the Network Message Board (via JiscMail). This online community is created in response to feedback from network members who wanted more opportunities to connect with each other between meetups. Find out more about our network message board (JiscMail).

Best Practice Network: learn and share with others who understand  | Read Kate Oliver’s Blog

Hear about the Best Practice Network from facilitator Kate Oliver, who leads on organising the programme. In this blog, Kate reflects on the past year of the Best Practice Network. Kate shares what makes this community of cultural practitioners so needed and so valuable.

More to Explore

Kate Oliver's Blog

Best Practice Network: learn and share with others who understand 

Network Message Board

Join the Best Practice Network Message Board (JiscMail)