Leading questions: Diana Walton, Arts Award

What is Arts Award? It's a five-year-old Arts Council programme to develop creativity and leadership skills in young people aged 11 to 25, through our bronze, silver and gold awards in any art form, including performing arts, visual arts, literature and multimedia. [Participants] develop their own creative skills and then go on to share them with other people. Our gold award has just received Ucas accreditation. How will the scheme be affected by the proposed arts cuts? We have not been directly affected by the cuts announced by the government, but we are concerned about the impact of any cuts in arts provision for young people. The Arts Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the programme although, until the spending review, we don't know what that means in terms of reinvestment. What's your role at Arts Award? To lead the programme's development and manage our relationships with the Arts Council and with Trinity Guildhall, which runs the qualification. What qualities do you bring to this role? The ability to look ahead is important, to be abreast of contemporary culture and to know what will set young people alight. Another vital aspect is the ability to develop and sustain partnerships. What's your professional background? I started as a teacher, but moved quickly into arts education. What's your leadership style? Take great care over recruiting staff and then trust them to get on with the job. It's vital to be clear about what we are trying to achieve, so we are all working with the same ambition. artsaward.org.uk