Arts activities for thousands of youngsters has been announced for the next three years by Barnet Education Arts Trust in a ‘culture for youth’ partnership with 120 organisations.

The programme run by the Artsdepot centre in North Finchley for 8,000 children and young people has been given £500,000 to increase access to culture for everyone — even those schooled at home.

It is focusing on youngsters outside mainstream education, including religious schools and those with special educational needs.

“This fosters a love for the arts,” said Arts Trust chief executive Sharon Broughall. “It nurtures creativity for a lasting impact on the lives of young people.”

The cash is earmarked for events for children educated at home, for touring shows to religious schools and for youngsters not in mainstream education who are being educated at the Pavilion study centre in Whetstone.

Grants are also on tap for schools to bring in artists for projects with pupils for creativity in educational settings.