The Gap Arts Project
Charity 1156090
Overview
Summary
The GAP Arts Project appears to be a place-based youth development organisation using arts participation as a route into wider social and economic outcomes. Its role is broader than arts provision: it combines creative projects, training, potential employment and access to dedicated space to support young people’s skills, wellbeing and civic participation. The available evidence suggests an organisation positioned between cultural infrastructure, informal education and youth employment support in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Balsall Heath West
Confidence: low
The organisation identifies The GAP at The Old Print Works as its current venue, where it holds events and sessions and delivers most project participation. Its material describes the venue as rooted in and shaped by the Balsall Heath neighbourhood, but the available evidence does not establish the ward.
- The GAP Arts Project, Contact page
Lists The GAP at The Old Print Works and states that it holds a wide variety of events and sessions in its space. - The GAP Arts Project, About page
States that project participation mainly takes place at its venue and describes the venue as rooted in and shaped by the Balsall Heath neighbourhood. - The GAP Arts Project, Our Story page
Describes its permanent home in The Old Print Works as a suite of arts spaces used as a hub for creative, cultural and community activity, and identifies local young people in and around Balsall Heath as a priority community. - Birmingham City Council, New ward maps
Provides the current ward mapping.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence strongly supports a venue-based, neighbourhood-rooted operation in Balsall Heath, but does not identify regular delivery sites in other Birmingham wards.
- The organisation says it currently works with Percy Shurmer Academy and Ark Tindall Primary School in Balsall Heath, but the available material does not specify whether activity is delivered on those school sites or only through referral, collaboration or visits.
- The website states that the organisation is moving to a new venue, while its contact page and venue accessibility guide still identify The Old Print Works as its current base. The destination and timing of any move are not confirmed in the available evidence.
- Regional coverage is supported by the organisation's stated work with young artists in the Midlands and its engagement with Birmingham-wide groups of young asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. However, most documented participation appears to be hosted at the Balsall Heath venue rather than through a network of regional delivery sites.
- International and national partners are evidence of exchange and collaborative relationships, but the available material is insufficient to treat them as evidence of a continuing operational site outside Birmingham.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme or annual report specifying each active project, its delivery venue and the neighbourhoods or wards in which it is delivered.
- Confirmation from The GAP of its current and planned venue, including whether The Old Print Works remains an operational site.
- Details from the organisation or its school partners on the nature, frequency and location of work with Percy Shurmer Academy, Ark Tindall Primary School and Joseph Chamberlain College.
- Information distinguishing participants travelling to the Balsall Heath venue from activity delivered directly in other Birmingham locations.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
Who they help
- Children/young People
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Other Charitable Activities
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Arts are used as a means, not only an end
The organisation appears to treat creative and cultural activity as an integrated pathway to education, wellbeing, employability and participation in society, rather than as a standalone artistic offer.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the project from organisations focused principally on arts attendance or production. It may make it a relevant partner for youth, mental health, education and employment organisations as well as cultural ones.
Show evidence
“The charity's objects link arts and cultural projects, events, training, employment and arts space with skills development, education, mental health, unemployment and participation in society.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity reports work in education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and economic/community development/employment.”
Source:Charity Commission
Dedicated space may be a core part of its operating model
Access to a dedicated arts space appears to be treated as a substantive intervention alongside programmes, suggesting the organisation may provide an ongoing local base for creative activity rather than only delivering temporary projects.
Why it matters
A stable physical base can create opportunities for repeated engagement, informal relationships and collaboration that event-based provision may not sustain. It may also make the organisation locally significant as cultural infrastructure.
Show evidence
“The charity's objects include offering access to dedicated arts space.”
Source:Charity Commission“The registered office is at 498 - 506 Moseley Road, Balsall Heath, B12 9AH.”
Source:Organisation
The organisation spans a wide transition period for young people
By serving people up to age 30, the project appears designed to support both younger participants and adults navigating education, work and independent social participation.
Why it matters
This broad age range may enable continuity through transitions that are often divided between youth services and adult employment provision. It would be worth exploring whether this creates a distinctive bridge between those systems.
Show evidence
“The charity supports young people up to 30 years of age living in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity's objects include relieving unemployment and encouraging participation in society as independent, empathetic and responsible individuals.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which communities, neighbourhoods and age groups are most actively reached.
- Whether employment is delivered directly, through partners or mainly as an intended outcome.
- How the dedicated arts space is used and whether it functions as a shared community asset.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent programme information, participant numbers and demographic reach.
- Evidence of partners, referral routes, employment outcomes and use of the Balsall Heath premises.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
To support the creativity and cultural life of young people up to 30 years of age living in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands area by (a) Providing a rolling programme of arts and cultural projects, events, training and, where possible, employment ; and (b) Offering access to dedicated arts space;
Charity objects
(1) TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 30 YEARS OF AGE LIVING IN BIRMINGHAM AND THE WIDER WEST MIDLANDS AREA BY (A) PROVIDING A ROLLING PROGRAMME OF ARTS AND CULTURAL PROJECTS, EVENTS, TRAINING AND, WHERE POSSIBLE, EMPLOYMENT ; AND (B) OFFERING ACCESS TO DEDICATED ARTS SPACE; AS A MEANS OF (I) HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES (II) ADVANCING THEIR EDUCATION (III) SUPPORTING THEIR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS (IV) RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT; AND (V) ENCOURAGING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY AS INDEPENDENT, EMPATHETIC, RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS.?