BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy shines spotlight on award-winning #WeWill Social Action Campaign
BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy is highlighting the success of its #WeWill Social Action Campaign - a student-led initiative making a significant difference to arts access for young people across Birmingham.
With sponsorship and support from Ormiston Trust, the We Will project empowers BOA students to become ambassadors for the arts and active citizens within their community. Led by Youth Social Action Lead Mary Savva, students design and deliver high-quality arts workshops for local primary schools, offering creative opportunities to children who may otherwise face barriers to arts education.
The project has now partnered with 25 primary schools, reaching 5,462 children through free workshops, performance experiences, and creative activities. Its impact has been recognised nationally, with BOA receiving a series of prestigious awards, including:
Inclusion & Diversity – Best Youth Social Action Project
Community Impact – Best Youth Social Action Project
Exceptional Student Personal Development Award
Educators Trust Inspirational Educator Awards 2025 – Highly Commended: Mary Savva
Local teachers have praised the programme’s transformative effect. A Deputy Head Teacher and DSL at Blakesley Hall Primary School shared: “Our children have all reported how much they have enjoyed working with older students from BOA and how they have looked up to them as role models, and for many of them, as something that they can aspire to. For many of them, they will not have had the chance to work with young adults in this way before or to develop their drama skills either.”
In addition to its outreach work, BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy also offers the BOA Super Saturday School, an enriching 8-week programme for young people aged 11 – 16. Delivered across dance, drama, singing and DJ skills, the programme is designed to nurture creativity, build confidence, and give children valuable early learning experiences in the arts. BOA is passionate about inspiring the next generation of young artists from the very beginning of their creative journey.
To ensure accessibility, free places with priority registration are available for families receiving Free School Meals (FSM), Pupil Premium or Universal Credit - reaffirming BOA’s commitment to supporting every child to benefit from this opportunity.
Mary Savva, #WeWill Programme Staff Lead said “To make change happen, outreach is always about application – the actual doing of it, the hands-on work, the caring, the dedication and commitment, and - in our case - it's our young people leading the way.”
“BOA students are making a real difference through the BOA #WeWill Social Action Programme – bringing the Arts to life in communities. As artists, we know the joy the Arts provides and that's what we do, that's what we deliver – planting the seed for arts education in the minds of the children we work with.”
Alistair Chattaway, Principal of BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy added “We are delighted with the success of this outreach project, not only for the generous support we have received from Ormiston Trust over the past few years, but also for the opportunities for our students and staff to work with schools across Birmingham and share an enthusiasm for the Arts.”
For more information about the #WeWill Social Action Campaign and all things BOA, visit boa-academy.co.uk.
