Donate a Class
What is Donate-a-Class?
At North Yorks Art School we believe that creativity and learning should be accessible to all. Since opening in 2020, we’ve worked hard to keep our pay-as-you-go classes affordable, with each class priced at just £15, despite rising costs and the financial pressures that many of us face today. In fact, during the summer months, we even lower the cost to £10 to make sure more people can take part.
However, like many small independent arts organisations, we face significant costs to keep our classes, courses and workshops running. Each session must cover not only the venue and tutor fees but also food, refreshments, caretaking staff, materials and 20% VAT (education for pleasure isn’t exempt from this tax). On top of this we need to maintain the school in Scarborough as well as continually invest in new equipment for everyone to use.
Attendance to our classes, courses and workshops is always high but there are occasions where we do have spaces still available. If uptake has been slow, we have to make the decision to either run the session at a break even/loss scenario or cancel the session altogether which we don’t like to do.
We are not a charity and other than one grant to run a specific project for Scarborough Streets, we do not receive any outside funding to maintain what we do. We really do rely on your support to make our sessions happen and to keep us going - whether through attending classes, purchasing items from the NYAS shop or engaging with our postcard competitions.
Despite applying for various funding sources to offer free or subsidised classes, we’ve been unable to make this happen. We do manage to provide one free class, unfunded, every week and although we are determined to keep on applying for support, it’s clear that, at the moment, we don’t have the financial backing to subsidise our classes, courses and workshops or make more free-to-attend spaces the norm.
This is where our new Donate-a-Class initiative comes in.
How Donate-a-Class works
We know many of our students and community members share our vision of making art education accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. The Donate-a-Class initiative offers a way for you to help make this vision a reality.
For every £15 donation, you will be giving someone the opportunity to attend one of our pay-as-you-go classes. These donations will go directly towards covering the costs of that student’s session.
If you’re able to donate more, you can also choose to sponsor a workshop or an entire course. Your contribution will go towards covering the fees associated with running these sessions, including tutor's pay, materials cost, refreshments and more besides. Your contribution will ensure someone who may not be able to afford it can still participate.
Why this matters
Where we have been running sessions with limited people Donate-a-Class could ensure we have sufficient numbers to make the sessions more enjoyable for all participants.
Your support will enable us to continue offering high-quality art education to as many people as possible, while also maintaining the upkeep of the school and providing a living for our team.
If you believe in the power of creativity and want to help others experience the joy of learning, we encourage you to get involved. Together, we can build a more inclusive artistic community.
Make a Donation
Make a donation
Donate-a-class is an initiative by North Yorks Art School that allows you to give the gift of creativity to someone less fortunate. Thank you for supporting access to the arts.
Frequency
One time
Amount
0/100
Comment (optional)
Apply to Waiting List
Eligibility Guidelines for Donate-a-Class
At North Yorks Art School, we believe in making art accessible to everyone. Please use the form below if you would like to be take advantage of a donated class, course or workshop.
Donate-a-Class is open to anyone who is not able to attend a North Yorks Art School by any other means. We are not judgemental and we wont be asking to provide details or prove why you should be considered, all we ask is that you only take advantage of Donate-a-Class if you truly need to so that those most in need are given the opportunity to attend.
The following guidelines are in place to Donate-a-Class benefits those most in need:
-
We encourage applicants who have a genuine interest in art and a desire to explore or develop their creative skills through our classes.
-
Age Groups:
-
Children (7-16 years): Parents or guardians can apply on behalf of children who show an interest in artistic activities but cannot afford to enroll.
-
Adults: Individuals of any age are eligible, with priority given to those seeking opportunities for personal development through art.
-
-
Application Process: Applicants will not be asked to provide proof of their financial situation or reasons for applying.
-
To ensure fair access, priority will be given to those who have not previously received a donated class. However, repeat applications may be considered if there are additional openings.
-
Once a booking is confirmed you will be added to our booking system and receive an email confirmation. No one attending the session will know you are there as part of the Donate-a-Class scheme.
These guidelines aim to support individuals who will benefit most from the opportunity to explore their creativity and grow in a supportive, artistic environment.