Big Deal uses high quality contemporary art forms to engage with young people from East London. Project participants work with top industry professionals from a range of artistic disciplines including drama; music production; filmmaking; street dance and set design. The project is supported by the Home Office Community Fund, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London Borough of Waltham Forest,
Lloyds TSB Foundation and Children in Need. Big Deal recently achieved a Gold Quality Assurance Award from London Youth and is featured by the National Youth Agency as a case study in cohesion. Big Deal has recently developed three professional development initiatives for young people with a specific interest and skill level in performing arts, namely:
Big Deal Young Actors Company
Big Deal Records Label
Big Deal Dance Company
The function of the initiatives is to provide industry-standard training and performance opportunities for young artists, together with a package of career development strategies and networking opportunities. Recent Big Deal Highlights
• Young Actors Company performed their original piece about Joint Criminal Venture, ‘DO NOT POP’ to an audience of 100 senior police officers and council officials at New Scotland Yard
• Dance Company placed 5th in All England World Streetdance Qualifiers
• Record Label plans to release first album in January 2011
• Seven Big Deal young artists now employed by Studio 3 Arts as freelance artists
