Pictured above: (l-r) Simon Atkins (Clement Keys), Chris Giles (Clement Keys) & Deborah Kermode (Director of Bright Space)

Chartered accountants Clement Keys is celebrating its second anniversary of working with Bright Space, a Birmingham arts and education charity that promotes brighter futures for young people and helps them prepare for the future with a number of new and exciting initiatives.

Clement Keys' services to Bright Space include the annual audit, but during the past year it has also helped put in place robust financial systems which have enabled the organisation to improve its payments procedures and reduce overheads. 

"Clement Keys really understands what we are trying to do.  Our work with schools, artists and cultural organisations in Birmingham, Herefordshire and Worcestershire means our accounting systems have to be flexible and adaptable. The improvements they have initiated have ensured that our accounts systems are much more effective and now our entire finance department is running more smoothly" said Bright Space's director Deborah Kermode. 

Bright Space delivers Creative Partnerships, a national creative learning programme in schools as well as exciting projects which enable young people to learn new skills and gain experience within Birmingham's growing creative industries. This summer they are launching Platform (www.projectplatform.org.uk), an innovative social media project for 16-19 years olds that will provide young people with a unique perspective on arts activity in Birmingham. Bright Space has successfully recruited 18 teenagers who will gain valuable experience within the creative industries, specifically on-line journalism, as they report on the wide variety of theatre, dance, exhibitions, launches and gigs being held in and around the city. The bloggers have just completed a week-long summer school where they learned new skills from industry professionals, including editors, journalists and professional bloggers.

In January 2011 Bright Space is also planning a two-day Creative Careers Festival in Birmingham to help 13-18 year olds find out more about career opportunities in the creative and cultural industries in an imaginative and original way.  The young people will have the opportunity to attend interactive workshops and seminars, listen to exciting industry professionals as well as network with like minded young people.  

Clement Keys partner Simon Atkins said: "We have been working with Bright Space since its inception in 2008, helping to customise its accounts systems and advise on the best way of dealing with a large bank of small suppliers to deliver maximum value.

"By giving young people the chance to gain relevant, hands on experience, initiatives like Platform and the Creative Careers Festival should go a long way to helping them learn more about the creative industries and the variety of opportunities available in and around Birmingham."