BLOG: Gurdip Kaur Devgun, Teacher, Bantock Primary School, Wolverhampton Classroom as Studio Programme As we approach the midway point of our journey with the Classroom as Studio programme, it has been a truly rewarding experience for both our school and our children. From the outset, we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to integrate the arts into our…
BLOG: Mark Riley, Artist, Dawley Brook Primary School, Kingswinford Classroom as Studio Programme “But is it art?”, we asked them. A little question, only four small words. We had presented the Year 4 children with some carpet samples that I had hastily assembled into a pile in front of them, and, as a counterpoint, one…
BLOG: ROB ELKINGTON – DIRECTOR, ARTS CONNECT It is a great pleasure to be involved as a co-lead of the Collaborate & Innovate (C&I) programme with our colleagues at The Mighty Creatives. We designed the programme with our commissioners, Arts Council England (Midlands) and have been running it since January 2023. It builds upon a…
BLOG: BECKY THOMPSON, ARTS CONNECT EDUCATION PRODUCER Arts Connect Summer School for Teachers Ten local art teachers joined us for this year’s Arts Connect Summer School run in collaboration with Ikon Gallery and Wolverhampton School of Art. Our Summer School is designed for teachers of all levels who want to build on their art practice,…
BLOG: JOANNE FIELD -TEACHER Classroom as Studio Programme Participating in the Classroom as Studio professional development art project has been a deeply enriching experience, offering a unique opportunity to develop both my confidence and identity as a teacher of art. I was initially drawn to the project by a desire to understand how artists think,…
BLOG: ROB ELKINGTON – DIRECTOR, ARTS CONNECT Each year the Cultural Learning Alliance (CLA) of which I am a Board Member, produces A Report Card, which gathers together and analyses the publicly available data on the health of expressive arts subjects in schools in England and tracks the changes since 2010. While there is no…
BLOG: HASEEBAH ALI – ARTIST Classroom as Studio Programme I signed up for the programme as usually as an arts educator I attend and work with schools but on a short-term basis which didn’t really feel like enough for me to get to know the schools and students properly. I wanted to work on something…
BLOG: ROB ELKINGTON – DIRECTOR, ARTS CONNECT One of my highlights from the last year was leading the photography project, What We See (as part of the Expanding Creative Spaces for Making project) with artist Tom Hicks and nineteen Y10 graphics students and eleven Y12 photography students from Moseley Park and Heath Park Schools in…
BLOG: BECKY THOMPSON – EDUCATION PRODUCER, ARTS CONNECT As education producer with Arts Connect, I have the fantastic job of supporting primary teachers to build their skills, knowledge and confidence in teaching art. I am constantly learning from teachers who care deeply about the quality of art education that their pupils’ access, and whose art…
BLOG: HANNAH WILLETTS Contemporary Art in the Classroom CPD and Learning Programme I have recently been appointed as Head of Art at Crestwood School, Dudley and previously taught at Colton Hills Community School in Wolverhampton. I am in my 8th year of teaching and teach years 7-13. Since leaving university, I’ve enjoyed exploring contemporary art,…