Artists in Creative Education

How can artists be prepared to be high quality partners in schools?

Do artists support a different way of learning?

In an age of more standardised curricula and testing regimes across Europe what role can artists play in the development of creative skills in primary school children?

Combining the knowledge of leading international experts, artists, educators and EU representatives this conference will provide a unique opportunity to address the important role artists play as creative partners in schools and the significance of this work to the European Agenda for New Skills and Jobs.

Evidence shows that children gain real and tangible benefits from working with artists on creative and cultural projects. Creativity can transform the aspirations, attainment, skills and life chances of young people. Learning with artists through the creative process gives them the ability to question, make connections, innovate, problem solve, communicate, collaborate and reflect critically. Developing these transversal skills early in life through creativity in schools enriches the lives of young people while also meeting the requirements of contemporary employers and benefiting the wider economy across Europe. 

The conference will also launch a new practical guide for artists working in creative education and share the results of an 18 month European wide project involving 25 artists from across 9 different European countries. Artists have exchanged practice and worked to develop a practical guide to support other artists to work effectively in primary schools particularly in deprived communities. 

We have a very interesting and diverse conference program which includes:

1.      Key Speakers – Mary Honeyball MEP, Member Committee for Culture and Education, Karolina Zielinska, Chair of the Culture Affairs Committee of the EU and Senior expert in the Polish Ministry of Culture and Paul Collard, Chief Executive of CCE. 

2.      Workshops - which focus on the work of the artists involved in the project to illustrate the approach to working creatively in primary schools.

3.      Practical Guide - an opportunity for delegates to see the practical Guide developed during the project.

4.      A Live Link Up – we are planning a live link up to classrooms in UK, India, Tanzania, Russia, a European country (TBC) and Brussels itself  to illustrate approaches to working creatively across national borders.

5.      World Café – to explore some key questions around the importance of this work in Europe and how we might move this forward.