Events

The symposium began with a keynote address from Freelands CEO Dr. Henry Ward, who used his own experiences as a teacher to outline a new methodology for art tutelage. Following this, our ArtistTeachers delivered a panel discussion chaired by Dr. Chrissie Tiller detailing their experiences and aspirations. The afternoon was dedicated to a varied workshop programme exploring different approaches to arts education:

• Dr. Chrissie Tiller introduced critical pedagogy focusing on what revisiting the work of Freire and hooks might offer artists and teachers who want to develop a more collective and communal approach to learning.
• Sarah Bailey invited participants to create an alternative school assembly, focusing on how to build community and curate a space for connection through art.
• Marie O’Donoghue and Mags Byrne focused on the development of Creative Schools NI and looked at what makes for a positive engagement between schools, their communities and professional artists.
• Bex Harvey explored creative teaching versus creative facilitation: drawing positive elements from both to reimagine and form a new art curriculum approach.

The symposium closed with a facilitated discussion among all attendees, building on the themes of the day to imagine what’s next for arts education. We hope to welcome even more voices to the conversation as our programme progresses.