This week: Research news, CPD, a new exciting exhibition, competitions, plus the usual inspiration from your subject association
YOUR FORTNIGHTLY NSEAD UPDATE
Art Education in pandemic times
It is almost two years since schools across the UK closed to the majority of children, as the Government and devolved administrations of the UK ordered the first national lockdown of the pandemic. Last night, the Art, Craft and Design APPG heard from experts and activists about the challenges and opportunities for the teaching of our subject in the wake of a health crisis that still holds the world in its grip.
For me, the biggest issue that faces education this decade is the widening inequality gap. Fault lines in the system have become gaping chasms. The ‘art gap’ is wider than ever, and we urgently need action for change. During our meeting we heard from people who are out there, making change. They shared incisive arguments, sobering statistics and practical proposals for tackling inequity.
There is no shortage of passion and advocacy from the art education community, but activism requires a robust evidence base. NSEAD has always provided this, drawing on the learning and intelligence of our members.
Last night the APPG Research Group launched a survey that will build on the findings of the NSEAD 2015-16 report, and shine a light on what is happening in our schools and colleges throughout the UK. I urge you to contribute and to share it far and wide.
You can see papers from all the APPG meetings, and the excellent work of the Research Group here. Share the link with your local MP, and ask them to get involved.
Michele Gregson
General Secretary
The APPG four-nation Art Education Survey has just been launched. The survey, which closes in one month, will provide evidence of the impact that government policies have had on art, craft and design education – before, during and after the pandemic.
The survey is for art, craft and design educators working in schools and colleges from early years to further education.
The survey aims to assess changes to art and design provision; the value given to our subject; teacher wellbeing and changes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
It should only take 5-10 minutes to complete the survey, but the evidence collected will help advocate for the value and importance of our subject.
Brand new Art and Design lessons for Key Stage 3 (11-14 yrs)
We’re delighted to have been asked to help develop 16 brand new Oak National Academy art and design lessons, now live and ready for use with Key Stage 3 students.
Additionally, the updated curriculum maps help to breakdown lesson content and show how the new lessons might fit into existing plans.
Our thanks to NSEAD President Elect Marlene Wylie and the NSEAD team who helped to create these useful and FREE resources.
You can explore the new lessons, covering 11 British and global contemporary artists and download the curriculum map in the Teacher Hub here.
Our free CPD programme for ECT members
The Mind the Art Gap programme is a free and exclusive tailored series of subject-specific events and training to support your professional development as an Art Educator. The four upcoming online sessions are:
March: Assessment, Curriculum and the Big Landscape
May: Behavioural Management
June: Professional Behaviours
July: The Virtual Staff room
The sessions take place in the evening and you can catch up with recordings if you are not able to attend, but you need to register to receive the details.
Only a few places remaining for Primary Art CPD in March
Leading Primary Art and Design, with Susan Ogier
Date and time: Fri 11 Mar 9.00 - 12.00
Where: Online
This course is designed for primary subject leaders who are looking to develop this curriculum area in their schools. It will offer strategies to develop confidence, enthusiasm and key knowledge in art, craft and design, as well as an understanding of how to plan for progression across the primary years.
NSEAD CPD to address the gender gap in art
Where Have All The Boys Gone (WHATBG)? Online CPD
Date and time: Wed 2 Mar and Thurs 24 Mar 17.00 – 19.15
This course will investigate key issues associated with the gender gap in our subject and will discuss how to develop more inclusive learning models at all key stages to make art, craft and design education more meaningful, relevant and engaging for all learners.
Susan Coles will be running this course over two twilight sessions, with time in between to reflect on learning, and bring questions to the second session.
Cost: Members £75 / non-members £125
#HeartUnions Week
When: 14-20 February
Join us, and other Trade Unions, on social media next week as we talk about the work of unions, and why they are so vital.
Through a series of testimonials from NSEAD Trade Union members, we hope to show how we support and protect Art, Craft and Design educators in the UK, how we are able to offer a unique service and why we are experts at what we do.
We would love you to share our posts, using #heARTunions and #NSEADUnion
New evidence from The All-Party Parliamentary Group
Authored by research group of The APPG for Art, Craft and Design in Education, we have published two new reports on our website:
An Inquiry into Art, Craft and Design Education: a collation of findings from two preliminary evidence sessions for the APPG. The Inquiry is available as an Executive Summary or as full Report.
The Art, Craft and Design Rapid Evidence Review (RER): a survey of published scholarly literature on the benefits of art, craft and design education in schools.
Office for Students Consultation - Have your say on proposals
The Office for Students (OfS) is the regulator for Higher Education (HE) in England. On 20 Jan it launched three consultations on new policies which have significant implications for Arts degrees. You can read them here.
If the proposals go ahead all degrees will need to have at least 60% of students go on to managerial or professional employment within 15 months.
Creative industries degrees, where graduate employment often includes part time work and portfolio careers as people establish themselves, will be at risk. HE institutions that cannot meet the targets will either have to risk fines, cuts in funding and ultimately de-regulation, or decide to cut courses.
There will be no benchmarking of the 60% target at individual institutions to take account of variations in social backgrounds of students or in regional labour markets.
The deadline to respond to the consultations is 17 March. The Cultural Learning Alliance have prepared a response and are asking our members to have their say.
LGBT+ History Month 2022
Politics In Art: ‘The Arc Is Long’
This year, the organisers of LGBT+ History Month (Schools OUT UK) are highlighting five LGBT+ artists who used their talents for political ends (click the links for short bios of these artists): Keith Haring, Doris Brabham Hatt, Fiore de Henriquez, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Mark Aguhar.
The LGBT+ History Month website has lots of resources for educators and details of events happening throughout February.
You can also take a look at these resources from NSEAD:
🏳️🌈LGBT+ History Month in focus by Sue Sanders, chair of Schools OUT UK, co-founder of LGBT+ History Month and emeritus professor at the Harvey Milk Institute, AD Issue 32 (open access for LGBT+ History Month)
🏳️🌈Queering the Art Classroom by Tabitha Millett, senior teaching associate at Cambridge University and Queering the Classroom founder AD Issue 26 (open access for LGBT+ History Month)
🏳️🌈Pride, masculinity and making space for diversity. We are unable to publish the name of the author of this article, due to the laws in the country where they work. AD Issue 33 (members sign in to view)
When: 2 Apr – 26 June
Where: William Morris Gallery
Althea McNish was one of the UK’s most influential and innovative textile designers and the first designer of Caribbean descent to achieve international recognition. Drawing on extensive new research, the exhibition will explore McNish’s extraordinary career and her transformative impact on mid-century design, along with her enduring influence today.
McNish's work was featured recently as part of the Get Up, Stand Up Now: Generations of Black Creative Pioneers exhibition at Somerset House in 2019 and is currently on show at Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Art 1950s – Now’ at Tate Britain until 3 April 2022.
Paul Dash and Margaret Busby in Conversation
Date and Time: 24 Feb, 17.30-19.00 Where: online
The Centre for Arts and Learning invites you to a meeting of minds and reflections, between two great figures in black art, education and publishing, Dr Paul Dash and Margaret Busby.
This online event is free to attend and supported by the Goldsmiths Race Equality Group.
Date and Time: 19 Feb, 18.30-20.30
Where: online
Join an online discussion with artist Sutapa Biswas and historian, broadcaster and filmmaker David Olusoga, exploring colonial histories, memory, and questions of migration, identity and belonging, that are key considerations in Biswas’s work.
Booking essential. This event is free to attend but donations for tickets are available.
NSEAD's fortnightly Art Education Advocacy quote
Here's another reminder of why we do what we do, from artist and mental health advocate, Sarah Graham.
Sarah is a guest on CBBC's competition Britain's Best Young Artist and will be the artist judge on Thurs, 10 Feb (also available on iPlayer).
Remember, you can download the series (which we add to every fortnight) from our website here. If you have a quote about the power and value of art, craft and design education, please let us know!
#ArtEdAdvocacy #ArtIsNotALuxury
New Book: Nurturing Creativity in the Classroom
This new book by Dr Karen Hosack Janes, NSEAD, is a user-friendly guide to exploring the nature of creativity with ideas and practical strategies for nurturing pupils’ creative skills in primary and secondary schools.
Through exploring the early experiences of some people well-known for being creative, the book proposes three conditions for nurturing creativity. The book goes on to use these as lenses to view a variety of educational theories and educational practices, in and out of school settings. The aim is to demonstrate how much consensus there is around developing creative skills.
Turner Contemporary's annual art competition now open
Portfolio is Turner Contemporary’s annual art competition for schools, teachers and community groups in Kent and Medway.
You can enter if you are: A pupil or student aged 4+ years in Kent or Medway; a professional working in an educational establishment in Kent or Medway; a trainee teacher studying in Kent or Medway; or a member of a community group in Kent or Medway.
This year's theme Belonging is inspired by the work of Ingrid Pollard, who will be bringing her major solo show to Turner Contemporary in Summer 2022
Extended deadline: The National Archives Competition
Our friends at The National Archives have asked us to remind you that there is a new extended deadline of 28 February for the 'Capturing our Collections' Art Competition for 7-16 year-olds.
The competition invites new artworks based on any single document from The National Archives collection, on the themes of Equity, Freedom and Belonging, with prizes to be won!
TALENT Report: Technical Roles in HE and R&D Sector
A new national report from The TALENT Commission, reveals a bold vision to strengthen the UK’s position in the creative industries.
The report's 16 targeted recommendations aim to upskill and sustain a growing workforce, responding to emerging technologies and strengthening the UK’s position in the creative industries.
Vacancies
Arts Education Exchange are looking for voluntary trustees.
With plans to open 'The Margate Exchange’ (an innovative school offering young people a true alternative to mainstream education), Arts Education Exchange is seeking to expand and diversify its board of trustees. Deadline for applications is 25 Feb.
Modern Art Oxford - The Producer, Young People & Schools
This is a part-time fixed-term two-year role responsible for the planning and delivery, development and evaluation of Modern Art Oxford’s programme offer for young people and school groups.
External Examiner - Northumbria University
The Department of Design at Northumbria University is looking to appoint an External Examiner for the MA Fashion Design. The appointment will be for four academic years commencing with immediate effect.
External Examiner - The University of Lincoln
The University is seeking a new external examiner for the Arts Foundation Programme.
The appointment commences from the next academic year 2022/23 and the
deadline for applications is 28 Feb 2022.
Did you download your digital member badge?
In the last newsletter, we launched these NSEAD member signatures for you to use on your professional emails and online signature.
Many of you have already downloaded them, and are using them to display your commitment to art, craft and design education and to our profession.
You can still download the badge for light backgrounds here and the badge for dark backgrounds here.
And finally...
Spring is finally on its way!
If you have a half-term break in view (next week, the week after, or even the week after that) we hope that when it comes, you can have a restful and enjoyable break. Our newsletter will be back in a fortnight!
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