In her editorial for the first issue of iJADE this year, Principal Editor Dr Deborah Riding celebrates the journal as a place of community and fellowship:

iJADE too, can foster ... a ‘meeting place’. It can at once be international but with a representative and inclusive perspective of ‘local’

In her excellent editorial, Deborah reflects on the search for spaces where educators and researchers can call home, and the necessary conditions for a sense of belonging.

Belonging was a key theme of our conference last year. Ensuring that NSEAD is a place where we all feel that we belong, will always be at the heart of everything we do.

We will be picking up that theme once more in our conference conversations this year, exploring your needs as leaders of learning in our subject and the spaces where you operate.

Having a space where you can find your voice – and where you can test it and inform it – is all part of that sense of belonging. We hope that NSEAD provides that space for you - through our publications, our events and our conversations.

The conference conversations begin this month, on the 26th of May, when artist, activist, teacher and NSEAD patron Bob and Roberta Smith will be joined by Caro Howell, Director of the Foundling Museum and Lily Pfanzeller, 'A' level student and Articulate 2022 finalist.  This is the first of seven twilight conference conversations over the summer, alongside training and workshops to support your continuing professional development. These are our meeting places, a place to belong. We hope to see you there.

Michele Gregson

General Secretary

Booking is now open!

Strategic, transformational, and visionary leadership – together we can lead change for our subject, our learners and each other.

We want to offer maximum flexibility this year for the conference programme and ticketing. You can join us for as much or as little of programme as works for you. 

The Premium ticket is fantastic value for money (two CPD courses plus twilight sessions, summer social and goodies for just £125) but you can attend individual events, starting at just £5 for twilight talks, up to £75 for CPD (member rates).

Plus, if you are a trainee or ECT member, we are offering you a free twilight session pass. Just email Diane for the discount code! 

When: Wed 25 May, 16.00-17.30

Where: Online

NSEAD Patron Bob and Roberta Smith; Caro Howell, Director of the Foundling Museum; and Lily Pfafenzeller, Articulate finalist, will consider the role educators, museums and galleries play to inspire and support young people to find and raise their voice.

In this short video made by NSEAD and The Campaign for Drawing, Bob and Roberta Smith explain why art and design is an essential subject that must be given importance in the curriculum. Available on our YouTube channel to watch and share!

When: Thurs 26 May, 13.30-17.00

Where: Online

Join experienced art and design subject leaders Ged Gast and NSEAD President Liz Macfarlane for this timely CPD course. 

The session will include: 

• Overview of GCSE content
• What are the regulations? – review of the JCQ documentation
• What are the implications for teachers applying the regulations as students proceed through the course?
• Experienced subject leaders share their GCSE priorities and approaches
• Establishing good learning behaviours and habits
• Preparing for the externally set assignment
• Methodology – what skills do you plan to develop?
• How do you ensure students have knowledge, skills and practice?

On Tuesday we were treated to a wonderful conversation between sculptor Alistair Lambert and primary art specialist Susan Ogier, in our Facebook group for Primary Art teachers and trainees. They talked about making, materials, processes and advocated for hands-on learning – lots of useful ideas to take into school and your practice. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

When: 17 May  17.00-18.30

Where: Zoom

Professor David Bolt, Director of the Centre for the Centre for Culture and Disability Studies (CCDS) will be giving an introduction to cultural disability studies.

Guest speakers are:

Sonia Boué – Sonia is a multiform neurodivergent Anglo-Spanish artist based in the UK: Postmemory work and neuro-inclusive practice

Colin Hambrook – Colin is the Editor of Disability Arts Online: What do Dada, Punk and Disability Arts have in common?

In this first iJADE of the year Dr Deborah Riding, in her inspiring editorial, reflects on ‘belonging’ and what this means for local and global communities, over time and space. 

And we hope you, valued members of our professional learning community, will be inspired by the local perspectives, pedagogies and practices shared in this issue. Congratulations to the many NSEAD members who are published in this issue.

To access iJADE we recommend you sign in to the NSEAD website – then use the advanced search tool; write Deborah Riding in the author block and the year 2022. You will then be directed the the Wiley Blackwell library and immediately to this issue.

Here, NSEAD President Elect Marlene Wylie shares a special experience from the world of art, craft and design that’s enriched her life. 

'My Best and most extra-ordinary experience this March was to escort both my parents, over 80 years of age, to the landmark exhibition Life Between Islands at Tate Britain.

'Having lived in Britain for nearly 60 years, as the windrush generation, this was a multi-layered first-time experience. It is mind-blowing knowing that having retired to the Caribbean that my parents, in 2022 are living the title of a major Tate Britain exhibition!'

In our last bulletin we told you about a new book from award winning artist educators Jeanette Barnes and Paul Brandford (weexploredrawing.co.uk), City Sketching Reimagined contains in bite-size A-Z entries, everything you need to know about sketching on location.

We're delighted that Jeanette and Paul have offered to give one copy away as a prize to one lucky NSEAD member. Simply leave your name and email here before this Friday 6 May to have a chance of winning!

Thanks to the many members who  purchased Foreday Morning – we sold out within two weeks! We have since asked Paul to send more to us and are happy to say that signed copies are back in stock!

President Liz Macfarlane posted in NSEAD Online 'I felt transported to Barbados of the 1940’s/50’s and was totally engrossed as I read about his early childhood there. He is such a talented writer as well as being a talented artist and educator. Looking forward to returning to it again for the next instalment of such an interesting and inspiring life…'

In the spirit of generosity and recovery, the InSEA World Council invite members and non-members to join them and participate in this inaugural virtual InSEA World Forum. 

A range of digitally accessible, equitable and innovative free events and Super Webinars from each region (three hours long) have been scheduled across the week each including professional development options. 

Please register for each event that you may be interested in attending as every event has a unique zoom address. You can also see the timezone in your country and a Run Sheet for each Super Webinar to enable you to participate in real-time.

To celebrate International Arts Education Week (23-29th May) a Padlet has been created to share students' artwork from around the world. 

The artwork included should be inspired by this year's theme 'Arts Education for Peace'. Any medium can be used as it can be scanned/photographed or uploaded to the site. There is no limit to the amount of artworks you can upload. InSEA hopes to create a virtual mural using this format, which will act as a sense of hope in uncertain times globally. 

When: Thurs 23 June from 16:30

Where: The Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle

These sessions are FREE and open to all phases, especially those who work in primary education.

Find out about the opportunities that will be there for schools when the Lindisfarne Gospels return to north east England in the autumn term. 

We have been asked by Jo Barber, NSEAD and ARAEA member and Assistant Head Teacher at Aspire AP, to circulate this call for presenters for a special event that aims to explore the link between culture and identity in schools and communities. 

The event will focus on how exposure to and engagement with local, national and international culture, has the potential to enrich students’ learning and improve their life chances. 

It aims to challenge, inform and inspire delegates with knowledge and ideas from a range of powerful voices in our community which can be used back in the classroom and beyond to promote quality teaching and a rich and inclusive curriculum.

The event will be funded by Rothschild Foundation with support from Bucks CC and Arts Council England and will take place at Waddesdon Manor (date to be confirmed).

When: Saturday 21 May 2022, 9.30-16.30

Where: Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Price: £30-£40

The Arts Council Collection and Yorkshire Sculpture Park invite education professionals to a special study day to explore how art can be used to connect us to nature and enhance wellbeing, with a special focus on the work of David Nash. 

Places are limited, so book early to secure your place. For any enquiries, please email learning@ysp.org.uk. 

Interventions and possibilities in Higher Education in Art, Design and Communication: A series of discussions convened by David Cross and Rahul Patel.

Climate Justice offers a coherent and fair alternative to corporate-technocratic 'climate solutions' which are transgressing planetary boundaries and compounding the injustices of colonialism.

When: Thursdays, 10.00 — 12.00
26 May, 23 June 2022 Cost: Free

To complement the series, CHEAD and UAL are producing a zine as a space for experimental and creative responses to the aim of decolonising decarbonisation.  The zine will be in printed and digital versions, and they are inviting submissions as:

• Written pieces (50 – 300 words) of poetry, creative writing, journalism and reviews
• Photographs
• Drawings, paintings, sketches
• Images of artworks, drama, performance, fashion, film, video

Submit online: info@chead.ac.uk
Deadline: 17.00 Friday 30 June 2022

The University of Hertfordshire 

The University of Hertfordshire is seeking an External Examiner for the Digital Animation programme, to cover BA (Hons) 2D Digital Animation and BA (Hons) Comics and Concept Art.

The appointment will last for a period of four years beginning in September 2022. 

University of Brighton 

The School of Art & Media at the University of Brighton is currently seeking to appoint an external examiner for the BA (Hons) Photography.

The appointment will start from 1st October 2022, ending 30 September 2026. 

Deadline for applications: 16 May 2022

Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University is seeking an individual to undertake the role of Departmental Apprenticeship External Examiner for the Art and Design Department.

Deadline for applications 27 May 2022

Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield Hallam University is looking for a dedicated individual to undertake the role of External Examiner for BA Fine Art for the Art & Design department.

Deadline for applications 31 May 2022.

Keep your eyes out for the latest issue of AD magazine which should be with you in the next week or two. This week's quote is by Dilys Finlay, primary art specialist teacher, who has written a fantastic article in issue 34 titled 'Art empowers'. Dilys has shared the remarkable art practice and pedagogy in Beecroft Garden Primary School.

If you have just joined us, you can access previous issues of AD Magazine online here. Just log into the website first and go straight to the AD page.