Were you able to join us for our Winter Social in Manchester on the 28 January? It was a brilliant afternoon, hosted by our friends at the Whitworth. Members and friends gathered for an afternoon of conversation, learning, making – and cake. Artist Luke Adamson led a mark-making workshop in the galleries; Rose Sinclair treated us to a curator’s tour of the exhibition Althea McNish: Colour is Mine, and NSEAD artist educator Lynne Calland led a restorative neuropathic drawing workshop in the Grand Hall.

It was wonderful to spend time together. The conversations and connections that we make when we meet in person are beyond measure. How many new projects, research, networks and friendships will flower from that rainy January afternoon?

And we were in a celebratory mood, following our meeting of Council that morning.

Our first hybrid attempt, the ceremonial handover of the NSEAD Presidency took place online and in person for the first time since before the pandemic. 

Immediate Past President Liz McFarlane passed on our majestic chain of office to incoming President Marlene Wylie. The office of president carries the weight of 135 years of history – and this was a particularly historic moment for the Society. Marlene gave us a strong statement of her values and vision for NSEAD during her Presidency in the latest edition of AD magazine, for which she was guest editor.

'I am what I am because of who we all are.'

As Immediate Past President, Liz MacFarlane will continue to support the NSEAD Governance team. Over the last three years Liz has championed curriculum leadership, and opportunities for all learners. She has seen us through a global pandemic, cost of living crisis, industrial action and (across our four nations) ten Ministers for Education. All with a steady hand, wisdom and humour.

It is traditional for the out-going President to give a gift to their successor. I think the title of Liz’s gift, a book for Marlene, sums up my feelings about this presidential pair – Bloody Brilliant Women.

They certainly are.

Michele Gregson

NSEAD General Secretary

We are continuing to provide up-to-date advice and support for trade union members, via regular online drop-ins and new resources in the Industrial Action section of the website.

Please do keep your contact details up to date and let us know what phase and sector you work in, so that we can better represent you. Log into the My Membership page (create a password first if it is your first visit) or email us.

This resource provides guidance for introducing 14 to 18 year-olds to the subjective and expressive in their art. 

It will take you through some experimental exercises and key questions and activities to get your students thinking about art and self. 

Sign in to the website first.

Objects are useful tools to help children develop understanding of the world, whilst contributing to wider collaboration and problem solving skills.

This accessible resource covers the basics of how to introduce and use objects in your lessons. (Please sign in to the website first)

When: On-demand

Where: Online

This course is aimed at supporting you in the areas of delivery, management, and assessment of the full GCSE examination course, and familiarising you with the JCQ guidance around non-examination assessment.

Register for this NSEAD course if you want to:

• Develop a better understanding of GCSE examinations in art & design
• Understand the expectations of senior leadership
• Explore the documentation, regulations and prohibited actions when teaching and preparing students for examination and marking
• Address what is best practice and how should you plan your KS3 and 4 curriculum to ensure you are GCSE ready.

This course is led by NSEAD experts Liz Macfarlane and Ged Gast.

Let's talk about biodiversity with The Wild Escape

When: 22 February at 17.30-18.00

This 30-minute session will include a make-along creative workshop supporting primary teachers to use The Wild Escape resources. It will also explore how primary art teachers can get involved with this new project that links museums and schools in a celebration of UK wildlife and creativity.

This is a free session for primary art subject leaders, teachers and trainees. 

When: 23 February 2023, 16.00 - 17.00

Where: Online

We are running the first of a regular series of Live workshops for the on-demand Leading Primary Art and Design CPD course with Susan Ogier.

If you were thinking of enrolling on the course, why not do it now and join in with the session? Susan will be demonstrating a practical make-along and answering your primary art and design questions.   

This is an NSEAD event, in partnership with Norwich University of the Arts, and hosted by Abbie Cairns.

When and where: 25 March 2023, online

Price: Free

If you are an established adult community artist educator, or curious about working in the sector, then come along to the first Artist-Teacher in Adult Community Learning Conference. 

Share good practices, ideas, and experiences, get involved in interactive art activities and find out about the latest research findings. 

If you have something to share, why not submit a proposal for a presentation? Deadline is midnight tonight, 8 February.

Images: (Left) Text Portrait – Baroness Doreen Lawrence (Right) Text Portrait – Dr Paul Stephenson

In the latest issue of AD, the Anti-Racist Art Education Action special issue (out now), NSEAD member Lynne Calland talks about how she created a project in 2021 to celebrate and champion Black achievement during Black History Month with the theme of ‘Proud to Be.’

Lynne writes: 'Having grown up in Australia during the 1970’s in an ethnically diverse community, I was lucky to experience many different customs and traditions which enthused my interest in culture. All Hallows Catholic High School in Preston contrasts with my education, its school population being predominantly white.

'Given the richness of my own education, I hope that every child in every school can better understand the values of diversity, equity and inclusion, and to be anti-racist. When we learned that the theme of Black History Month in 2021 was ‘Proud to Be’, I saw this as a chance to champion and celebrate Black achievement.'

When and where: Saturday 4 March 2023, 11.00 - 15.30 at the Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ

Cost: Free

We are delighted to be able to reinstate these network meetings following the pandemic.

Hosted by NSEAD members Professor Andy Ash and Ged Gast, participants will hear from the Horniman learning team, engage in discussions and presentations around sustainability, decolonisation, and the curriculum, and have the chance to  network with other art educators.

United Black Art Educators (UBAE) is a new self-organised network group for Black educators, students and individuals from the wider NSEAD membership and community.

The Special Interest Group for Advancing Anti-ableist Pedagogy (AAP) explores the relationship between disability and art education at curricular level in order to advance anti-ableist pedagogies in art.

The Gender, Art and Transformative Education Research Group (GATE) seeks to consider a gender sensitive, responsive and essentially transformative approach to rethink gender equity in art education. 

The Action Research Group for Better Practice are collaborating to create cross-phase art, craft and design curriculum and pedagogy guidance materials. The group's ‘aide memoir’ will identify and signpost the concepts, approaches and the purpose of learning in and through art, craft and design. 

There will be a range of new NSEAD steering groups and networks coming online this year, helping to shape our activities and community in new and exciting directions. If you would like to be part of this important development work, please get in touch today! We would love to hear from you. 

Edge Foundation, the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) and Parentkind recently surveyed parents on what skills they thought were important to teach young people to prepare them for the world of work.

The results showed that parents want schools to teach skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, and 80% think it is very important for children to have access to a full arts and technology curriculum.

Now, Edge and ISM, supported by partners including NSEAD, have launched a new campaign: #SaveOurSubjects to fight to protect the valuable arts and technology curriculum. And, you can help by signing an open letter to Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education.

The FREE #BSW23 activity packs for schools are out now and we are happy to announce that NSEAD has contributed to the EYFS pack with a 'Community Connections Map' activity.

Competition time: Invite your students to enter the #BSW23 poster competition for the chance to win some great prizes. The judges are looking for:

• Creativity in approach – Innovative angle on the content or creative interpretation of the theme
• Content – Clear, accurate and informative about a STEM topic
• Effective communication – presented and communicated in an engaging way

The closing date for entries is at 6pm on Friday 31 March 2023.

When: 21-23 June 2023

Where: University of Exeter 

NSEAD discount: NSEAD members save 10% on the standard 3-day fee or 5% off the single-day fee. Early-bird registration deadline: 24 February 2023

A conference for anyone interested in sustainable art education for children aged 0-7 years.

Registration is now open for this exciting event aimed at academics, teachers, researchers, artists, practitioners, and students. 

Presentations and workshop will address one or both of these considerations: 

• Nature: How can art connect young children to the natural world? 
• Nurture: How can art connect young children to others? 

We have one copy of Art Shaped by Darrell Wakelam, artist educator, to giveaway to an NSEAD member! 

To enter, simply email us by midday on Wednesday 22 February, with the subject heading: Art Shaped Giveaway, stating your name, full address and school (if relevant). A winner will be drawn at random and announced by Friday 24 February. Good luck!

'In the foreword, Darrell says: ‘Well, you can’t make someone become an artist, but you can show them how to have fun creatively, and that is ultimately how all art begins, with enjoyment'. Art Shaped will have every one of your students (from primary upwards), your colleagues, friends and family – thumbing through and enjoying every beautifully designed page. With ‘tricks of the trade’ and ‘secrets’, with ‘adapt and extend ideas', Darrell is passing on so many ingenious construction tips and techniques. I love the clever four ’S’s method of making ‘Shapes, Slits….’ and so on!

'Art Shaped will be loved, cherished, shared, used and used again – It’s going to bring a lot of joy and enjoyment to anyone who is lucky enough to have a copy.'

Sophie Leach, NSEAD Deputy Secretary General

Art Shaped, will is published 16 Feb by Bloomsbury Education

The Show and Tell programme enables educators to increase opportunities for disabled young people through their free online workshops.

Watch the series of Show and Tell workshops over on the website.

Last month, the photography charity kicked off the Youth Sports Trust's Inclusion 2024 festival, a week-long celebration to support the school workforce and those working in educational/grassroots sport settings. 

Show and Tell's talk ‘Take your shot' showed how photography can bring everyone together in the game. The panel included photographers Josie and Elsa Maria (SEND students who represent S&T's youth community), legendary sports photographer Jane Stockdale, teacher Jennifer Marker and members of the Show and Tell Team.

When: Thurs 8 June 2023

Where: The Northern School of Art, Hartlepool Campus

Who: Secondary Art & Design Teachers

Save the date: more details coming soon!

NSEAD General Secretary Michele Gregson will be speaking at this one-day conference, focussed around creative pedagogy and preparing the next generation for creative careers.

Image: The Ascension with Christ giving the Keys to St Peter, Relief, Donatello, ca. 1428-1430 (carved) © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In person: Fri 3 March, 17.45 - 20.30, at the V&A Learning Centre

Online: Thurs 8 June, 17.30 - 18.00 online (please be aware that this is a new date - previously 29 March)

Cost: £10 (in person) £5 (online)

Join the learning team at the V&A to hear from the curators of Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance, before seeing the exhibition.

This is the first major UK exhibition to explore the exceptional talents of the Renaissance master, Donatello. Hear about this show, learn about the V&A schools programme and enjoy a glass of wine with peers.

Note: The in-person twilight event ticket includes entry to the exhibition.

Do you want more resources, tools and further support in order to teach about Black and minority ethnic arts movements and artists?

The Runnymede Trust and Visualise team would love to hear from you. By contributing to the survey, you can help to establish a more inclusive art curriculum.

Find out more here.

Please forward to your art departments or art leads if this is not your area. Completion of this survey will go a long way to change the outcomes of art education across the UK. 

In 2021 the Crafts Council launched its first national school programme; Craft School: Yinka’s Challenge.

The challenge, developed in collaboration with Yinka Ilori, was designed to engage KS1 – KS4 (including level 1 learners) with 10 hours of craft making.

Crafts Council have now pulled together learning and feedback across the delivery of the programme, into one evaluation report.

We were extremely proud and grateful to see acknowledgement that the programme is underpinned by NSEAD’s anti-racist checklist, which is embedded into the schemes of learning, teacher toolkit, student workbook and CPD programme.

Learner feedback suggested that the programme contributed to explorations of their own cultural heritages and communities as well as the work of Yinka Ilori and other global majority craft makers and artists.

Bournemouth University 

The National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University is seeking an academic External Examiner for the postgraduate programmes MSc Computer Animation and Visual Effects and MSc Artificial Intelligence for Media to start in March 2023.

Deadline: Friday 17 February 2023

Warwickshire College and University Centre

Warwickshire College and University Centre is seeking an External Examiner for the BA (Hons) Graphic Design with Photography provision.  The appointment would start for this academic year 2022-23 and run until 2025-26.

St George's International School, Luxembourg is seeking a Teacher of Art and Design / Head of Faculty. This is a temporary role as Maternity Cover for 1-year, full time. Required for April 2023

The National Saturday Club is recruiting two Relationship Manager roles in Bristol and Manchester. The Relationship Managers will fulfil a pivotal new role, supporting the expansion of the National Saturday Club network during an exciting time of growth for the programme. Deadline: Sunday 19 February