The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation The Arts in Schools - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
8 Children, teachers and artists180 Reasons Lord Redcliffe-Maud (1976) has argued that arts support andfor the arts education are 'natural allies'. We will go further and saychapter that in key respects they are inter-dependent: that there isa relationship between the status and levels of support forthe arts in education and in society as a whole.One of the implications of this, and of our emphasis on therelationships between participation and appreciation, is theneed to foster contacts between the world of professionalarts and that of education — between children, teachers andartists. In recent years there have been many attempts to dothis. In this chapter we outline the range of these schemes.We discuss the mutual benefits for all concerned and we goon to consider the problems and difficulties they may encounterin practice. We see these initiatives as being ofprime importance to the future development of both thearts and of education.181 Direct For the most part, children come into contact with artistsand indirectly — through experiencing their work. The initiativesindirect we have in mind not only aim to deepen children's undercontactstanding of artists' work but also to bring them into directcontact with artists for joint working projects.182 Current An Arts Council publication on Professional Arts and Schoolsschemes (1980) describes in detail the wide range of existing work inthis area. It concludes that there is probably more going on,and more interest being shown in these ventures, than eventhe most optimistic observer might expect. The Arts Councilpaper is the most detailed description available of theseprojects and we recommend it for fuller background information.Our concern here is with some particular points ofprinciple and with identifying courses of action for thefuture.Ill
We will first outline five main areas of activity. These areclassified not — as in the Arts Council paper — according tothe different art forms, but according to different types ofcontact and organisation. They are:a Artists in Education schemes. These bring practisingartists into schools for specific projects only eg TheArts Council's Writers in Schools scheme.b Arts education companies. These are companies whichhave a primary commitment to educational issues andobjectives eg Theatre in Education.e Arts/education liaison schemes, ie those which areadministered by professional companies — eg EnglishNational Opera and Ballet Rambert — and which aim tofoster links between the companies' work and schoolsthrough education packs, workshops etc.d Arts centrese Other schemes183 Artists Artists in Education schemes now extend across all the majorinart forms. They vary considerably in length and format. WeEducation can distinguish generally between visits and residencies.184 Visits In 1969, the Arts Council, in conjunction with the Departmentof Education and Science, established a scheme toencourage working writers to visit schools, colleges of furtherand higher education and in-service teachers' courses. Writersin Schools provides for single visits, although further visitsmay be arranged. The format and content will vary accordingto the writer and the group concerned — it may be areading, a talk and discussion or a writing workshop. Poetsin Schools is organised by the Poetry Society and funded byW H Smith and Sons Ltd. Not only is this more specialised,it also provides for longer contact between the artist and thegroup. The poet visits the school three times, working eachtime for a whole morning or afternoon with 20 or so childrenwho have shown particular interest in the scheme. Duringthe first two visits he or she aims to stimulate the children'sown writing. After the second visit he or she makes a personalselection from the children's work to be included in ananthology which is produced for the final visit. This is apublic event in the evening for parents, friends and teachersand includes reading of the pupils' and the poet's work. 2Writers on Tour is organised by the Arts Council in conjunctionwith regional arts associations and local educationauthorities. It provides for groups of four writers at a time tovisit the same area, to give public readings in the evening andto visit local schools during the day. The general aim is to112
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8 Children, teachers and artists180 Reasons Lord Redcliffe-Maud (1976) has argued that arts support andfor the arts education are 'natural allies'. We will go further and saychapter that <strong>in</strong> key respects they are <strong>in</strong>ter-dependent: that there isa relationship between the status and levels of support forthe arts <strong>in</strong> education and <strong>in</strong> society as a whole.One of the implications of this, and of our emphasis on therelationships between participation and appreciation, is theneed to foster contacts between the world of professionalarts and that of education — between children, teachers andartists. In recent years there have been many attempts to dothis. In this chapter we outl<strong>in</strong>e the range of these schemes.We discuss the mutual benefits for all concerned and we goon to consider the problems and difficulties they may encounter<strong>in</strong> practice. We see these <strong>in</strong>itiatives as be<strong>in</strong>g ofprime importance to the future development of both thearts and of education.181 Direct For the most part, children come <strong>in</strong>to contact with artistsand <strong>in</strong>directly — through experienc<strong>in</strong>g their work. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiatives<strong>in</strong>direct we have <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d not only aim to deepen children's undercontactstand<strong>in</strong>g of artists' work but also to br<strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong>to directcontact with artists for jo<strong>in</strong>t work<strong>in</strong>g projects.182 Current An <strong>Arts</strong> Council publication on Professional <strong>Arts</strong> and <strong>Schools</strong>schemes (1980) describes <strong>in</strong> detail the wide range of exist<strong>in</strong>g work <strong>in</strong>this area. It concludes that there is probably more go<strong>in</strong>g on,and more <strong>in</strong>terest be<strong>in</strong>g shown <strong>in</strong> these ventures, than eventhe most optimistic observer might expect. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Arts</strong> Councilpaper is the most detailed description available of theseprojects and we recommend it for fuller background <strong>in</strong>formation.Our concern here is with some particular po<strong>in</strong>ts ofpr<strong>in</strong>ciple and with identify<strong>in</strong>g courses of action for thefuture.Ill
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