Learn/ Revival: Exploring contemporary Ceramics, Jewellery and Textile/ 1 May 2009
General Information
The day will include:
• RCA graduate artists from Ceramics, Jewellery and Textiles talking about their work, setting up studios, commissions, exhibitions, teaching, freelance work and their pathways through education to becoming a creative practitioner.
• Taster sessions led by RCA graduates, which will allow you to experiment with Ceramics, Jewellery and Textile materials and techniques. These short making sessions will explore ideas and skills that you could use in the classroom.
• Katy Bevan, Participation and Learning Manager at the Crafts Council to discuss a recent research that outlines how making in the classroom can improve not only creative skills but also concentration, behaviour and problem solving that are relevant in all areas of school life.
• Tours of the RCA studios and workshops to give you a flavour of the breadth of study in the applied arts at Higher Education.
• Discussion and networking with other teachers and links to available resources.
Please bring clothes that you do not mind getting messy or an apron.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Revival – Background
The Royal College of Art is the leading presence in applied arts in the UK. In their professional life many practitioners support their work through educational projects, despite some the applied arts subjects have been named as ‘the endangered arts’ by the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD) and take up at Higher Education level is beginning to be
affected by lack exposure to craft at an age before career and study options are made.
As the national development agency for contemporary crafts in the UK, the Crafts Council promotes a coherent approach to education and professional development to ensure the necessary level of skills progression for the economic and cultural health of the sector.
Through supporting education and professional development, the Crafts Council aims to increase craft activity in formal education and enhance understanding of high quality contemporary crafts. In addition to cross-sectoral partnerships and projects, the Craft Councils’ Handling Collection provides access to craft objects to enhance awareness and learning within
schools by promoting interaction and informal engagement in craft.
ReachOutRCA, the Royal College of Arts outreach programme has teamed up with the Crafts Council to focus on the applied arts in schools; taking artists in to school to work on sustained projects, utilizing equipment such as kilns and working with schools and teachers looking to engage with crafts. We aim to harness the expertise and innovation of RCA applied artists to raise the profile of this practice, and enhance the classroom and school experience of craft.
Last year we launched ‘Revival’ a very successful pilot in 3 London Academies. This year we are repeating the project in 3 more London schools and extending the CPD opportunity to teachers whose schools are not part of the artist in residence programme.
We believe that continued professional development for teachers allows them space and time away from the classroom to revitalize their ideas and methods, gives them the confidence to introduce their students to contemporary makers ensuring craft is seen as relevant and encourages teacher networking.
We aim for our CPD sessions to inspire teachers and in doing so to reach more students who have the potential to be the creative practitioners of the future.
For more information about ReachOutRCA visit their website
For more information about the Royal College of Art visit http://www.rca.ac.uk
For more information about the Crafts Council conatct Katy Bevan
Participation and Learning Manager
Tel: +44 0 207 806 2500
Ticketing Information
£140
Contact Information
Vanessa
Please email reachout@rca.ac.uk to book a place or call on 07944 697 894 if you have any queries.
