ArTELIER: 25th September at The Underwood Centre led by Andy Vagg.
This session was themed Building the value of the creative arts in education, Developing a creative culture within a school environment, that has a focus on creativity, social cohesion, exploring ideas and problem solving. Also: A look at the role of the artist in the residence style of program.
Provocateur: Eric Booth joined us from the USA
Eric Booth calls himself “the oldest living teaching artist” but others call him “the father of the teaching artist profession. “A Teaching Artist is a practicing artist whose teaching is part of that practice. Teaching Artists don't necessarily have education degrees, but they might. Teaching Artists are role models for lifestyle, discipline, and skill. They pass on an oral and experiential tradition in ways of thinking, seeing, and being”
http://ericbooth.net/category/teaching-arts/#
Eric spoke passionately about the importance of the teaching artists and the changing demands on artists over time particularly in terms of shifts post market crash of 2008 in the USA.
He shared his ideas of the prime goals of a teaching artist being:
· To activate the artistry of others
· To have faith in the creative powers of others
· To become guiders
· To shine a light on what others personal relevance is
· To bring out the strengths in each person
· To re-dress the balance of process and product
He ruminated that the teachings artists job is “to find GREAT QUESTIONS – The highest quality questions, remembering that there are no questions with a single answer” and explained in brief his 80% law that “being the fullest, best artist is most important as students observe that and absorb it.”
He spoke much of the value of reflection, “If we do not reflect on our experiences we do not learn from them”
Eric ended by speaking about preparation, that it is of primary importance to demand prep time before work begins and that this is becoming a norm in the USA.
Shared practice:
Tullia Chung Tilley as a teacher and dancer spoke on possible avenues for teaching artists to think about ways of presenting projects to schools that fit the curriculum. She unpacked the school curriculum for us explaining that projects that are integrated with, and help cover the curriculum, are often welcomed. She gave examples of STEAM practice and guided us in a physical activity exploring literacy and movement.
In thinking about youth Tullia posed the question of how do we skill young people for their future? She introduced the acronym VUCA: Volatile, Uncertainty, Complex, Ambiguity and proposed a flip of Velocity, Unorthodoxy, Collaboration, Agility as ways of thinking about developing strategy.
Andy Vagg’s plastic toys
Andy Vagg, experienced local teaching artist spoke to us about the many projects and experiences within schools sharing with us a video made of his experience as artist in residence at Bridgewater High School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZkTn90W5qA
Andy led us in a simple and profound activity, Plastic Fantastic, that he has refined to its essence over some time to enable multiple and complex activities and learnings to arise within groups.
Andy and Tullia then hosted a Long Table discussion with curly questions about our impact as artists and working within organisations.
Saran Wright at The Long Table
Simon Spain & Victoria Ryle Report from ITAC4 IN NYC where they presented with Leigh Tesch. The conference theme was Artist as Instigator: The Role, Responsibility and Impact of Artists in Global Communities http://www.itac-conference.com/conference/itac4/