As the days slowly lengthen, we can let ourselves feel a sense of opening outwards once again, and it is with that mindset that we’d like to share AccessArt’s aims and intents for 2023.
Three words help define our continued direction for 2023: appetite, understanding and demand.
Appetite
We want to help create an appetite, or desire, for the visual arts. A feeling that, in whatever form, “art offers me something that I can value”. The most rewarding emails we receive are often the ones from teachers telling us that staff are “excited to teach art again” and that pupils “are talking about what they have made”.
Understanding
There is sometimes an assumption that when we teach or facilitate art, it might somehow not be as rigorous as other subjects. It is true to say that art is a unique subject, with its own requirements in terms of teaching and learning, but our approach should be no less rigorous than any other subject. Art offers us very special benefits, and develops very particular skills and experiences. It is vital that as well as building subject knowledge, we also develop subjective knowledge about what it is to be a creative human being.
Demand
Finally, by creating appetite and understanding, we create demand. Or perhaps we should write DEMAND – because we need to shout louder about the fact that “art” (making it, talking about it, looking at it) is important. Humans think and act creatively, and if we do not find ways to nurture creativity in those around us (and in ourselves), then we are depriving individuals and society of something which is fundamental and critical to our development.
As AccessArt continues to grow and reach new audiences, our aim is to use our position to help create more opportunity for all. That means more opportunities for:
• Pupils and students to receive high quality arts education
• Educators to understand and enjoy teaching art
• Experts in their field to engage with audiences
• Life-long learners to feel able to explore their creative potential
• Artists to share their work and approaches
• And more opportunities to work together with other partners to help change policy and practice at all levels.
Key areas of focus for AccessArt for 2023 include:
• Continued development of resources and CPD for Primary teachers.
• Development of resources and approaches for Secondary schools.
• Celebration and sharing of the impact AccessArt has on visual arts education, including work made in schools, as a way to help gather evidence and further impact policy and practice.
• Connected thinking between all educational settings including life-long learning.
• Exploration of the purposes and benefits of art/creativity, including the roles and responsibilities of artists to our society.
To help us to move into this next phase, we are pleased to announce AccessArt has become a member of the Council for Subject Associations and that we have also appointed Trevor Horsewood as Business Manager.
“I’ve been a huge fan of AccessArt and their work for years, so I am really excited to be joining such a great team, and looking forward to working with the AccessArt community and members.” Trevor
Paula Briggs, CEO and Creative Director, AccessArt
January 2023
This is a sample of a resource created by UK Charity AccessArt. We have over 1500 resources to help develop and inspire your creative thinking, practice and teaching.
AccessArt welcomes artists, educators, teachers and parents both in the UK and overseas.
We believe everyone has the right to be creative and by working together and sharing ideas we can enable everyone to reach their creative potential.
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