ART MATTERS
Art Matters is a two year programme where the Manchester Artist Teacher Collective has undertaken action research to rediscover our arts practice, deepen making skills and embed our work in Manchester’s arts ecology.
We were delighted to have been awarded £50,000 from Freeland Foundation to support the collective to work with local artists, studios and gallery spaces to develop and share educational and artistic expertise. We have been able to connect with contemporary practices and respond to current concerns in the region, offering inspiration and informed approaches that centre young people, highlighting their local cultural ecology and future opportunities.
The focus of this continuing professional development programme is to support and demonstrate that Art Matters. The collective works in depth with Manchester's visual arts organisations and individuals to reconnect with our own personal arts practice and identify a relatable and relevant curriculum for the children and young people of our city. We have been developing case studies and data to demonstrate the vital role art plays in the curriculum and use this to advocate for this increasingly sidelined subject.
Throughout the programme we have worked with 11 artist teachers and their case studies have seen them engage in skills based training in processes spanning printmaking, ceramics, textiles, and digital art. They have engaged directly with at least 20 Manchester based practitioners, by taking part in bespoke group workshops and one-to-one mentoring. The artist teachers have engaged with Manchester organisations including Altogether Otherwise, 42nd Street, Fred Aldous, GRIT Studios, Paradise Works, ESEA Contemporary, and we have developed an ongoing partnership with Hot Bed Press.
ARTIST TEACHER TESTIMONIES
‘The dual process of refreshing old skills and learning new ones has been profoundly rewarding, reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between being an artist and an educator’
‘My personal project was helping me to recognise what it feels like to be creative again and how the journey is filled with peaks and troughs. It made me reconnect with myself and my students, recognising the feelings of excitement and disappointment’
‘I still have a long way to go on this creative path but it feels so liberating to have made a start. It has been a wonderful experience so far. The programme has literally forced me to make this beginning’