Dulwich Picture Gallery is the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery: it was founded in 1811 when Sir Francis Bourgeois RA bequeathed his collection of old masters “for the inspection of the public”.
Art
Art
Culture enriches lives, and participation in creative and cultural activities can have a significant impact on young people, by developing their appreciation, their skills and helping them to learn.
This has been shown repeatedly in international studies, and has also been backed up by recent evaluations of major programmes such as Creative Partnerships and Museums’ Strategic Commissioning. What these evaluations have shown is that culture and the arts can help young people achieve all of the Every Child Matters outcomes.
Cultural activities also gives young people the chance to develop important life skills such as creativity.
As well as being valuable and enjoyable in its own right, participation in cultural activities also gives young people the chance to develop important life skills such as creativity, confidence, self-discipline, effective communication and the ability to work in teams. These skills are particularly important in a world of rapid technological and social change where the cultural and creative industries are increasingly important to our economic future.
That is why a commitment was made in the Children’s Plan to work towards a position where all children and young people — no matter where they live or what their background — have the chance to participate in at least five hours of high-quality culture per week, in and out of school. The Find Your Talent programme looks at different ways of offering young people a range of cultural experiences.
The aim is to give young people the chance to develop as:
- informed spectators (through attending top quality theatre and dance performances, world class exhibitions, galleries, museums and heritage sites)
- participants and creators (through learning a musical instrument, playing and singing in ensembles, taking part in theatre and dance performances, producing artwork, making films and media art, or curating an exhibition).
Arts and cultural activities are also an important stimulus to develop young people’s creativity. Learning Outside the Classroom activities which give children and young people the opportunity to work on real-life challenges; handle risk; develop their capacity to think imaginatively and creatively; define and explore complex problems; use and adapt multiple resources both within their community and beyond in order to experiment and devise solutions to these problems — all of these experiences nurture the mix of thinking, imagining, facing the unknown and making things happen which are the ingredients of creativity.
School Art and Design courses provide students with a wide range of creative, exciting and stimulating opportunities to explore their artistic interests and design skills in ways that are personally relevant.
All schools aim to develop students’ ability to engage in practical ways with the processes of Art and Design. And at examination level all courses build on students’ innate creative skills through learning and doing in order to develop imaginative ways of working. They aim to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of media, materials and technologies in historical and contemporary contexts, societies and cultures.
The educational visits that can enhance the learning experiences outside the classroom obviously include art galleries and studios, but there are now many opportunities to have hands-on experiences in a variety of skills, including sculpture, wood carving, furniture making, weaving, jewelry making, and pottery.
The BBC offer a fabulous section of their website called Your Paintings. It boasts a superb schools section which grew out of a Your Painitings Masterpieces in Schools event that took place across the country. The event gave thousands of UK school children the opportunity to experience great art close-up when a masterpiece visited their schools for the day. To support the project the BBC have curated a host of online resources including: slideshows of paintings with ideas for use in the classroom; profiles of careers in the art world; and a guide to artistic styles and movements. These cover many areas of the curriculum including History, Music, Geography, English and Drama as well as Art.
Main organisations:
National Society for Education in Art and Design
National Foundation for Educational Research
Inclusion: NASEN, and the Royal Academy of Arts runs regular sensory workshops for SEN students.
Thought of visiting?
Cardiff Art Gallery at the National Museum Cardiff
Keith Harding’s World of Mechanical Music, Gloucester
Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mill, Derbyshire
Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville, Leicestershire
Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
The National Stone Centre, Wirksworth
Articles about Art, Education and Trips on SchoolTripsAdvisor
Find out about the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition: Real Tudors: Kings & Queens Rediscovered
Venues for this Curriculum
School visitors to the the Design Museum follow an Explore Design Museum Family Trail, featuring The Thinkerer. With the help of The Thinkerer kids, and adults, can get the most from their visit to the museum.
Preparatory visits must be booked in advance through the Learning Administrator. You will be entitled to one free visit per booking.
Outset Contemporary Art Fund is a philanthropic organisation dedicated to supporting new art by bringing private funding from its patrons, partners and trustees to public museums and art projects. Since the inception of Outset England in 2003 the foundation has raised £4 million and supported more than 80 international institutions and 160 artists.
The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to collect portraits of famous British men and women. Explore over 195,000 portraits from the 16th Century to the present day.
The primary collection dates back to the 17th Century, but we also have special collections dedicated to the First World War, Virginia Woolf, the Real Tudors and the annual BP Portrait award.
Opened in September 2008, the F.E. McWilliam Gallery & Studio celebrates the work of the sculptor, Frederick Edward McWilliam, who was born in Newry Street, Banbridge on 30 April 1909. A contemporary and friend of Henry Moore, McWilliam made his name in London and established a reputation as one of the most important sculptors of his generation.
With free access to over 2,300 paintings from altarpieces to the Impressionists, there's something for everyone at the National Gallery, in the heart of London.
Come to Kew and explore the world’s most famous botanic garden. Just 30 minutes from central London, Kew Gardens boasts breathtaking landscapes, iconic glasshouses, historic buildings and rare and beautiful plants. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Something new to discover at every turn
History comes to life at Mont Orgueil Castle, which for 600 years protected Jersey against French invasion. Explore the network of staircases, towers and secret rooms to discover hidden treasures. Please note, the main gate access to the castle may be closed due to building work. There is alternative access from the footpath along Gorey Pier.
The Guernsey Tapestry is a modern tapestry with each panel showing a 100 years of the history is the island. It took over 2 years (at 25 hours per week) to sew!
You and your children can learn about each panel using the audio guide (included in the price). This is available in French and German as well as English, so you have a choice for any budding linguists!
Whatever the season there's always something new to see....
Let your imagination run riot among the unusual plants, colours, sculptures and magical features in one of the most beautiful gardens in Northern Ireland.
Established in 1753, the British Museum in London is dedicated to human history and culture.
It is now the most popular tourist attraction in the UK, with over 6 million visitors each year.
At the heart of our cultural learning offer is access to excellence for everyone across all of the WAVE venues.
Conderton Pottery is a small family run ceramics studio and gallery set in a gorgeous quintessentially English garden and orchard. The artisan pots are made for cooking and presenting food as well as gardening - reflecting the two passions of the ever entertaining potter Toff Milway. There are many lovely walks in the surrounding countryside.
The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury offers a varied programme covering all aspects of the arts:
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Drama, Comedy, Ballet, Musicals
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Films
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Events
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Live Music
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Workshops
We have lots of exciting live events at The Roses
Natural History - Heritage - Living Voices
A unique museum in a row of extraordinary 15th century timber framed buildings. Explore the countryside with our natural history collection and come face to face with some of the country’s most secretive animals. Be inspired by the writings of John Moore, a renowned conservationist, and enjoy the seclusion of the Secret Garden.
A visit to Northampton Museum and Art Gallery will give you the opportunity to explore the amazing shoe collection recognised as a collection of national importance. You can also find out about the history of Northampton and see our excellent art and ceramics collection.
Education Programme for Schools
With nine permanent galleries, two exhibition galleries and hundreds of events and activities throughout the year, the City Museum and Art Gallery also provides an education service for schools, colleges, universities, pre-school children and young people, plus outreach and access services for community groups and adults.
Immerse yourself in the world famous story of Irish emigration at the museum that brings it to life. Follow the emigrant trail as you journey from the thatched cottages of Ulster, on board a full scale emigrant sailing ship leading to the log cabins of the American Frontier. Meet an array of costumed characters on your way with traditional crafts to show, tales to tell and food to share.
Discovery Centres are modern, welcoming and friendly with a modern library service at the heart ... with books, information, music, DVDs and talking books for all ages and tastes.
Located at Carsington Water Visitor Centre, the Wildlife Discovery Room and Wildlife Explorer's Outdoor Classroom provide plenty of opportunities for learning.
The Gallery @ Gosport Discovery Centre hosts a wide variety of exhibitions and events from shows of the finest local artists to exhibitions drawing on the rich museum collections held by Gosport and Hampshire. It is fast becoming a regional venue for major exhibitions on loan from our national museums and collections.
A fun family venue where you and your family can come and discover your creative side. We have a spacious studio downstairs where whilst painting your pottery you can relax and have delicious cake and coffee.
Maritime Museum
If you would like to discover more about Hull’s maritime heritage, come and enjoy free admission to the city’s Maritime Museum.
The Historic Dockyard, Chatham is a fully accredited museum and partner in Renaissance South East, the South East Museum hub.
We collect, preserve, study and exhibit objects and material connected with the history of:
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The people who worked in, or were associated with, Chatham Dockyard
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