John Muir's life and work has inspired people all over the world. Now the Dunbar birthplace of the pioneering conservationist has been transformed into a new visitor attraction. Our family-friendly interpretative centre explores the work and achievements of this remarkable man.
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
ECA is a vibrant and creative community of students and academics: a place of experimentation, exploration, intellectual stimulation and exciting collaborations.
The historic Dunbar Town House, built towards the end of the 16th century, contains what is considered Scotland's oldest functioning Council Chamber.
Spanning a history of more than 400 years, the building has recently been given a 21st century refurbishment and is now open to the public, complete with a brand new museum and gallery exhibition space managed by the Museums Service.
Enjoy a visit to the City Art Centre, a main Edinburgh art gallery with one of the best collections of Scottish art. We show interesting exhibitions from our own collections and from all over the world. We can also tempt you with an attractive shop located on the ground floor.
Oriel Wrecsam is the premier venue for Contemporary Visual and Applied Arts in North East Wales. We are in the process of developing a clearer strategy for the arts in Wrexham.
Gracefield Arts Centre in Dumfries presents a changing programme of exhibitions. These feature regional, national and international artists and craft makers. It also stores a collection of over 600 artworks by Scottish artists or art relating to the region. These are shown in exhibitions throughout the year.
A varied annual programme of exhibitions which showcase the best in contemporary art and craft work.
The gallery forms an excellent venue which plays host to an annual programme of exhibitions ranging from fine art and craft to photography. Many of the arts and crafts displayed are for sale. In addition touring exhibitions are regularly displayed.
This local museum has a regular display which includes social history, trades and craft implements, dolls, toys and a large collection of Ayrshire lace embroidery and local Paisley weaving. There are also regular exhibitions held on specific topics.
Opened in 1901, the Dick Institute is one of the most important cultural venues in the south-west of Scotland, featuring the largest museum and galleries space in Ayrshire as well as East Ayrshire's central library.
The Royal Burgh of Ayr held the Rozelle lands as part of the Barony lands of Alloway until an auction in 1754 to reduce the Burgh debt brought sale of the lands to Robert Hamilton for £2,000. The Hamilton family made their fortune in the sugar and tobacco industries in the West Indies. The first mansion house was finished by 1760 and was in the classical style of Robert Adam.
Built in 1776, the former parish church in Saltcoats, houses our principal museum collection.
The working studio of the famous Montrose sculptor includes displays of his sculptures and etchings
William Lamb was a man who gave all to his art. Worldly success and the politics of art interested him not at all. He may be revealed now as one of the few original minds in Scottish art of this century.
A wide range of objects of artistic, historical and scientific interest
The University has over 30,000 historic artefacts, artworks and specimens acquired during the 134 years of the institution's existence. These are cared for by Museum Services, which has been awarded Full Accreditation as a public museum service.
Exhibitions and Displays
Eight stunning galleries and a changing programme of exhibitions and events
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum is a splendid Gothic Revival-style building housing Dundee’s main collection. McManus’ displays offer a fascinating insight into Dundee, through exhibitions of Art, History and the Environment.
There are 8 galleries within The McManus, which are laid out on two floors.
A lively art gallery and museum
The Meffan Museum and Art Gallery collects objects, photographs and archive material relating to the history of Forfar together with the work of past and contemporary artists reflecting the rich art heritage of Angus.
The collection consists of several thousand objects, paintings and drawings gifted or bequeathed to the museum.
Two galleries above Arbroath Public Library provide changing displays from artworks held in the Angus Council Art Collections, touring exhibitions from elsewhere, and locally generated shows.
One of Aberdeen's oldest buildings and one of the best-preserved 17th century gaols in Scotland
The Tolbooth Museum is one of Aberdeen's oldest buildings and one of the best-preserved 17th century gaols in Scotland. It features displays on local history and the development of crime and punishment through the centuries. The Tolbooth Museum provides a unique experience in the form of its atmospheric 17th and 18th century cells, original doors and barred windows.
University collection: art, design, architecture, pharmacy, engineering collections
The University holds an extensive collection of artistic and historical artefacts. These include paintings, models, teaching equipment, student drawings and photographs that will allow staff, students and visitors to explore Robert Gordon University’s history.
The Museum of Scotland's Catholic Heritage
Blairs Museum contains spectacular collections spanning more than 500 years while the beauty of St. Mary’s Chapel never fails to make an impression.
Blairs Museum is home to a magnificent collection of paintings, church textiles, sacred and domestic silver and Jacobite memorabilia belonging to the Scottish Roman Catholic Church.
Schools
Inspiring Art and Music is a redevelopment project which will transform Aberdeen Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall and The Hall of Remembrance through significant investment in the fabric of the buildings, new exhibition and display galleries and improved facilities for visitors.
The majority of works are in the Pathfoot Building with sculpture on display all around the campus.
Sculpture Trail
Sculpture forms an important part of the University Art Collection.
It can be seen all around the scenic campus.
Nestling beneath Stirling Castle, in the King’s Park, the ancient hunting grounds of the Stuart monarchs, is the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.
A charming, small museum with a warm welcome
A charming, small museum with a warm welcome. Opened in 1943 and run entirely by volunteers, the original museum was known as the Cathedral Museum and was housed in the Deans House (built in 1624). Now extending into 8 small rooms, the museum has an eclectic mix of artefacts relating to the history of Dunblane and its Cathedral.
Museum holds material pertaining to local social, industrial and natural history along with geology and much, much more
Campbeltown Museum offers a unique insight into Campbeltown’s ancient and more modern past. With a fascinating and nationally important Archaeological Collection, the museum describes the creation of the natural landscape of Kintyre and how its first peoples came to Kintyre to farm the area’s fertile lands.
Callendar House dates from the 14th century. It is set in the nationally-important historic designed landscape of Callendar Park, which also contains a section of the Antonine Wall World Heritage Site.
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