So pleased to see artist and walker Tim Ridley' Art Walks growing from strength to strength with Art Walk #2. of his summer artist in residency on Epsom & Ashtead Common going really well.
Read all about it via his webblog for the project - Artwalks Epsom and Ashtead common: SECOND ARTWALK: Yesterday we had almost the perfect weather for the second Artwalk of 2013.
Follow the chitter chatter via Twitter @tim_ridley
Use hashtags #artwalks #artistwalks #epsom #ashtead #common
See you for the next Art Walk #. 3 1st September 2013 - BOOK your free places via http://timridleyartwalks2013.eventbrite.co.uk/
Join in Tim's Facebook page for the project https://www.facebook.com/TimRidleyArtistWalks
Monday, 29 July 2013
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Catch a copy of 'To Catch A Rabbit' 18th/19th July 2013 on Helen Cadbury...
How??
For today (18th July 2013) and tomorrow (19th July 2013) To Catch a Rabbit is on very special offer!
Free Kindle download day!
I have known and been working with Helen since 2009 and it's so amazing to she how her focus, determination and vision have manifested 'To Catch A Rabbit' - a crime novel based in the UK which has very strong chances of making it onto a TV screen near you very soon...
Check out Helen's website http://helencadbury.com/
Check out Moth Publishing's website http://www.mothpublishing.com/?page_id=8
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
New curriculum = rubbish day for creative learning & education
A picture speaks a 100o words, right?
Well here's what I think about the newly released national and particularly creative subjects curriculum served up by Mr. Gove, Secretary of State for Education.
I don't get his thinking and can't see how he and his team have the bare face cheek to release the curriculum whilst it so clearly has not been created in relation to what most teachers and educators believe is needed for our current and future learners.
We must keep speaking out, sharing about this deliberate shun of both common sense, a well rounded creative curriculum across all subjects and what this means for our children's basic human rights.
At a time when so many people are becoming more sedentary and unwell through lack of physical exercise to leave dance out as a distinct art form is foolhardy and will prove costly in terms of personal physical and mental health and collective spend in health care in the coming years.
Equally to leave out to film and drama in such a way leaves me cold given how well our theatre and film industries have been doing in the last few years. These industries are part of our global exports and a creator of much needed jobs, income and taxes. So one wonders what Gove sees will replace these if our students don't have the access to the subjects and be able to access HE & FE post school without the basic grounding in these subjects.
To have such low level of linking up of the curriculum to the creative industries shows just how little joined up thinking there is within this government.
No wonder more and more employability courses are being taught as pupils are being left ill equipped to face into their futures whatever career pathways they chose.
These measures also buy into the 'intern' culture so many companies use to 'give' young people the real life skills needed to work in business, well as long as it's for free.
I find the time, energy and investment in bringing into being this 'new' curriculum an utter shame on Gove and his teams and one that we and future generations will be paying for in so many ways.
I do agree with Karl Wozny's comment;
"Gove has not taken any notice of Henley or recognised Rose or Cambridge Reviews, all of which champion the arts in education. Gove has also failed to listen to teachers, the people on the front line. Which school in their right mind would want this curriculum? I guess Academies and Free Schools can choose to opt out, and many schools are already choosing independent Curriculums like IPC. The only good thing I can see here is that it's up to arts organisations to help liven up this new uninspiring curriculum and we can hope to trust in schools to enable this and that extra funds promised by Gove to do this will be given. I think schools should follow the Australuan system whereby every parent pays around £100 a year into a 'pot' so that their children get a continuous steady flow of cultural enrichment. Those that can't pay can have it funded by Pupil Premium. I think it's time to take control and try different methods.
Karl Wozny 09 July 2013"
Karl Wozny 09 July 2013"
But don't just want to get into business mode of seeing this as an opportunity to make in roads into the massive gaps left by Gove's new structures.
I want us to keep pushing this Government to see society as a well rounded whole. One where not everyone has the means or background to find it easy to access the additional measures and schemes he is suggesting... i.e. weekend creative clubs hosted in local universities. Many parents of children today, and likely more so in the future, did not have a good relationship with their own schooling, let alone the funding to access FE/HE so we are being called to look at the issues raised by the new curriculum together, creatively and in 360 degree fashion so it really reflects all of today's learners and the many challenges they and we face.
Read more about the latest changes via The Cultural Learning Alliance website - thankful this organisation exists to keep us all updated on the changes.
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