Art School Announces Next Events In New Series Bringing Together The Arts Industry And Education Sector

Art School, the new company being set up to support the education sector and arts industry to come together to improve and protect arts education has announced its next two events in its first initiative.

Following the inaugural event in the year long series of talks, which included Olivier Award winning director John Tiffany, who recently directed "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and is an Associate Director at The Royal Court Theatre, the next two events will take place on 29th November and 7th December.

On 29th November, from 6pm, speakers will include The Diversity School Initiative, set up by to campaign for increased diversity in drama schools, Oxford University academic Helen Campbell Pickford, who was co-author of the influential "In Battalions" survey into new writing in theatres which former Culture Minister Ed Vaizey credited with leading to tax changes, and London Drama, the professional association for drama teachers in London.

On 7th December speakers will include the Bacc for the Future campaign, the influential campaign for EBacc to include creative subjects, Titilola Dawudu, who is currently part of the Artistic Director Leadership Programme's "Leaders of Tomorrow" scheme and runs Stages to promote young girls in drama, and Daniel Harrison, Chair of WhatNext? Generation, who also works at The Young Vic Theatre.

The free events are open to teachers, education leaders, the arts industry, students and artists who would like to teach and anyone who would like to find out more about what work is going on in terms of arts education, hear the speakers' thoughts on their work, what's working and what's not in arts education, and hear their advice and recommendations for how to improve and protect arts education.

The events will also be audio recorded for a book to be passed to the government to advocate for the need to protect arts education at the end of the project.

Jennifer Tuckett, Co-Director of Art School, said: "With EBacc not including creative subjects, the lowest uptake of art subjects at GCSE level for a decade, the closure of arts A levels such as Creative Writing which comes to an end this year and a decrease in the uptake of arts subjects at university level, it feels important to take action now. We hope this series of events will bring together the education sector and arts industry to share their work, their thoughts, advice and recommendations."

David Evan Giles, Co-Director of Art School, said: "If the creative industries are to continue to be the powerhouse of Britain's economy, it is extremely worrying that we are setting up our schools and universities to provide less education in these incredibly valuable subjects. It seems to me now is the time to work together to ensure the future of arts education, which ensures the future not only of the creative industries but also of skills which are valuable for all jobs and adult-life."

Other Art School speakers include composer Hannah Kendall, who recently composed for Chineke! at BBC Proms and has been BBC Radio 3's composer of the week and teaches at the Royal Academy of Music, Mulberry School, which won the first Fringe First awarded for a schools production, Guardian Higher Education Network Editor Rachel Hall, former parliamentary researcher, fashion stylist and founder of Fashion Roundtable Tamara Cincik, former Head of Film at Creative England and film producer Caroline Cooper Charles, Olivier Award winning director John Tiffany and founder of Actor Awareness Tom Stocks, amongst others.

The new company will also be announcing more information on its other initiatives to support the education sector and arts industry to come together to improve and protect arts education shortly, including an associate producer scheme to help improve the transition from studying to working in the arts.

Free tickets for Art Schools' 29th November event can be booked at: https://artschool-november29th.eventbrite.co.uk.

Free tickets for 7th December can be booked at: https://artschool-december7th.eventbrite.co.uk.

For more information on Art School and to sign up to the mailing list to be kept informed of future events, please go to: www.artschool.space.

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