The Freelands Foundation occupies the Tate Exchange asking, “What is an Art Teacher?”

Date
3 April 2017

The Freelands Foundation, an enterprise which supports artists and cultural institutions, is currently occupying the Tate Exchange space until 4 April 2017.

Created in partnership with Institute of Education and University College London, the event displays the foundation’s mission “to broaden audiences for the visual arts and to enable all young people to engage actively with the creation and enjoyment of art”.

The occupation includes an installation created by PGCE students of the Institute of Education, which “challenges our understanding and perception of spaces for learning, as well as a programme of provocative discussions, workshops and film screenings”. These panel discussions will raise questions such as “What is an Art Teacher?”, a drop-in parent’s evening, workshops for families and film screenings by students.

Henry Ward, Head of Education at The Freelands Foundation explains: “The UK has a tremendous global reputation for the cultural contribution it makes, from the visual arts and design through to music, drama and film. The current emphasis however on a narrow core in our school curriculum is endangering this, and now, more than ever, it is vital that we recognise the value that art education brings to society.” Therefore this event displays the importance of “investing in art teachers at the very beginning of their careers,” he continues. “The work we are doing is about critically evaluating the practice of the art teacher and the spaces that art education occupies.”

Above
Left

Oli Cowling: The Freelands Foundation

Right

Oli Cowling: The Freelands Foundation

Above

Oli Cowling: The Freelands Foundation

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About the Author

Lucy Bourton

Lucy (she/her) is the senior editor at Insights, a research-driven department with It's Nice That. Get in contact with her for potential Insights collaborations or to discuss Insights' fortnightly column, POV. Lucy has been a part of the team at It's Nice That since 2016, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication.

lb@itsnicethat.com

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