As we approach the end of another year, we have taken the opportunity to look back over the last 12 months to find out what the most popular posts were on the blog. Here’s a countdown of the top five posts in 2023...
5. Building cross-departmental connections with Arts Award
As part of our ‘Arts Award in the curriculum’ theme in September, adviser Hayley shared how the art and music departments in her school worked together to deliver Bronze Arts Award to all Year 8 pupils during curriculum time, enabling their pupils to explore a range of art-based techniques and disciplines.
4. Creativity, connectedness and empowerment as a personalised foundation for well-being and learning through Arts Award
Kicking off a month of celebrating neurodiversity in March, Catherine from Significant Seams explained how the young people they work with use the arts to process their life experiences and follow their interests on their own terms. She also talked about the importance of valuing individuals, building trust and community, and how learning is a personal journey.
3. How to get the most from Bronze Part D
Being asked to take the role of workshop leader for the Bronze Part D Arts Skills Share can be a nerve-wracking prospect for some young people. Mariam from Robert Smyth Academy told us about how she approached preparing young people for this part of the award, so that they could do so with confidence. She said that through careful planning, guiding, and engaging the learners, Part D can help students to flourish, develop their confidence and feel the satisfaction of passing on an arts skill successfully.
2. Six unusual art forms that can be part of Arts Award
Doing an Arts Award doesn’t always mean young people have to choose ‘traditional’ art forms as a focus for their arts activity or challenge. As long as you, the adviser, help them focus on the creative elements of an art form - either directly yourself or via a specialised practitioner - there are so many exciting options young people could consider for their Arts Award.
And coming in at number one…
1. Arts Award supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools
Charlotte from Newminster Middle School described how mental health and wellbeing is at the heart of their arts offer and that Arts Award has become a key contributor in terms of the school’s core values. She explained how whole child development is central to inspiring student personal development.
And a few other blog posts you might have missed…
Now that you have had a look at the top five posts that you were reading in 2023, don’t forget the Arts Award blog has a wealth of content for you to explore! The blog will be back in January, continuing to celebrate the arts, education, and the fantastic work of Arts Award centres across the country.
Discover some of our other posts
Using audio: Delivering Arts Award for a young person who identifies as Blind
Beth at Oxford Playhouse told us about her delivery of Bronze Arts Award with Rona Smith, who is a young person who identifies as Blind. She described how her approach is not about disability, but about facilitating ability.
Arts Award: Focus on reflective work being accessible for all
As part of our celebrating neurodiversity theme, Emma from TramShed Inclusive Theatre shared how she uses the word ‘scaffolding’ to help remember tips and techniques that help ensure the reflective work required of all 5 Arts Award levels is accessible for all.
Capturing Craigmillar: working in partnership to deliver Arts Award in the community
In July, our theme on the blog was ‘arts in the community’ and Megan from the University of Edinburgh Heritage Collections explained how their Bronze Arts Award project in collaboration with Craigmillar Library captured what ‘community’ means in many different senses, and how Arts Award helped to inspire young people’s creativity and foster their sense of community in its many forms.
Filmmaking and Arts Award: peer learning
Lesley from Sawston Village College in Cambridgeshire spoke about the value of filmmaking and film screenings at their on-site cinema and how peer learning is supported as part of their Arts Award projects.
Opera, science and sustainability – a global approach celebrated through Arts Award
Kicking off our Sustainability theme in November, Jonathan from The Premier Academy told us about an exciting project where young people worked towards their Arts Award Discover and Explore through learning about space and sustainability, whilst creating an opera linked to these themes.
From all of us in the Arts Award team, we would like to offer you our best wishes for the festive season and a happy and healthy new year!
Photo: Woodcroft Primary School by Ashley Bingham