On Friday 10 January, over 200 arts teachers and other educational professionals participated in a major new national conference co-funded by Kusuma Trust. The event, jointly produced by RSC Education and Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning, was designed to help those working in schools to develop a curriculum that successfully embeds the arts within the new Ofsted framework.
The inspiring opening address was given by the artist Bob and Roberta Smith. They presented a new ‘Constitution for the Arts’ aimed at promoting access to the arts as a human right and as embedded in the UN Charter on the rights of the Child. Inspiring the audience they said: ‘We share knowledge and we widen the circle of knowledge. Through art, we can fall in love across generations. Art teaches curiosity. Look, listen, make things, sing your song. Every voice matters. Your voice needs you’.
The rest of the day gave attendees the chance to listen to more experts and participate in workshops on ways in which they can promote arts education through creative writing, drama, dance, music, the visual arts and of course Shakespeare. The event was a huge success and we are delighted to have been able to support this inspiring and thought-provoking event. Our Head of Research, Christine Oliver, attended the event on behalf of the Trust.
