Creative Classrooms

Creative Classrooms: Overview

The Creative Classrooms strategy provides a holistic platform upon which Gallery Services is able to develop, implement and monitor a series of programs targeted at primary, secondary and tertiary students and arts educators in the Townsville Region.

The Creative Classrooms programs have allowed Gallery Services to undertake activities outside of the traditional confines of the gallery environment and provide a content rich, diverse and engaging program of activities and opportunities for youth and arts educators which has stimulated and enriched visual arts education in our region.

Significant development towards the delivery of this platform was undertaken in 2013/14. This development included the initiation of a new Creative Classrooms Program, the Young Indigenous Printmakers, which was developed to provide avenues for artistic and cultural learning for Indigenous students in the Townsville region through engaging local Indigenous artists and a continued collaboration with Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and Gallery Services. Young Indigenous Printmakers has seen an increase in creative expression and has encouraged community capacity building, well-being and resilience for these students.

Further, there has been a greater emphasis on the education resources developed and made available through Gallery Services’ online platforms with the resources aligning with the Visual Arts and school curriculum. Gallery Services has also made a concerted effort to involve and consider arts educators in the development of programs; through direct communication with relevant teachers, by attending and presenting content to regular Queensland Art Teachers Association (QATA) meetings; and by referencing relevant curricula during the development of education resources that reflect Gallery Services’ exhibitions and programs. This has also been achieved by inviting a collaborative and formal consultation process between Gallery Services and visual art teachers to better develop Creative Classrooms programs to their needs.

In order to overcome ever-present issues of access which limit the ability of schools to interact with the region’s peak arts institutions, Gallery Services has implemented a program of activities targeted at both primary and secondary schools which are undertaken within the classroom setting.

These programs, namely Artist-In-Schools, Art-InA-Suitcase, Guest Lecture Series and the new Young Indigenous Printmakers will see Gallery Services reach every primary and secondary school within a financial year in order to engage students with art and promote life-long learning and interest in the field, thus ensuring the development of best-practice Visual Arts programs within Gallery Services and School settings.

Furthermore, Creative Classrooms programs will see an increase in tertiary student placement to observe and assist with Gallery Services’ activities and operational roles via an internship program. Such initiatives and partnerships will nurture developing relationships between Gallery Services and Tertiary Institutions through the provision of information through Guest Lecture’s, Gallery tours and workshops and the dissemination of information to students about Gallery Services roles, educational programs and exhibition resources.

Gallery Services Creative Classrooms programs foster a relationship between, and continued learning opportunity for, community education groups, namely the University of the Third Age (U3A). Gallery Services provides monthly Gallery Tours and discussions with these groups, relating to exhibitions and programs.

Opposite is a breakdown of the major programs and initiatives conducted under the Creative Classrooms strategy. These programs only encompass the major activities undertaken by Gallery Services during the 2013/2014 period.