Fashion Fictions
Ignite Futures explore the sustainable fashion project established in 2020 by Dr Amy Twigger Holroyd. 280 children from a variety of Nottingham schools took part in the first children's iteration of this movement.
Rufford Primary School: What! He’s alive?
Ruth Greaves, the arts lead teacher at Rufford Primary reflects upon the impact that a visit to Djanogly Art Gallery had upon a group of year 3 pupils.
Old Basford School: Creativity is blossoming
Jayne Thomas, the Creativity Collaboratives Lead Teacher at Old Basford, uses horticultural images to discuss how teaching for creativity has taken root in her school.
Creative Playtimes
Welbeck Primary has embarked on a Creative Play project to nurture sporting, creative and imaginative skills at breaktime. Beginning in Jan 2024, Welbeck's playground transformation project is impacting children's playtime by offering more varied opportunities for play.
Written by Prof Chris Hall, April 2024
'Bring them into the World of the Story': a creative approach to parental engagement
Strong partnerships with parents and carers are a key aim for any school. Delve into some of the practical strategies emerging from Nottingham's Creativity Collaboratives project at Greenfields Community School.
Youth Partnership Lab, March 2024
On Monday 18 March 2024, 20 young creatives gathered at Antenna to meet and share thoughts on how they could work together to make Nottingham's art opportunities more accessible to more young people. Organised by Connecting Notts, our youth cultural partnership.
Nottingham's Year of Stories
In November 2023, Nottingham's new Central Library opened its doors to the public. This long-awaited opening was celebrated across the city with lots of activities to celebrate storytelling with Nottingham's Year of Stories. Watch a couple of videos we created with partners on the importance of stories, featuring National Literacy Trust champions and pupils from Djanogly Strelley Primary, supported by Lakeside Arts.
The Real Science in Schools Symposium
As part of the Festival of Science and Curiosity 2024, Ignite! Futures welcomed 100 pupils from ten schools for a day of science and creativity.
Creativity Collaboratives Case Studies
Creativity Collaboratives is a 3 year schools led programme researching approaches to 'Teaching for Creativity'. Read blog posts written by Jemmie Corrie following interviews with Rosehill School, Welbeck School, Carrington Primary and Southglade Primary.
Exploring Possibilities at Nottingham Playhouse
A new 'Universities for Nottingham' trainee teachers programme - exploring creativity in teaching practice and connecting with arts venues and creative practitioners! Read this first blog from Aisling Walters (Secondary English PGCE course lead at NTU) to see how the group got on with learning improvisation techniques for the classroom!
In conversation with Hannah Barrs, Nottingham Music Hub, by Noah Clifton
Noah Clifton meets Hannah Barrs and learns more about the work of Nottingham Music Hub. “You are part of this city, you are the culture of this city, this is your journey.”
Creating Connections: National Justice Museum
An interview with Ste Oliver, the National Justice Museum’s Learning Manager, exploring some of their projects with schools and their connections to arts, culture and education within Nottingham and beyond.
Creating Connections: New Art Exchange
Building understanding and empathy between young people from different cultural backgrounds, from different schools in Nottingham and outside the city.
Theatre for Schools: New Perspectives: Shhh...akespeare
New Perspectives creating theatre experiences for children - Shakespeare in schools and online.
Schools of Tomorrow: Nottingham Contemporary
Nottingham Contemporary's three year action research project with seven city primary schools, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation
Storyparks: Nottingham City Library Service
From secret dens in five city parks to an online library of creative workshops and storytelling, hear about how the idea came about.
Literacy Champions : National Literacy Trust
The National Literacy Trust improving literacy levels.
Young Producers: City Arts
Young Producers - a group for young and emerging artists aged 18 to 30
Inspiring Stories from our Partners
Lakeside Arts: Action Research Project - THINGAMABOBAS
Lakeside Arts: Action Research Project - THINGAMABOBAS
Lakeside Arts: Action Research Project - THINGAMABOBAS
Lakeside Arts, the University of Nottingham’s public art programme, began an exciting new partnership with Djanogly Strelley Academy. Introduced by ChalleNGe, all parties are committed to working together to build a new long-term relationship involving Lakeside’s team, artists, staff and students at the University, and the staff and students at the School. Together they are exploring new ways of working: in school; on site in University academic departments; at Lakeside; and online with global partners in order to develop and strengthen a shared understanding of how creativity can add value within the core curriculum. Continue reading.
Experimenting with Sculpture and Painting CPD
Lakeside Arts: Action Research Project - THINGAMABOBAS
Lakeside Arts: Action Research Project - THINGAMABOBAS
Exploring themes of the exhibitions through art making and discussion, teachers from Primary and Secondary schools and the University of Nottingham created collaborative sculptures in the galleries and experimented with different ways of looking through photography. All of Nottingham Contemporary’s practical activities can be delivered in the classroom.
'Challenging ideas of what art is and how we can teach it.' Teacher CPD attendee. Nottingham Contemporary regularly run free CPD events for teachers, exploring the galleries and taking part in practical workshops with Contemporary's team of artists, with a chance to try out resources and network with colleagues. See Contemporary's What's On page and contact learn@nottinghamcontemporary.org
Ignite! celebrate Ada Lovelace Day
Nottingham Contemporary: Schools of Tomorrow
Nottingham Contemporary: Schools of Tomorrow
Each year Ignite! mark Ada Lovelace Day with over 250 young female students from Nottinghamshire secondary schools hearing about the life experiences of a dozen women researchers and scientists. Ignite! use the celebration of Nottinghamshire's own Ada Lovelace Day as an annual opportunity to encourage more young women to consider STEM for higher study and careers.
Nottingham Contemporary: Schools of Tomorrow
Nottingham Contemporary: Schools of Tomorrow
Nottingham Contemporary: Schools of Tomorrow
Nottingham Contemporary has been working in collaboration with eight city schools as part of the Schools of Tomorrow project. The project explored how artists and teachers working together can inform and shape how we nurture and teach creativity in schools. The programme supported core skills for learning, specifically; speaking, collaboration, critical thinking and leadership and used creativity to build joy, confidence and pride in children and their communities. The aim is to shift creativity from the classroom into the whole school and beyond, not only engaging students and teachers, but also school leaders and whole school communities. Find out more.