School bell rings for artists

The Artists in Schools programme was cut in this year’s budget and its demise nearly went under the radar until artists and teachers raised and discussed it online.  The Big Idea asked Education Minister Anne Tolley why it was cut and hears from a Northland artist and Visual Arts HOD about how the project made a difference to their students, school and community.  

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Artists in Schools put professional dance, drama, music, or visual artists in a school for 10 weeks to generate innovative ways to enhance the arts and cross-curriculum engagement for students and teachers. 

The Ministry of Education programme, at a cost of $600,000 per year, funded artists in primary and secondary schools throughout New Zealand and is half way through its second year. It funded 48 schools last year and 45 this year – although up to 200 schools applied for funding each year.

Education Minister Anne Tolley told The Big Idea that the programme would not be reinstated or reviewed and there were no plans ‘at this time’ to create similar programmes in the future.

“The decision to end the Artists in Schools programme was taken because in tough economic times, the Government is focusing on its core spending priorities for the education system - these are raising literacy and numeracy and increasing the numbers of pupils leaving school with educational qualifications. While this programme may well have had value, it does not contribute directly to these core education priorities.”

The Big Idea talked to Dargaville artist Simon Gray who says visual literacy is just as crucial, especially in today’s visual world. He argues that creativity, innovation and participation should be supported, not cut, during a tight economic climate. Along with other professionals and organisations, including Artists Alliance, he is determined to not let it disappear without some noise and recognition of how it delivered to the arts curriculum and met core education priorities.

“We need to make sure that the arts in schools and in our communities are given the recognition that they are crucial to our schools and communities development, not an added extra.”
- Pimp My School blog post June 14.

The Artist and the School

As the school term came to a close Simon Gray packed up the small shed that had become his makeshift ‘artists in residence’ home at Dargaville High School.

He set up the shed, not as a requirement of the programme, but as a space for the Year 10 students to work on their projects in their spare time.  The shed itself became a collective of work, as the students ‘graffitied the walls’ – a process which included negotiating for space and respecting others work. 

It carried on the theme of the term-long project where the local artist, in collaboration with the art department, encouraged the students to consider their school environment, develop and design an idea for an installation, plan and seek permission, and find creative solutions to barriers. A skill and practical necessity for a working artist that would not necessarily be taught until the senior art curriculum. 

“They work through the whole process and discover art isn’t just about painting or print making – they have to be creative and innovative with ideas.  That creativity and problem solving is also transferable to any area of the curriculum.”

He said it allowed visually literate students, who may not be otherwise recognised within the education system, to develop their skills and have an outlet. It also encouraged participation and confidence, which has cross-curriculum benefits.

Collaboration, within the school walls and wider community, is a key aspect and one that Gray says fits and supports the education curriculum.

The final projects can be seen on the Dargaville blog ‘Pimp My School’ and range from temporary to permanent instalments, design and documentation and ongoing projects.  You can spot a school kids foot sticking out of a rubbish bin, a mural wall, a photography installation, alien footprints and a gnome on a flag pole. 

Cross-curriculum

As an example of cross-curriculum engagement, the Year 10 media studies students also made short documentaries on the work.

Outside the school walls, creative thinking in response to an innovative idea led to a trip to Auckland to get the school van ‘Mr Whippy’ painted by graffiti artists The TMD Crew. It was part of a promotion for Alterego, a documentary on graffiti art at the Academy Cinema (an opportunity Mr Gray found on The Big Idea!). Mr Gray got the schools permission and the Maths teacher drove the 15 students to watch the artists in action.

The project also generated national headlines for the school, which featured in the New Zealand Herald.

“It was a great night and opportunity to see first hand how the artists worked was really useful, so the students could see the dedication and skill that went into the painting.”  
- Pimp My School blog post May 10.

It was an experience that Gray says can be limited in far-flung regions.

The teachers

Dargaville Head of Visual Arts and Art History Caroline Gray says having an artist in a school provides the art teacher with professional learning opportunities and the freedom to experiment with ideas.

She said the education structure makes it difficult to provide the hands on nature that artists in schools provide, and is an important part of arts development. “They are not ruled by a system of bells and staff meetings. It breaks the learning barriers down and provides an intensive and authentic experience.”

The Ministry sanctioned and funded programme also helped build better relationships and engagement within the school and community. For the students it advanced their arts learning but also cross-curriculum skills of problem solving, enquiry and confidence.

“It’s really important to support and encourage the creativity needed for artists, inventors, engineers, architects and designers that continue to make this country a special place.”

Mrs Gray says it also supported core education priorities, including Maori achievement.  Important for the Northland school with a 40 per cent Maori roll and teachers involved in Te Kotahitanga, to promote strategies for improving Maori student engagement. The art department is popular, with a 41 per cent up take and four Level 3 NCEA students going on to fine arts school next year.

The programme and curriculum

Former Ministry of Education Senior Arts Adviser Janet Jennings says the programme encouraged schools to engage with the curriculum, supported teachers’ professional development and developed students’ key competencies.

Key competencies include thinking, managing self, participating and contributing, relating to others, using language, symbols and text.

“These are the competencies that have been identified as central to every single student’s future. They enable all students to take their place in our community. Working effectively with other people and relating positively to others are competencies that are central to what adults do every day in the workplace.  This kind of learning is essential.”

The programme was producing positive results and successfully contributing to the core education priorities, including Maori achieving as Maori.

It helped literacy development, by giving students something meaningful in context to engage with.

“It gave the students something they wanted to learn and write about – so often the arts experience is the way into learning.”

The programmes main aims were to increase engagement and achievement.  The projects were selected by a panel including representatives from the Ministry of Education, Creative New Zealand and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Value - Case Studies

Jennings says the New Zealand programme was based on research from successful international models, specifically the UK and Australia.  The results from the first year of the programme in NZ, available on Arts Online, showed it met these aims and produced tangible results. 

Artists Alliance ran a similar Ministry programme in 2004-2006 and Executive Director Maggie Gresson says they know full well the value of such a low cost, effective programme. The Artists Alliance has case studies that show how such initiatives keep kids in school, enhances learning experiences across the curriculum, encourages community building and leads to legitimate careers.

“For a lot of the children it made school bearable and they have gone on to be involved in the arts and have made a wonderful contribution to the country.”

Those not actively involved still develop essential creative skills and can lead to a more active, informed audience.

She cites a recent CNZ survey of 10-14 year olds which showed a very high percentage attended or participated in arts as a result of what happened at school.

“If you ask artists where it started often the response is an artist came to school or they were taken to an exhibition and it lights a spark that has been going ever since.”  

She said Ministry of Education funding gives the programme more status and empowers teachers to negotiate and engage with the school and community, instead of competing for tight school budgets. A funded artist often puts in more time and creates a professional, measured delivery.

It also supports artists and sends a message that the arts is a legitimate job and career “not on the sidelines of culture but a serious way to live your life and earn your living”.

The future

Artists Alliance released a public statement, stating that they want to engage with the Ministry of Education with a view to reinstating an artist in schools programme. They are joined by the Arts Online forum for arts educators, who are sending a letter outlining their concerns to the Minister.

Arts Online community facilitator Sam Cunnane says the funding cut has been one of the hottest topics this year and is still a live discussion, with many determined to find a way forward. 

“There is still a feeling within the community that it is worth continuing to investigate as it was a low-cost programme that directly benefited the students and the Ministry.”

Dargaville artist Simon Gray has his fingers crossed too but for now continues to work with the students and community, well beyond the 10 weeks he was funded for. 

“This is at best a missed opportunity and at worse bullying, by picking on areas such as the arts, who in the minds of the politicians are hobby subjects, they feel they can get away with axing funding and without much fuss being made. Some of the blame can be laid at the feet of those in the arts world, who at times are virtually invisible when it comes to protesting funding cuts etc. Artists need to show how important the arts are to all aspects of our lives.” Pimp My School blog post June 14

• Further Information

Article by Cathy Aronson.  Pictures of Dargaville High School Year 10 student projects.

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