HotSpot

HotSpot was the pilot project for a three-year programme of artist-in-schools residencies that form a core element of Creative School’s provision across East Anglia.

The aim of this pilot stage was to co-design a series of inspiring projects with pupils and teachers that fostered a sense of community belonging and helped build the creativity and confidence of children in the classroom. We also wanted to explore how the co-creation process could be used to increase the creative engagement of teachers and develop the delivery skills of artists in educational settings.

The residencies were intended to provide unique artist-led experiences for children and young people which complemented curriculum activities and existing creative education.

Four primary schools in ACE-identified Levelling Up for Culture places across East Anglia each hosted a 5-week residency, all of which were delivered by local artists who were recruited through an open-call process. A series of pre-project planning meetings took place between the artists and their matched schools to identify groups of participants who would most benefit from the project, as well as any school development priorities that these activities might support. Each setting also received a Psychology for Children CPD training session.

A loose theme was devised for the programme, with children asked to identify local sites that were important to them, in an effort to develop individual and collective pride around local areas. Places as varied as school lockers, logs outside a classroom, and a local graveyard became the focus of the pupil’s artistic enquiries.

We were delighted that all four schools reported an increase in pupil’s creative skills, confidence, ability to express themselves, and an understanding of place and belonging as a result of taking part in the project.

For more information about how this pilot was further developed, please see Spaces & Places.

‘To see them contribute, have time to think about and then follow a thought was priceless. They were so proud of themselves and confident to follow their creative ideas, they really enjoyed it. To see the children get stuck in and encouraged was great.’
Teacher, Grove Primary School

‘The children’s confidence and self-esteem definitely grew over the time that they were with Kate.’
Teacher, Cromer Junior School

Artists

Kate Munro, Johann Don-Daniel, Rose Feather and Sarah Saxby

Locations

Cromer (Norfolk), Lowestoft (Suffolk), March and Peterborough (Cambridgeshire)

Participants

207 children and 12 teachers and teaching assistants from: Cromer Junior School, Grove Primary School, Cavalry Primary School and West Town Primary Academy