1st Edition
Making and Relational Creativity An Exploration of Relationships that Arise through Creative Practices in Informal Making Spaces
Making and Relational Creativity explores the developing relationships that arise between art teachers and students through creative practices outside of the secondary school arts curriculum. The author offers a powerful account of both her own and student experiences, exposing the complexities and problematic nature of creative practices emerging outside of the curriculum framework.
The book specifically explores relationships that develop in informal making spaces and argues for the significance of democratic creativity within art education. Examining the processes of making and the narratives arising within the A/R/Tography Collective, the lived experiences of both students and educator are revealed, providing a unique insight into their lives. The book explores the impact such spaces have on teachers’ professional relationships with students together with the impact on student relationships and urges educators to inhabit a more holistic role and tailor their pedagogy to meet the needs of students. In addition, the research also aims to address the implications of informal making spaces for the school curriculum in England.
This book will be of great interest for postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the field of arts education, democratic learning, teacher education, cultural and organisational studies.
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Jeff Adams
Introduction
1 Research Design and Methodology
Introduction
Research Design: Becoming A/R/Tography
Ethics
Case Study
Narrative Enquiry
Reflexivity
Visual Research Methodologies
Data Collection Tools
Themes Arising from the Data
2 Theoretical Landscape
Framework Structure
Democracy and Freedom: Theories of creativity in democratic education
Spaces of Resistance and Change: Emerging critical practices in informal making spaces
The Art of Communication
Cultural Identity and Holistic Teaching
3 Introduction to A/R/Tographers
Jake
Mikey
Alice
Lenny
Tim and Evan
4 The Life Cycle of A/R/Tography
Introduction
Who Is In Charge Anyway?
Making the Invisible Visible
Tate Exchange
Why can’t they just leave us alone?
5 A Search for Understanding
Democracy and Freedom in Art Education
Spaces of Resistance and Change outside of the school curriculum in England
The Art of Communication: Exploring relationships arising through creative practices
Cultural Identity: Pedagogical approaches of the holistic teacher
Conclusion: Creative Acts, Collective Empowerment
Biography
Lindsey Helen Bennett leads arts provision at Chester International School in the North West of England. She completed her doctoral research at the University of Chester in 2019 and she is interested in incorporating contemporary art practices into art and design education.
