Decolonising education
We take a look at the artists and publications helping to decolonise the British education system
By
Chioma Ince
August 18, 2021
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
Art is a powerful tool for integrating our history. It is a way for us to creatively learn, process and challenge systemic and societal issues which need to be changed.
gowithYamo present Arts Community and Activism, a month of highlighting various collectives/grassroots/organisations/charities and programmes that champion change and help communities through the arts. This week, we are focusing on decolonising education. Here are five spotlights on people doing pivotal work around education.
The Black Curriculum
The Black Curriculum is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. Their curriculum is grounded in the arts and champions young people to engage with history imaginatively, encouraging student satisfaction and critical thinking skills. Through a holistic approach, they aim to remedy a wider systemic issue in our education system and society.
The Black Curriculum state: “that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. Our programmes are for all young people aged 8-16 and aim to equip young people with a sense of identity, and the tools for a diverse landscape. We are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” The Black Curriculum offers a range of services to schools, companies and non-profit organisations which can be found here.
The team at The Black Curriculum create colourful and accessible resources such as Lesson Packs, Learning Activities, Information Cards, Word searches, Crosswords and Colouring Pages. Alongside these resources, the community interest company also produce their own zines that are curated to teach Black British culture through accessible, creative and engaging media. Their first issue ‘The Black Curriculum Presents: Hair Stories’ can be purchased in their Zine Hub online, with all proceeds going towards empowering young people across the UK.
Fill In The Blanks
Fill in the Blanks is a group of sixth form students from South London, who are campaigning for a National Curriculum that does not allow schools to shy away from addressing Britain’s colonial history. The students, who all come from former British colonies are seeking to mandate a teaching module which de-colonises our education system in the UK.
Fill In The Blanks have showcased their wit and acute political comprehension in recent publications. The young activists created ‘fake’ newspaper publication entitled ‘The New Standard’ and ‘Metrus’ (playing on well-known London newspapers) with the intention to show a future that they would like to see, hoping to spark public conversation around Britain’s colonial past and current racism. The campaign was bold, charged, and innovative. Distributing 5,000 copies across London, and watched as the public saw a new future for Britain in print.
Here, we are seeing young people speaking out against how the glorification of the empire and oppressive history is described and presented in our schools. London, a city which is constantly waving its multi-cultural flag, is slow to acknowledge that history is not a one-sided narrative used for nationalism. War, Inventions, Art, Music, Genocide, Religion, Traditions belong to many cultures and countries, therefore, how can we teach them all from a European lens? How can the essence of the truth be translated if the source is not acknowledged? These are some of the ideas we are seeing being challenged, urging us and the government to help them to “Fill in the Blanks of our history”.
Bow Arts Learning
Bow Arts is an educational arts charity which provides affordable creative workspaces and which is big on using art to shape the way children and young people learn and overcome barriers in their lives. The Bow Arts Learning programme believe in making the arts accessible so that every young person has access to the benefits of creative modes of expression and learning.
The programmes available for early years, primary and secondary school children are inspiring. They are able to work closely with artists to expand their knowledge through practical, experimental and interdisciplinary methods of learning. Bow Arts work with schools to better their approach to teaching, demonstrating the power of imagination. They “work with head teachers and subject leaders to plan, manage and deliver artist-led projects that respond to school priorities, curriculum and learner needs.”
Services offered by Bow Arts Learning can be found in the link here.
Decolonising The Arts Curriculum
“Decolonising the Arts Curriculum is a UAL co-production between the Arts Student Union and the Teaching, Learning and Employability Exchange. It is part of an ongoing multi-form and multi-site initiative led by staff and students at UAL to interrogate pedagogic practice within the framework of decolonisation and breaking down structural inequalities.” They are addressing the disparities in attainment and experiences for International students and students of colour, as they face the brunt of institutionalised racism, microaggressions and alienation occuring in a curriculum that lacks diverse representation in the staffing and syllabus.
The Zines made by Decolonising The Arts Curriculum are an outlet in which conversation, critique, reflection and expression can happen in a progressive way. The first zine was published in 2018 and was collated and curated by Hansika Jethnani, Lucy Panesar and Rahul Patel and focused on bringing “together diverse perspectives on decolonising the arts curriculum in UK Higher Education”. Both zine1 and zine2 are available to staff and students via all UAL Libraries. If you are interested in having a paper versions, they are happy to post copies out to UK based institutions, you just have to send them an email.
Shades of Noir
In 2009, Shades of Noir (SoN) was created by Aisha Richards to change the way we teach and learn Art, Design and Communication Higher Education. Shades of Noir is an independent programme that supports: Curriculum design, Pedagogies of social justice through representation, Cultural currency and Accessible knowledge. It has facilitated exciting and important events and programmes such as an all-black led exhibition with over 2,000 visitors in 6 weeks and staff discussions on race. At first Richards designed, developed and supported the implementation of SoN across UAL but since has expanded to helping other universities like Ravensbourne and Glasgow School of Art.
The programme “creates opportunities for marginalised groups and their need for safe spaces to articulate self-determination and liberate the struggles from oppressive structures both in education and society.”
If you feel inspired or empowered after finding out about the work being done, please support these organisations/charities and groups.
