Meeting with schools

Exchanging ideas

It is usual, if a school is inviting you to apply for a residency, for them to supply you with their initial ideas about what they would like to achieve. A school should let you know or you can ask them for:-

• their aims for the residency
• the timescale
• the budget, including your fees
• the target groups
• the anticipated outcomes

A school may want to have an artist in residence for a number of reasons, and it is worth finding these out. The following list shows examples of the aims of different schools in staging a residency:-

• to encourage debate and involvement of all parties in the creation of a piece of work
• to introduce children to the work of a local artist, thus developing their appreciation of their diverse cultural heritage
• to involve children in a project where they can achieve, irrespective of their literacy or numeracy skills, and thus raise self-esteem
• to give children the chance to spend time producing quality work with an expert
• to help children use a variety of media, and explore how paintings can convey mood and emotion
• to demonstrate that appreciating and producing works of art need have no boundaries set by age, physical ability or level of cognition, and that it can be relevant, constructive and, above all, fun for everyone
• to show that the portrait represent more than just a picture of the sitter and begin to explore the range of symbolism and images that a portrait can contain
• to see a real artist at work
• to help staff develop their expertise so that the impact of the residency is long-lasting and benefits many children in the future.

Once you and a co-ordinating teacher have exchanged initial ideas, you will need to attend at least one meeting at the school. Try to find out as much as possible about the school and groups you might be working with. The following questions are typical examples of what you may need to ask a teacher at an initial meeting and vice versa.

You may wish to ask the teacher:-

• What does the school want to achieve by the residency?
• What kind of art and design work have pupils carried out in the past?
• Which materials and tools are the pupils familiar with?
• Are they able to use pliers, saws, hammers, large brushes, painting rollers, clay tools etc.?
• What are the basic stock materials (types of paper, card, glue, tape etc.)?
• Do you want these materials to be used or new ones introduced?
• Have pupils looked at other artists' work? If so, whose?
• Will the residency link with cross-curricular work?
• Do you intend taking pupils out on a visit as preparation or as a stimulus for the residency?
• Do you want me to work with pupils or teachers or both?
• Do you want me to teach directly?
• Do you want me to make my work in such a way that pupils and teachers can observe the techniques I employ?
• Where will I be based?Who will show me where everything is?
• How will I find out about the different ages and abilities of pupils?
• Will I receive guidance on the suitability of my ideas for the age and ability of pupils?
• Will the school's insurance cover my own work being displayed at the school?
• Does the school's insurance cover my liability for working with the children?

Teachers may wish to ask you:-

• What type of project would you like to undertake?
• What end results do you have in mind?
• Can you give an introductory talk, either showing slides or examples of your work?
• What materials do you use in your work?
• Can pupils and teachers use these materials?
• Are there any particular health and safety issues we need to consider?
• How do you research your work? Could our pupils follow a similar process?
• Which specific skills or techniques will teachers and pupils need to learn for the residency?
• What would you like pupils and teachers to understand about your work?
• What would you like pupils and teachers to learn by coming into contact with you?
• Which artists have influenced you?
• Can you provide some written information about yourself which we can show to staff, parents, governors and pupils before you arrive?
• Are you prepared to mount an exhibition of your work for the duration of the residency?
• Can you offer Inset training?

There are no hard and fast rules about what you should be expected to do in a school and a successful residency is one in which you agree with a teacher the most appropriate use of your time and skills. It is perfectly acceptable to suggest to a teacher how they might work with you and to say what you feel you can best offer and in what format.

For example:-

• I can give slide talks about my work, but would prefer to do this to small groups rather than a whole assembly
• I would prefer it if a teacher can organise a question and answer session rather than me giving a straightforward talk
• I work on a very large scale and make permanently sited pieces, so I cannot put up an exhibition of original work, but I can show photographs and drawings
• I have little experience of teaching and so would prefer to work alongside a teacher
• I would like to make a piece of work for the school, but don't feel I can organise large groups of children at the same time, so I will need help with this aspect
• As my work takes several weeks to complete, it won't be possible to start and finish a piece during the residency, but I can bring in examples of work at different stages of completion.

It may take more than one meeting to cover the areas raised in the questions above, though you may be able to exchange this information by phone or in writing. Be clear about what you can do and about what you need and ask for clarification if anything is unclear.