Arts and Crafts
The ECA & Arts and Crafts • Art Reviews • Arts and Crafts & Adult Education • Arts News • Get Involved • Upcoming Events
The ECA and Arts and Crafts
The ECA has long recognised the importance of Arts and Crafts in Adult Learning and includes arts organisations such as the V&A and Voluntary Arts England among its members. This interest is reflected in ECA organised conferences on Arts and Crafts and in its support of projects that have integrated or focused on this subject.
Previous conferences on this theme include 'Innovation and Inspiration: The crafts in Adult Learning', 'Valuing Adult Learning in Arts and Crafts' and 'Arts, Culture and Lifelong Learning'.
Innovation and Inspiration: The crafts in Adult Learning 15 September 2007
The event included presentations from Paul Devlin, Information and Research Officer for Voluntary Arts England, who spoke about the issues surrounding the Arts and Crafts in Adult Education. A follow up article written by Paul, for the ECA, can be found by clicking here. Eithne Nightingale, from the V&A, talked about 'Inspired by....' the V&A's annual art competition for adults on part-time courses. Gemma Khawaja, a talented puppet making student described her experience of being an adult learner.
Valuing Adult Learning in Arts and Crafts 11 June 2005
Among the speakers at this conference were Reemer J Bailey, Co-ordinator of Voluntary Arts England and Keith West, Artist in Residence at N&W Essex ACC in Harlow. Participants were encouraged to discuss examples of their own experiences in adult education and the Arts and Crafts. The day included a visit to the International Arts and Crafts exhibition.
Arts, Culture and Lifelong Learning 20 October 2004
Contributors to this event included Tristram Besteman, director of Manchester Museum, Jenny Chapman of the BBC and Consultant Vanessa Bone from Creative Cultures. A private view of the British Museum's travelling exhibition 'Buried Treasure' was organised for delegates.
Arts Reviews
The ECA prides itself on it's high quality reviews of important Art and Craft events. Please visit our Arts Review Page.
Arts and Crafts and Adult Education
To find out more about the key figures in the Arts and Crafts movement and its link with Adult Education please click here.
Arts News
To visit our Arts and Crafts news page click here.
Get Involved
Arts and Crafts-based activities supported or recommended by the ECA can be found below.
I
nspired by...
Inspired by... is the V&A's annual art competition for adults on part-time courses. Participants create a work of art or craft inspired by the collections of the V&A South Kensington, the Theatre Collections on-line or the V&A Museum of Childhood. Entries are judged by a panel of curators and the winners and other selected works are displayed in the museum from which they drew their inspiration. Winners in their category also receive a prize.
The deadline for applications is 4th May 2010 and the selected and winning artworks will go on display in October at the V&A in a new gallery space at the centre of the museum.
For more information about or to get involved with the initiative, visit the V&A website by clicking here.
The Big Draw
The Big Draw is an annual event that invites everyone to join in, using drawing to engage with the past, present, and future.
Every October over 1000 venues, including: galleries, museums, science centres, heritage and environmental sites, libraries, archives, community and shopping centres, colleges, schools and art clubs host drawing activities for people of all abilities. They explore technical, scientific, architectural, archaeological or fine art drawing. Participants of all ages are invited to help expand the definitions and uses of drawing - experimenting with pencils, crayons, charcoal, sand, clay, digital imagery, choreographed movement, vapour trails and fire drawings. The Big Draw proves that drawing can be an enjoyable public activity as well as a private passion. It is inspired by the visionary Victorian artist and writer, John Ruskin. His mission was not to teach people how to draw, but how to see
This years Big Draw Day takes place on Saturday 9th October but events can take place on any day throughout October and early November. Click here for more information.
Upcoming Events of Interest
Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill 06 March - 04 July 2010, V&A London
This is the first major exhibition on Horace Walpole, the most important English 18th-century collector, and brings together many of his most remarkable objects. Amongst other achievements, Walpole was the first to systematically assemble the visual evidence of English history. This exhibition recreates Walpole's pioneering collection in the context of the rooms at Strawberry Hill, where visitors experience a journey through ancient and modern British history and European art.