Welcome to the AccessArt Lab
AccessArt has opened an AccessArt Lab as part of our continuing commitment to push the boundaries of what is possible when artists and educators from all settings work together. Led by Paula Briggs, Creative Director of AccessArt and the AccessArt Lab, the studio at Stapleford Granary, Cambridge, will provide a space for an ongoing creative (and practical) conversation between AccessArt and our audience. Read More
The AccessArt Lab: Areas of Focus and Core Values
The AccessArt Lab provides AccessArt with the opportunity to focus on practical and pedagogical exploration of key areas of interest which have emerged over the last few years.
The work in the Lab will be guided by specific areas of focus and core values. Read More
The AccessArt Lab provides us with the space and freedom to explore ideas as they occur. Activities and pedagogies weave in and out of each other, and we are deliberately giving ourselves permission to stay in an emergent space – a space of “not-knowing” – rather than rush to an outcome which is defined too soon.
Presented in no particular order, here are some of the ideas we are currently exploring.
“How do we Engage Learners Right from the Start?”
When learners enter the classroom, we have a powerful chance to spark their curiosity—through surprise, sensory experiences, and imaginative design. In the AccessArt Lab we have been exploring how artists and educators can use novelty and insight to inspire wonder and engagement from the very start.
See: Engaging Audiences Through Transportation
“Why do we Teach Art?”
It is vital that if we are to enable more people to value art, then we need to be overt about exploring what art can do for us, as individuals, communities and as a society.
There have been a number of discussions in the Lab about the fact that many pupils seem to be losing sight of the fact that art can help us express our thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Educators hypothesised that this is because current education systems do not prioritise or value self expression in learning.
So the question is: How can we enable pupils to see that art is a tool which can help them process and express?
“Can Art help us See Good in the World?”
We are wired to see the negative in the world, especially when we are anxious or overwhelmed. But can art help us see the good things which surround us everyday?
Teachers and artists met to explore how we can use making as a tool to help us stay longer with positive emotions. By creating a shared space for making and conversation, we hope to lift spirits and create a sense of shared experience, which others can replicate with their communities. See the Acts of Kindness resource.
The AccessArt Lab will run from January 2025 to December 2025. Please join the AccessArt Network Facebook group and register at AccessArt for free to be kept in touch.
Stapleford Granary is an Arts Centre whose aim is to foster cultural understanding through education.
The venue offers music, art, education & conversation in a beautiful 19th century farm complex, situated at the foot of the Gog Magog Downs, just 5 miles from the centre of Cambridge.
Please note the AccessArt registered office and all contact details remain as detailed here.
