Last week marked an exciting date in Artis Foundation’s annual calendar as we embarked on our residential training event at the beautiful Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester. Artis Specialists, Specialist Leaders, Mentors and our management team gathered together alongside consultant educators to discover, inspire, and build on our creative learning practice.

Artis’ extensive annual training programme takes place with events throughout the academic year, with one-day workshops in January and April, and a four-day residential in August.

The aim of Artis’ training is for our Specialists to feel well-prepared and excited for the academic year ahead, equipped with an arsenal of educational and creative activities and ideas. We want all our Specialists to be confident delivering high-quality, holistic performing arts sessions to children from Early Years through to Year 6 and beyond. We aim for our Artis Specialists to feel inspired as performing arts practitioners working across various creative disciplines.

“I look forward to summer training all year! It is an amazing experience where the most incredibly creative and talented people I know are all finally in the same room. We then spend 2 or 3 jam-packed days exploring brilliant activities, having discussions, and idea sharing. It sends me into the next academic year with renewed passion and full of excitement to share new songs, techniques and sessions with my classes. It is by far the most valuable CPD I do, coming away with so much usable information and it is definitely the most fun!”

Jenny Wemyss (Bop), Artis Specialist

With informative sessions focused on the curriculum, planning, classroom management as well as focused workshops on voice, drama and movement – it is an action packed few days!

Artis Mentor Leader and Trustee, Wendy (Whirl), led a session called “Creative Carbohydrates,” offering a feast of movement activities inspired by pasta! Artis Mentor Martha (Kablam) took us on a captivating journey during her session titled “How to Devour Music if you don’t like Singing,” proving that music can be a joyous exploration for all. Artis alum Freyja (aka Ricochet) opened the doors to inclusion in her insightful session, demonstrating that every child, regardless of background or ability, can thrive in an Artis session. Leigh (Fizz), one of our Specialist Leaders, led an illuminating session on holistic delivery, unravelling the intricacies of progression planning to bring out the best in every child. We were treated to an unforgettable afternoon about the art of devising by our talented friends from Talkshow Theatre Company.

One Specialist wrote:

“Thanks to the Artis team for shaping a fab few days of training with so much generosity from all Artis and visiting Specialists leading the workshops. I am very much looking forward to planning this year’s Artis sessions.”

Artis Trustee, Mark Friend said:

“I had a brilliant day observing the training for Specialists and Mentors. As well as being incredibly interesting to see how the training mirrored and role-modelled how our Specialists deliver Artis sessions in schools, I was struck by the mutual support that people in the sessions were giving each other. It reinforced how Artis goes about helping people to keep learning and developing, and how it supports people really well. The care and attention being put into the training is part of the reason why Artis can offer such high quality experiences for children”.

Sarah (Swoosh), one of our new Artis Specialists, wrote:

“Thanks for such a great week at Summer training. I can imagine it’s a huge task to organise so thanks for everything you do! It was such valuable training and all of the sessions were so well thought out and delivered. It has energised me for the term ahead and I can’t wait to try out some of the skills and tips in class. Please pass on my thanks to everyone who delivered sessions, they were really excellent. It was also really lovely to meet fellow specialists, to pick each others brains, and also to put a face to some names. The Artis team are such a lovely, talented bunch and it’s a joy to work with you all!”

A huge thanks to all our Specialists who attended, to our wonderful consultant educators who supported the delivery, our fantastic Mentors, Mentor Leaders and Specialist Leaders for their contribution and delivery, and the management team for pulling it all together. Bring on 2024!