Summer Arts College Expert Seminars

Posted 03.09.2009

This year has seen the launch of our first series of Summer Arts College Expert Seminars. The Expert Seminars were focused on building portfolios and ensuring that young people are able to gain essential qualifications across all Summer Arts College projects running this year.

The Bronze and Silver Expert seminars provided a valuable opportunity for new and existing sites to network and begin extensive planning for projects. Perhaps most importantly, was the rare opportunity for delegates to formally share the wealth of knowledge and promising approaches that have been gained through experience of running a college over the last few years.

We were lucky enough to have a very experienced panel of experts on board to speak and share their experiences of the Summer Arts Colleges at each seminar. Our panel of experts included presentations by Simon Ruding and Nikki Crane, both Unitas Quality Auditors, who shared some great ideas from their extensive visits to Summer Arts College sites over the last few years.

There was also a very crucial role played by Sally Clements, representing Arts Award, who has extensive experience of training Arts Award Advisers and moderating sites. In addition, we had the pleasure of hearing from Arts Practitioners that had been involved in running some of the most successful arts colleges to date, including Sue Ellis of Serendipity Art, Matt Wilcox of Unity Stoke and Alex Preston who recently led the first three week project at Deeside College.

We would like to thank all delegates and our panel members for their input at the seminars this year. For those involved with delivering a Summer Arts College, please look out for our Promising Approaches document that will be appearing on the website shortly along with a set of downloadable resources and presentations that will benefit your Arts College!