Vital actions provides a checklist of considerations for planning your Big Arts Week project and to help you get artistic at school. The information covers vital actions for both artists and schools. If we are unable to match a school with an artist, we have offered some guidance which will help schools to still take an active part in Big Arts Week.

Make contact
Get in touch with the named teacher at your designated school as soon as possible. It may not be possible to meet up for a few weeks, but get a date in the diary.

Send some information
Put together some useful background on yourself for your named teacher. It might include a short biography or CV, some press cuttings, photographs of your work, or information about your employer if you work for a commercial company.

Check out the venue
Arrange to see the space in which you will be working. This will also give you an opportunity to discuss your ideas with the teacher and work out the practicalities.

Planning

The most successful arts projects are those where the teacher and artist work together and pool their resources. The school may already have a theme in mind. Planning should not be restrictive, it should provide a framework for the project that will shape its outcome

You will also get a clearer idea about the project by establishing some basic issues with the teacher, such as:

~ How much time will you be able to give for the project.

~ What demands on the school timetable, staff time & space will be required?

~ Staff support from the school, especially in supervising students.

~ Details of participants (number, age, ability, special needs etc.)

~ The materials/equipment that will be required

~ Where these resources be obtained.

~ How to deal with issues as they arise; both before and during the week.

~ Backup activities, especially in case of adverse weather (outdoor projects)

~ Agree ownership of the work with the school.

Food for thought

As well as the shared experience during BAW, you might like to think further ahead to get the most out of your project and bear some of these points in mind:

~ What practical outcomes might the project have?

~ How might the work be developed by teachers after the week?

~ What skills and understanding could be developed on a wider level?

~ How might the experience link to professional development?

~ Could Big Arts Week lead to a longer-term relationship with the school?

~ How could the art benefit the community?

~ Can you use it to reflect the benefits of artists in schools and your work in general        

Discuss publicity

Some Big Arts Week projects will benefit from publicity – especially if you aim to attract an audience from outside the school. As well as letting the Big Arts Week team know what you are planning you may also want to promote your own involvement in Big Arts Week.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that publicity is discussed at an early stage and a course of action agreed.

Investigate insurance
Check your public liability cover, if you have it. If you don’t have your own insurance, tell your school contact. In general terms, if you are to be covered by the school’s own insurance policy, you should only work with students when there is a paid staff member in the room with you.

Get details in writing

By the end of May you should have received a letter from the school. The letter should confirm all the above details, together with agreed times and dates.

Police clearance

Official notification from the Criminal Records Bureau states that there is no requirement for you, as a volunteer, to apply for formal disclosure as Big Arts Week will not involve you being in regular contact with children. If, however, you do have formal disclosure, then let the school have a copy.

The school will be responsible for ensuring that you are escorted during your participation.

Stay in touch

Your Big Arts Week experience is likely to be a very special one – for you and the pupils you meet. A thank-you letter is one obvious way to keep in touch, but you can extend the relationship by keeping the school in touch with developments in your artistic career.

Feedback

Don’t forget to let Big Arts Week know about your experience. We are always looking at ways to improve and develop new ideas for Big Arts Week, so your feedback is invaluable. Complete and return the feedback form at the back of the information pack on completion of your project. Feel free to add any pictures or material that you would be happy for us to publicise.

Make contact
A member of staff should take responsibility for organising the project. They should contact the artist as soon as possible to discuss plans. This may not be possible immediately, so make an early start to get an initial meeting date in the diary.

Exchange Information

The artist should be sending some useful background information to let you know more about their work. It would also be a good idea to give them information about the school

Show and tell

Offer to show the artist around the school and space in which they’ll be working. This makes them feel comfortable and gives a realistic indication of what is achievable. It is also a good time to talk about students’ age group, class size and to discuss the sort of activity that might work well.

Planning

The most successful arts projects are those where the teacher and artist work together and pool their resources. Planning should not be restrictive, it should provide a framework for the project that will shape its outcome. The artist may already have something in mind for Big Arts Week and you will get a better idea about the project by discussing it with the artist as well as formalising some basic issues, such as:

~ How much time will the artist be able to give for the project - remember, they are volunteering and this may mean giving up valuable paid work over this period.

~ Incorporating flexibility into plans to allow for valuable input of ideas from the artist - after all, they know their abilities

~ How much staff support there will be, especially in supervising students - remember an artist is not a substitute teacher.

~ What age groups and group size can the artist is willing to work with?

~ Details of participating student (number, age, ability, special needs etc.)

~ The resources are needed?

~ Who will be providing these resources?

~ How to deal with issues as they arise; both before and during the week

~ Agree ownership of the work with the artist

~ Backup activities, especially in case of adverse weather

Food for thought

To make the most of your Big Arts Week experience you might like to think further ahead and consider the following points:

~ What practical outcomes will the project have?

~ How might you develop the work after the week?

~ What are pupils’ immediate learning needs with regards to the arts?

~ Could BAW lead to a longer-term relationship with the artist?

~ Could other arts events be incorporated into Big Arts Week to include the whole school?

~ Informing school governors and parents of the event.

~ Can the work be used to reflect the benefits of artists in schools in general?

Discuss publicity

Some Big Arts Week projects will benefit from publicity – especially if you aim to attract an audience from outside the school. As well as letting the Big Arts Week team know what you are planning, you may also want to take advantage of promoting the schools involvement with the local media.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure that publicity is discussed at an early stage and a course of action agreed.

Investigate insurance

Usually, the artist will be covered by your school’s current insurance policy – provided that they are not left alone with students. Check that the school’s policy offers sufficient cover and make sure that you stay within its terms.

Some artists may have personal liability cover, but as they are giving their services free of charge, the main responsibility is with the school.

Police clearance

Official notification from the Criminal Records Bureau states that volunteer artists are not required to apply for formal disclosure as Big Arts Week will not involve them being in regular contact with children. They have been advised to give you a copy of formal disclosure if they have one.

The school will be responsible for ensuring that artists are escorted by staff throughout their participation in Big Arts Week.

Confirm details in writing

Aim to ensure that the artist gets a letter from the school by the end of May. This should confirm all the above details, together with agreed times and dates for the activity.

Prepare the ground

Let your students know something about the person who is coming to work with them. You might want to use any information, such as photographs or publicity materials provided by the artist, to make a small display.

Welcome Mat

On the first day, meet your artist in person and arrange a quick tour of the facilities that matter – toilets, refreshments, photocopier, cat, tea and coffee etc. Treat them as a valued visitor and make them feel at home. Remember the artist is volunteering their time, so please respect their generosity and be courteous.

Stay in touch

Your Big Arts Week experience is likely to be a very special one – for artists, teachers and pupils alike. The artists, who give their time and talent freely to make this event such a huge success, would appreciate thank-you letters – from the school itself or from lots of pupils – and many schools show their appreciation at assembly time, ensuring the artist is recognised by the whole school for their kind work.

It is really important that the artist feels that their efforts have been appreciated as this will ensure that they continue to support Big Arts Week and share some of their time with schools.

After arts projects, teachers have reported an excitement in the school, or a sense of teamwork. They have given schools a shared sense of ownership in the work created and enabled communities to celebrate their school The arts are also a valuable means of developing social and personal skills as well as community pride.

Feedback

Big Arts Week is still on the lookout for artists. If your school hasn’t been matched with an artist, don’t worry. You can still take part, by finding your own artist or going it alone.

Start with people you know

Many people earn their living in some aspect of the creative arts. These include:

• advertising agencies
• architects
• ballet teachers
• celebration cake makers
• dress designers
• dj’s
• florists
• graphic designers
• interior designers
• jewellery makers
• landscape gardeners
• photographers
• potters
• recording studios
• signwriters
• video services
• web designers

A local business may jump at the chance to get involved in Big Arts Week. Personal approaches tend to be the most productive, so take a fresh look at your address book. Get the word out to parents; they may work in a creative role or know people who do. Talk to your colleagues, governors and PTA members. Have a word with local community groups such as WI, Rotary or Lions Clubs. The artist you seek may literally be around the corner.

Spread the word

Your local paper or radio station may be willing to help. Talk to a journalist about Big Arts Week and your search for a local artist. A little publicity may do the trick.

Consider places – such as libraries, craft shops and community centres - where you could put up a notice.

Ask some experts

Talk to the Arts Adviser at your local education authority. See what suggestions your Regional Arts Council can make. Or go straight to the professionals – contact your nearest professional theatre or art gallery. You could be delighted by the response, particularly from people who work “behind the scenes” and don’t often get the opportunity to involve young people in what they do.

Go it alone

Big Arts Week could provide the impetus for that creative project you’ve been so keen to get off the ground. Now you’ve got a time and a reason to make it happen - as part of a coordinated initiative.

Finally, if you’re still looking for that big idea, take a look at the Ideas Bank. You’ll find details of hundreds of projects undertaken in schools last year. With a little tweak and a dash of inspiration, one of them could be just right for you!