Alice and Karen founded Art For Schools in 2015 to provide multimedia arts enrichment in primary schools across Bristol. They value that every child who attends their Art Clubs is an artist and offer children exciting opportunities to explore their creativity. They are passionate about the importance of creative subjects in schools and other education venues. They truly believe that studying and participating in art supports learning in other subjects. As art educators, their role transcends the boundaries of traditional teaching. They enjoy creating experiences where kids take the lead in their learning, exploring art in their own way. This might involve adjusting lessons to include different types of art so every child can see themselves represented in what they learn and make.
Why is it important to teach art to children?
We believe the arts should be accessible to everyone. We’ve seen how powerful creativity can be for young minds. One of the most rewarding parts of our work is creating experiences where children feel safe to express themselves and explore the many emotions and ideas that art can bring out.
Creative subjects in our national curriculum are becoming increasingly marginalised and we believe most students aren’t receiving adequate opportunities for expressing their creativity in the classroom. Incorporating art into the curriculum isn’t just teaching students how to recognise colours or shapes, it’s not even about refining their drawing and painting skills. It’s about enhancing their cognitive and emotional development, the way they see the world and others.
We’ve seen how children thrive when they use their imaginations, opening up a world of possibilities. This kind of creative exploration not only builds their creativity but also helps them develop important life skills. Through art, kids learn there’s more than one way to solve a problem, which encourages open-mindedness and flexibility—skills that matter in all parts of life. The skills they build go far beyond the art room. They learn to think critically and solve problems as they figure out how to bring their ideas to life. Making art also helps them understand and express their feelings, often in ways words can’t.
Art education also opens their eyes to different cultures and time periods. It helps them appreciate beauty, understand others, and see the world from new perspectives—broadening their view of what it means to be human. Creating and exploring art helps children develop empathy. When they learn about the stories, cultures, and emotions behind different artworks, they begin to see the world through other people’s eyes. It’s an experience that helps them understand and connect with others on a deeper level.
Teaching art isn’t just about making things look nice—it’s about helping kids discover new ideas, explore their feelings, and express themselves freely as individual artists. Every year we enter children’s artwork created at our Art Clubs into the Young Artists Show at The Royal Academy in London and have had four successful candidates exhibit their work.
OUR ART CLUBS
Ashton Gate Primary – KS1 – Tuesday and Friday
Run by Antonia Ramsey – a freelance artist and facilitator. She is very experienced in providing children’s art workshops having managed a studio for Art-K and delivered regular outreach projects in partnership with youth services.
Ashton Gate Primary – KS2 – Tuesday and Thursday
Run by Jasmine Smail as an artist, her practice explores childhood and its connections to memory and nostalgia. Jasmine is interested in the past being described and remembered through objects and the sentimentalisation of such objects. She runs Comfy Club – a southwest based arts collective who explore themes of nostalgia, childhood and friendship through the lens of the contemporary femme experience. Jasmine also works for Arnolfini visitors services and helps with our We Are Family and School Linking sessions.
Avanti Gardens School – Monday
Run by Ashlea Connor, a primary school teacher, art lead and part of the Avanti Gardens school community.
Holymead Primary Schools – Tuesday
Home Education sessions – Bricks, St Annes – Wednesday
Run by art facilitator, Gem Jenkins, who has a background in photography and videography production which led her to work in London and various locations around the globe. She settled in Bristol six years ago, her husband’s hometown. Gem now focuses on working with children at a forest school, using the power of nature to nurture their mental health and instil a love for the environment and art.
Southville – Alys Sctratchly
LINK TO BOX OFFICE TO BOOK ART CLUBS – Let’s Make Art for Schools – Buy tickets
