Skills for Life
Astrid Arnold and TouchWood South West’s schools project
21 May - 16 July 2022
Currently the experience of craft skills in state primary or secondary schools is very much under-represented or missing from the curriculum, creating a sharp decline in contemporary craft innovation and practice for the generation to come.
This project from TouchWood South West has provided artistic craft education at primary school level by introducing the children to a range of craft disciplines delivered by highly skilled practitioners and supported by MAKE Southwest. Through learning the skills needed to make essential items for the home, children will develop and practice their fine motor skills, gain confidence, perseverance, stamina and creativity, and learn practical skills that will be useful throughout life.
This exhibition will show the results of this ambitious and timely 2 year project.
This film, which features in the exhibition MAKE Southwest 21 May - 16 July 2022, showcases the Skills4Life project, an Arts Council England funded schools programme.
Film commissioned by TouchWood South West.
“We have seen through our work that the ability to use one’s hands to put ideas into practice is essential to developing as a confident learner, it gives access to a “can-do” approach and is transferable to many areas of life.
We have also seen that it engenders intrinsic motivation which leads to better retention of what is learnt.”