The University of Leeds and the Herbert Read Connections

Professor Abigail Harrison Moore and graduates from the Postgraduate Certificate in Developing Teachers Research and Practice programme are speaking at this online InSEA@70 event.

Organised by the International Society for Education Through Art (InSEA), this webinar is the last in the series of events celebrating seventy years of InSEA as the official UNESCO organisation for visual art education.

The session title – The University of Leeds and the Herbert Read Connections – aims to explore the past, present and future in art education through the case study of the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds.

Past

In terms of the past, established in 1949 as the Department of Fine Art, Leeds led the way as an English university offering degrees in fine art practice. Under the auspices of the first appointed Professor of Fine Art – Maurice de Sausmarez – and his deep connection to Herbert Read (also one of the founders of InSEA), the Department led the way in thinking about the practice and theory of art and art education.

Present

In terms of the present, a new resource in the University of Leeds’ Special Collections has been launched that includes letters where Read and de Sausmarez speak about the importance of art education.

Additionally, the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and Arts and Humanities Outreach Team lead on an initiative to support art teachers working today to feel valued and confident in their classrooms, and to be able to teach a diversity of art histories: Art Teachers Connect. Since 2017, they have been building and supporting a network of art and art history teachers across the UK, which now has over 200 members representing over 30,000 pupils a week. An ongoing Postgraduate Certificate programme in Developing Teachers Research and Practice allows teachers to research and reflect on their practice.

Future

In terms of the future, Abigail Harrison Moore (Professor of Art History and Museum Studies) and graduates Sue Gibbons and Amanda Davis from the PG Cert Programme will explore their teachers research projects, in addition to the impact their learning has and will have on how we understand, deliver and value art education.

Book your place

Join us for this celebration of the influence and impact of Herbert Read.

Find out more and book your place.

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Art teachers taking part in an activity as part of an Art Teachers Connect residential at the University of Leeds. Photo © University of Leeds.