Art Teachers Connect wins prestigious international InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations
An innovative project based in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds has received an international InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations.
Art Teachers Connect is a unique project developed in 2017 to support art and art history teachers from across the UK through providing opportunities for Continuing Professional Development.
It is delivered in partnership with the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and the University of Leeds’ Arts and Humanities Outreach Team.
Teachers explore the campus of the University of Leeds during the Art Teachers Connect Residential 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
With members in over 82 countries, InSEA (the International Society for Education through Art) is a non-governmental organisation and official partner of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Its purpose is to promote and advance education through art, design and crafts in all countries, in addition to nurturing intercultural understanding.
Printmaking workshop at the 2025 Art Teachers Residential in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
InSEA was founded under UNESCO in 1954 by art historian Sir Herbert Read. At the time, Read spoke of his belief that “creative activity is a basic need common to all people” and he argued that “the universal language of artistic expression is a striking demonstration of our common humanity and it should be nurtured and explored through educational means”.
The prestigious Advocacy Award for Organizations is presented every two years to a member organisation who supports the mission of InSEA – the encouragement and advancement of creative education through art and crafts in all countries and the promotion of research and praxis about art education to foster international understanding.
2024 cohort for the Art Teachers Connect Residential at the University of Leeds. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
The InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations was presented to Art Teachers Connect at an award ceremony on the 22 July at InSEA’s annual congress in Olumouc, Czech Republic, and accepted on behalf of Art Teachers Connect by InSEA’s Vice President (2022-5), Susan Coles.
The project received the prize as an acknowledgement for the innovative work done to provide continuing professional development and support to art and art history teachers – to empower them to become strong confident advocates for art and art history and to diversify and widen participation in the creative subjects and creative careers.
Teachers take part in workshops in the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery as part of the Art Teachers Residential 2025 at the University of Leeds. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
Art Teachers Connect was initiated and is led by Abigail Harrison Moore, Professor of Art History and Museum Studies at the University of Leeds. Abigail said of how the project came about:
“InSEA’s mission – namely “the encouragement and advancement of creative education through art and crafts in all countries and the promotion of research and praxis about art education to foster international understanding” – speaks directly to the aims and ambitions of Art Teachers Connect.
Teachers take part in a Discovery Day workshop with Art Teachers Residential 2025 tutor, Hannah Vallis, in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
“Art Teachers Connect was developed in a moment of crisis in creative education in the UK, when the National Curriculum under the previous Government actively discouraged pupil engagement in the arts and creative subjects, leaving art teachers isolated, art provision in the timetable much reduced and the subject in crisis.
“The project provides a teacher residential programme, digital and in-person continuing professional development, a Post-graduate Certificate programme and a new bursary scheme to support teachers to teach a wide diversity of art, art histories and artists in classrooms across the country.
”Once a teacher has attended the residential, they become part of our wider network.”
Graduates of the Postgraduate Certificate in Developing Teacher’s Research and Practice, University of Leeds, December 2024. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
On 9 September, Susan handed over the Award to Rachel Prosser (Learning Manager of the Paul Mellon Centre) and Professor Abigail Harrison Moore (Professor of Fine Art and Museums Studies in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies), as joint leaders of the Programme.
Susan Coles (InSEA Vice President) presents Art Teacher Connect's InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations to Sarah Turner (Director of the Paul Mellon Centre), Abigail Harrison Moore (University of Leeds), Esme Boggis (Learning Coordinator at the Paul Mellon Centre) and Rosie Jennings (Networks and Learning Administrator at the Paul Mellon Centre) on 9 September 2025. Photo by Greta Zabulyte.
Susan said:
“We are excited to have awarded this year’s InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations to Art Teachers Connect.
“InSEA promotes and supports art education across the globe. We are interested both in why we teach art and how we teach art -and we feel that it is a mandatory part of every person’s education. It is part of the United Nation’s charter on children’s human rights.
Facilitator Paul Raymond delivering a practical session onmaking art at the Art Teachers Connect residential in 2023. Photo by Andy Lord.
“The awards are presented every two years so that they can be given out at Congress. An open call is put out to all three regions of the organisation, with members being asked to put forward nominations. This year a large number of organizations were nominated for the Advocacy Award, which were considered and judged by a committee.
“Winning this international award enables the work of Art Teachers Connect to be seen by lots of people globally, as a model for art education that other people might be able to build upon or follow.”
Teachers participating in a Discovery Day with Abigail Harrison Moore on the University of Leeds campus as part of Art Teachers Connect 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
Abigail Harrison Moore said:
“On behalf of the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and Educational Engagement at the University of Leeds, we are utterly delighted to be accepting the international InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations.
“In collaboration with the Paul Mellon Centre, Art Teachers Connect has been a programme that's right at the heart of what we believe is our mission, but also what has been our mission as an art school since it was established by Herbert Read over 70 years ago.
Teachers participate in a Discovery Day in the University of Leeds' Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery as part of the Art Teachers Residential 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
“Read was a student himself at the University of Leeds. Yorkshire born, he graduated in 1911, and then fought in the First World War.
“Reflecting on his experience of this and the Second World War, he published “Education for Peace” in the same year as he founded our school (originally called the Department of Fine Art) in the early 1950s. His ethos and philosophy of art education still informs our work to teach and research art as a "social medium that is vital to humanity."
A teacher visits The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery during Art Teachers Connect Residential 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
“So it is such an honour to receive this award from InSEA, an organisation established by Herbert Read in 1954 with a mission that speaks to what we aim to achieve through Art Teachers Connect – specifically around the social practice of art history.
“Everybody in the world has a right to an art education. InSEA was set up just after the two world wars as part of UNESCO’s global mission to “to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture.”
Teachers visit Treasures of the Brotherton as part of the Art Teachers Connect residential 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
“Today, amidst global conflict, it's never been more important to empower our educators, our teachers, to feel confident to speak with young people across the UK, through art and through our history about the importance of critical thinking and collaboration. Winning this award couldn't come at a better time.
“We are really grateful that an organisation that we really respect in turn has respected the work that we do to change and support teachers teaching.
“And, in turn, to support over 49,000 pupils a week across the UK who benefit from being taught by these amazing art teachers through Art Teachers Connect.”
Teachers participate in a Haiku Workshop on Write about Art at the Art Teachers residential 2025, facilitated by Esme Boggis (Learning Coordinator at the Paul Mellon Centre). Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
Rachel Prosser, Learning Manager for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art said
“Building and supporting a community of over 200 teachers across the UK with the University of Leeds is one of the most impactful elements of the Paul Mellon Centre’s work towards ensuring all young people throughout the country have the opportunity to engage meaningfully with art and culture.
“Our community of teachers work tirelessly to provide their students with the space, time, and confidence to express themselves and pursue creativity, professionally or personally. In turn, we are proud to take care of them and provide them with a network of support where they can exchange skills, experiences and encouragement.
Visit to Leeds Art Gallery as part of Art Teachers Connect Residential 2024. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
“The Art Teachers Connect Residential is our first step in bringing teachers into this community, and each year it is a joy to witness teachers from all sorts of teaching environments sharing and learning from each other.
“The residential’s workshops and activities are just the beginning of our journey with these teachers, and we are excited to welcome another 28 individuals to our community this year.”
Screen printing workshop in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies as part of the Art Teachers Connect residential 2025. Photo by Andy Lord. Image © University of Leeds.
More information
For more details, images, films and stories, please visit Art Teachers Connect’s website at atcuk.org.
Find out more about InSEA, the International Society for Education through Art.
Feature image
Rachel Prosser (Director of the Paul Mellon Centre), Susan Coles (InSEA Vice President) and Abigail Harrison Moore (University of Leeds) with the InSEA Advocacy Award for Organizations, awarded to Art Teachers Connect in 2025. Photo by Greta Zabulyte.
