Looking for Change: Background

Looking for Change was a three year project by Tate Modern, developed by lead artist Roy Smith with three primary schools in London: Brook Community School, Burbage Primary School and Vauxhall Primary School. The project formed the basis of in-depth research by Dr. Shelby Wolf, professor, University of Colorado at Boulder, into learning and teaching methods for primary age children.

Out of the project a resource for teachers was developed to support both practical outcomes and academic reflection. It is hoped that the resource will encourage teachers’ confidence to engage with art through galleries, both for its own sake and as a cross curricular tool. It is aimed at those teachers who are new to teaching art as well as those who want to delve deeper into the ideas behind art education.

‘Why Looking for Change? – The foundation of discussion, drawing, and reflection is a way to take more informed steps in the education of young children’s visual literacy.’

– Dr. Shelby Wolf

‘If we introduce children, very young children at that, to the arts and by that I don’t just mean traditional art, but the ARTS—music, drama, poetry, literature, dance, and drawing—then this feeds a certain fire, one that is difficult to extinguish and burns throughout their lives.’

– Roy Smith

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