Tate works hard to draw people into its galleries, but it also goes out and delivers its expertise in other spaces.
In the past year, those spaces have included four schools in some of the most deprived parts of London, such as Hackney and Lambeth. The children who attend these schools might be within striking distance of a gallery, yet they have little or no exposure to art.
Looking for Change, a three-year project with UBS, aims to change that. The project is working to develop children’s visual and cultural literacy.
Artist educators and volunteers from UBS have worked in these schools over a sustained period, getting to know the children and developing a rapport with them. Over the course of the first year, a total of 110 primary school pupils have had 30 sessions, and visited Tate Modern at least five times. They’ve studied in the gallery and gone on to create their own work. The sessions also include reflection through writing.
Being able to work on a sustained project week after week is in itself a new experience for these children. They have also grown hugely confident in exploring the gallery, and making their own interpretations.
‘These 8-year-olds independently navigate a gallery space, spending time and then moving on, with no need for an adult to read them the curatorial text,’ says Claire Smith, an artist working with Vauxhall Primary. ‘It’s an exciting sight, especially when we’re just a year into the project.’
The project continues until 2010. Evidence gathered from it will be used to build longer-term programmes at Tate Modern, and to inform government on visual literacy programmes in schools.
