Government funding cuts in the UK mean that schools are increasingly under pressure to reduce their arts provisions. In a BBC survey, to which 1200 secondary schools responded, nine in every 10 said they had cut back on lesson time, staff or facilities in at least one creative arts subject (source https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-42862996) To help address this issue, the Lars Windhorst Foundation has launched a weekly art enrichment programme at King Solomon Academy, with plans to expand the programme to more secondary schools in need of support.
The aim of the art enrichment programme at is to:
- Help students reach their full artistic potential
- Expose the students to artists, art forms and artistic movements from various cultures
- Help the students to understand that art can be taken past the school curriculum and can be helpful in every part of life
- Help local artists to engage with the wider community, in what can be a very solitary profession, and to pass on their skills.
The Lars Windhorst Foundation covers the cost of teachers and assistants, and all art supplies. The students work with different media including collage, inks and paints. Students have been enjoying the opportunity to develop their skills and explore their artistic potential.
