I first set foot in an art gallery was age 19 years old. By accident.
I was walking past the Tate Gallery in Liverpool, UK which was free entry. I simply went in to stay out of the rain.
I sat alone in a room with Mark Rothko. Not the Mark Rothko, just his red canvases.
It wasn’t merely what I saw, but rather how it made me feel that surprised me. I didn’t realise art could stir physical emotion. I’d only ever really seen art in comics.
Until that moment, I held the belief that art galleries were not spaces for people like me. Growing up, my parents weren’t artistically inclined and we lived on UK Air Force Bases akin to cultural deserts. For my parents the idea of visiting a gallery seemed distant and inaccessible.
This sense of disconnect isn’t uncommon among children; cultural institutions often seem exclusive if there’s no prior connection.
Statistics from NASA reveal that 98% of 5-year-old children fall into the “genius category of imagination.” However, this number drops to 12% for 15-year-olds and further decreases to 2% for adults. It’s disheartening that many schools don’t focus enough on developing curiosity and creativity.
Statistics from NASA reveal that 98% of 5-year-old children fall into the “genius category of imagination” which decreases to 2% for adults.
NASA
But it shouldn’t be like that. Because going to a gallery is more than just a nice thing to do: creativity in all forms, passive or active, develops imaginative thinking – valuable life skills. Creativity is frequently in the top 10 skills employers look for in candidates.
However, all is not lost. Across the world, cultural institutions are developing stronger bonds with schools, creating a symbiotic relationship between creative expression and educational hubs. This arrangement proves to be mutually beneficial for both sides.
In Hong Kong, a collaborative effort between cultural entities and schools has flourished. Due to the high demand for creative space, the Arts-in-School project has seen 74 local art units and schools work together. Schools generously offer their facilities to creative organisations outside of school hours. In return, creatives organise clubs and programs for school kids. Over 650 activities have been organised to date reaching 30,000 kids. This not only helps parents save on travel costs to external institutions but also ensures equity in participation, as many programs are subsidized.
This evolving dynamic mirrors the ethos of the BRIT School in London, an institution recognizing that not all students excel in traditional academic settings but harbour unique talents awaiting discovery. With very strong links to creative industries, and by incorporating the performing arts into the heart of its curriculum, the BRIT School empowers students, ensuring they are not intimidated by the professional world they will enter once they leave school at 16.
In Barcelona, the transformative ‘Schools in Residence‘ program creates partnerships between cultural institutes and schools to bridge the gap between culture and education. Specifically targeting El Raval, a neighbourhood facing complex needs and high inequalities, the program connects the Centre for Contemporary Culture Barcelona (CCCB) with INS Miquel Tarradell Secondary School. This alliance, part of the ‘Apadrina el teu Equipament’ initiative, supports the rights and participation of young people in El Raval and has positively impacted students, dramatically reducing very high absenteeism.
Take the ‘Art to Grow Up‘ program in Paris, which connects 150 cultural institutions with nearly a thousand educational facilities. It introduces artistic practices to young Parisians. It involves cultural outings, artistic residencies, and training for early childhood professionals. The program cultivates cultural awareness in children and widens access to culture from an early age. The early success of the initiative has prompted its extension to more childcare centers.
And my personal favourite is Culture Kids. In 2020, following a successful pilot with the Helsinki Philharmonic and Opera House, the city launched Culture Kids, connecting every new born with local cultural sponsors. Babies join at eight weeks through health clinics. Sponsors, invite children and their family to at least two free events yearly until they start primary school.
What’s fascinating about these partnerships is that they benefit both sides. Cultural institutions gain fresh perspectives and potential future enthusiasts, while schools broaden students’ horizons beyond textbooks, exposing them to the wider world.
As I reflect on the transformative power of art in my own life, I am reminded of that rainy day in Liverpool when I stumbled into the Tate. That unplanned encounter with Rothko’s canvases reshaped my perception of art and ignited a passion I never knew existed. I wish that I had gone to a school like High Tech High in California. It has has torn up the rule book and is described as the most ‘Innovative School in California’. The documentary ‘Most Likely To Succeed’ about why it works, is well worth a watch.
My journey from feeling like an outsider in the art world to recognising its profound impact mirrors the broader efforts worldwide to bridge the gap between culture and education. In a sense, it boils down to good service design in a city – enriching the lives of communities and breaking down barriers. Every city should embed it.
For me, it’s a personal testament to the idea that art is not exclusive or distant. Creative people think tangentially. We should all be working to make sure that tangent connects to something valuable.
And what is more valuable than teaching young kids to explore their imaginations?
The Arts-in-School Partnership Scheme aims to foster collaboration between local arts organisations/artists and schools by encouraging school operators to lease their premises and facilities to arts organisations and artists.
To increase participation of young people in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, the Schools in Residence programme promotes the connection between culture and education within local secondary schools.
