'arts leading learning'

Arts in Warwickshire Education is a Warwickshire County Council team promoting innovative educational partnerships between artists / arts organisations, schools and their communities. we aim to ensure that all Warwickshire children and young people involved benefit from creative engagement of the highest quality. We are privileged to work with artists and organisations of national and international repute, representing a wide range of creative disciplines and cultural contexts. We are committed to maintaining the highest quality of arts and cultural provision locally, as a valuable and sustainable resource for the future.

Our work is determined by Warwickshire’s priorities within the five ‘Every Child Matters’ outcomes. As a team within the Education partnerships & School Development division we collaborate closely with other teams within the Directorate of Children, Young People and Families. We also collaborate with the wider County Council communities and the business sector to ensure the most successful outcomes for all Warwickshire children and young people both in and through the arts, creativity and culture.

The Arts in Warwickshire Education team consists of John Haggett, Strategic Lead, Vikki Holroyd, Creative Lead and Catherine Johnstone, project support. Essential to AWE’s success is the carefully cultivated work of a core group of professional artists with considerable expertise and experience in educational work. These artists advise and deliver on a wide range of AWE activities.

AWE’s operational base is at Whitnash Primary School in Leamington Spa. Here we have a venue for the exchange of ideas and practice amongst our creative partners. Central to this is Warwickshire’s innovative creative recycling centre, WEAVE (Warwickshire Enviro-Arts Vision for Education) which is managed by a key member of our core group of professional artists.

AWE’s strategic objectives for 2007-2010 are as follows:

• Raising self-esteem and skills for vulnerable children through educational arts partnerships

• Developing the role of the arts in improving intercultural understanding

• Developing partnerships with schools, arts educators, organisations, practitioners and communities, including the business sector

• Developing the contribution of the arts and creativity to the improved learning and achievement of children and young people