Illustration and Innovation for 7 to 11 year olds
Great Art Quest 2011/12, sponsored by GAM, introduces children from 16 primary schools in the UK to the visual arts by partnering them with local galleries, professional artists and storytellers. For many of these children this will be their first experience of visual arts in a professional gallery setting.
The galleries taking part this year are: Dulwich Picture Gallery (London); Tate St Ives (Cornwall); MK Gallery (Milton Keynes); and Turner Contemporary (Margate).
The schools that have been selected to take part in this project have not previously been able to work with these local galleries.
The project launched on Friday 7th October 2011 with a teacher training day, kindly hosted by London’s National Gallery. All teachers were given a bespoke teaching booklet with ideas for incorporating art into the classroom.
During the Autumn term, children from the chosen schools visit their partner art gallery where works of art are brought to life for them by professional artists and storytellers. The children are encouraged to get to know the gallery and to gather inspiration for their own masterpieces.
The project will end with four very special exhibitions of the children’s own work to be held in their partner art gallery in spring 2012.
An appreciation of the visual arts is not innate, it is acquired. Exposure is the first step towards its appreciation. Great Art Quest is that first step for many of its participants.
Andy Hanges, CEO, GAM (UK) Ltd
This is GAM’s fourth year as sponsor of Great Art Quest. Over the past three years 1,800 children have been introduced to visual art and their local art gallery, many for the first time. GAM is committed to supporting Great Art Quests in 2012/13 and 2013/14, involving 8 more UK galleries partnered with 32 local schools in total.
Great Art Quest Online Galleries 2011/12
We’ll be displaying images of all the participating children’s artwork. Take a look at the images we have from each gallery so far:
Download the Great Art Quest teaching materials, and gallery information, or buy a copy from our shop.