Nineteen local schools are currently taking part in the first ever dot-art Schools programme. This is an interactive, online, inter-school art competition for Year 6 and Year 9 students, supported by Arts Council England. Following a two month voting period on the dot-art schools website, the artwork by the top three students from each school will be exhibited at the Domino Gallery in Liverpool City Centre from 11 to 20 July 2013.
The dot-art Schools programme is an innovative new scheme giving students a public platform to display their art work outside the school environment and the chance to enter into friendly inter-school interaction and competition. Each participating school selects 25 pieces of work which are put on display via the dot-art Schools website, where students, family and friends, as well as the public, are able to vote for their favourite piece. An exhibition showcases the top works from each participating school in the Domino Gallery, Liverpool, a scholarship awarded to the top student in the program, and certificates awarded to the top students at each school.
The programme, which has the full support of Liverpool City Council, Curious Minds and City Central BID, aims to nurture talent, raise ambition, and build interest in the art world, in a way which cannot be achieved within schools. Art teachers have confirmed that this program could not be implemented by teachers alone and will add an valuable additional dimension to the curriculum, and that taking the pupil’s art work outside the school will bring great benefits, giving them a lifelong interest in the arts.
With the current threats to creative subjects on the national curriculum, dot-art schools offeres a way of keeping young people engaged in the arts, allows them to see a creative career path, and encourages them to attend exhibitions outside of school.
Tim Alderman, Headteacher at St Julie’s Catholic College, and representative of the Liverpool Association of Secondary Headteachers (LASH), said: “It has been a long time since we have had something of this calibre in the city to promote and celebrate the work of our young artists… At a time when the Government and Department of Education’s focus is most definitely on the core subjects of English, Maths, Science, Humanities and Languages, it is both reassuring and stimulating to have an organisation promote the arts in such a positive way. It is of particular benefit to students in Year 9 as not only do they see the relevance of art in society but also the benefit of choosing Art as an option subject as a future career.”
Lucy Byrne of dot-art added: “We have been absolutely delighted with the positive response to the pilot scheme from schools across the region, and it has been wonderful to see the high standard of work entered into this first competition. We are now building on the lessons learnt and ensuring next year’s programme is bigger, better and showcasing talent from as many local schools as possible! I hope that people across the region will now support the students taking part and get involved, by voting online and visiting the exhibition in July.”
dot-art Schools is currently looking for both Primary and Secondary schools across the Liverpool City Region who would like to take part in the next programme, which starts in September. Teachers interested in getting involved can find out more and complete an Expression of Interest form on the dot-art Schools website: schools.dot-art.com/what
