AIRIS: Arts in Residence in Science

Working in partnership with Teesside Chemical Initiative (TCI) Science Education Unit we delivered exciting and innovative pilot projects during the 2003/4 academic year.

The projects involved a dramatist, an animator and a poet working in Tees Valley schools for one term. Feedback from both the school staff and pupils and from the artists demonstrated that the projects were successful and rewarding for all involved.

A teaching manual for science departments to use drama within their development plans was published; the four animation cd’s were used as a teaching resource and were disseminated nationally, and the cd and book of poetry created at Carmel College Darlington was launched in the summer term 2004 with a radio broadcast.

The project followed up with the placement of an artist in a special school for one term who involved, interested and engaged pupils in science activities and extending teacher’s teaching and learning strategies. The artist worked alongside the teachers to teach science issues creatively, raised pupils’ awareness and made science more relevant for them.

Dramatist Bidi Iredale successfully completed work with PGCE students from Durham University. Following this, funding was being sought to deliver a project built into the PGCE course at Durham. Sunderland University and Stockton Riverside Campus of Durham University also expressed an interest in hosting this project.

Artists

The Funders

Borough Council Funders