Storyhouse Announces Educating Creatively Conference

A stellar line-up of speakers has been announced for the first ever Educating Creatively Conference at Storyhouse.

The conference programmed by Storyhouse - Chester's multi award-winning theatre, cinema and library, taking place 4 - 7 September is the first ever annual gathering of a creative educator, artist and academic network.

Storyhouse, also hosting the event, will see leading thinkers, celebrated artists and practitioners from across the world come together to discuss, debate and celebrate the importance of creative education. Speakers from the USA, Australia, Spain and Bethlehem are on the bill.

Alex Clifton, artistic director Storyhouse said:

Times are changing for cultural organisations and places of learning; and arts-based thinking is increasingly gaining ground in numerous disciplines across academia. The way we respond as thinkers, creators and practitioners needs a space for reflection and the sharing of ideas. Storyhouse and the conference hopes to provide such a space, where opportunities, new ideas and challenges can be discussed.

Founder and director of Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, established in a refugee camp in Bethlehem, Abdelfattah Abusrour teaches Storytelling and Drama in Education in Bethlehem University. He will discuss his philosophy for teaching that uses performing and visual arts as a means of educating by developing peaceful self-expression; and building peace within individuals.

Charmaine Pollard is a counsellor, life coach and a certified poetry therapist with the USA-based International Federation for Biblio-Poetry Therapy (IFBT). She has facilitated poetry therapy groups in: schools, prisons, clinical settings and in the community.

Rabia Saleemi will be undertaking a practical workshop exploring processes for children to be free to 'mark-make' and what can be done to encourage and engage artistic creation.

From the Federation University in Australia, Rob Davis will be sharing research carried out on primary school aged children.

Nia Richards and Gwenfair Hughes from Arts Council of Wales will present on recent projects that are contributing to education reform.

The USA's Millerville University Lecturer Elizabeth Powers will be giving a presentation about encouraging conversations with children about their rights.

Also appearing at the conference Principal Kelsall Primary School, Director Cheshire Leadership & Teaching Alliance, David Waring will be giving a presentation on a broad and balanced curriculum.

Tickets for the conference are on sale now, find out more at storyhouse.com