Making and Relational Creativity: An Exploration of Relationships that Arise through Creative Practices in Informal Making Spaces

Making and Relational Creativity explores the developing relationships that arise between art teachers and students through creative practices outside of the secondary school arts curriculum. The author offers a powerful account of both her own and student experiences, exposing the complexities and problematic nature of creative practices emerging outside of the curriculum framework.The book specifically explores relationships that develop in informal making spaces and argues for the significance of democratic creativity within art education. Examining the processes of making and the narratives arising within the A/R/Tography Collective, the lived experiences of both students and educator are revealed, providing a unique insight into their lives. The book explores the impact such spaces have on teachers’ professional relationships with students together with the impact on student relationships and urges educators to inhabit a more holistic role and tailor their pedagogy to meet the needs of students. In addition, the research also aims to address the implications of informal making spaces for the school curriculum in England.This book will be of great interest for postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the field of arts education, democratic learning, teacher education, cultural and organisational studies.

About the Author

Lindsey Helen Bennett leads arts provision at Chester International School in the North West of England. She completed her doctoral research at the University of Chester in 2019 and she is interested in incorporating contemporary art practices into art and design education.