We opened our Annual Student Art Exhibition and launched the Schools' Program for our next Arts Learning Festival.
We’ve recently celebrated the importance of the arts in education with two important events at Independent Schools Victoria – the Annual Student Art Exhibition and the launch of the Schools’ Program for the 2019 Arts Learning Festival.
The art exhibition is now in its 13th year, and is curated from the amazing artworks created by students in Member Schools of Independent Schools Victoria.
This year, 15 Independent schools are represented by more than 150 artworks, created by students from years 1 to 12.
The exhibition was officially opened by ISV’s chair, Dr Anne Waterhouse, ISV’s Chief Executive Michelle Green, and special guest Dr Flossie Chua, from Project Zero at Harvard University.
ISV has a long connection with Dr Chua, whose work focuses on nurturing thinking processes through art.
Student artists, their families and teachers filled the exhibition space at 1 Spring Street, Melbourne for the opening. The exhibition can be viewed by the public during office hours.
The exhibition was also the scene of the launch of the Schools’ Program for the 2019 Arts Learning Festival. You can find full details and booking details at artslearningfestival.com.au
Harvard’s Dr Chua gave the audience of teachers from across Victoria a taste of a new framework for viewing contemporary art, created with ISV.
ISV’s Chief Executive Michelle Green told the launch of ISV’s strong commitment to role of the arts in education.
‘Our festival came about because of a belief that the arts are an essential part of a student’s education, the building blocks, not just an add-on or after-thought,’ she said.
The first Arts Learning Festival festival was held in May 2017. While ISV hosted the festival, we invited all students from all schools, and the festival was attended by thousands.
Next year’s festival will be held from Thursday 2 May to Saturday 4 May. On weekdays, the focus is on students and teachers, while the Saturday is Community Day, with events open to everyone.
The festival’s theme is ‘unlimited imagination’, and this is reflected in the Schools’ Program, which has deep links to the curriculum.
Some of the highlights include:
- New York visual artist Mary Mattingly will create a collaborative artwork, creating a Melbourne landscape in miniature. Mattingly combines her visual art practice with the environment and education, working with everyday objects we consume.
- The return of Tim Ferguson’s Billie and the Dinosaurs, a musical journey through a narrated orchestral performance, where our hero, Billie, runs away from school bullies, falls through a mysterious waterfall, and discovers a world of dinosaurs.
- The Inner Voice, in which operatic tenor Chris Elliott and a classical accompanist will lead students through a transformative musical experience exploring the power of song.
- The Student Film Festival, seeking the best from our most creative young filmmakers. There will be People’s Choice votes on the night, with prizes for the winners in this celebration of the moving image.
The program for our Community Day will be released in coming months.
For the latest festival news, you can go to the festival website and register your email address in the Get the Updates section.
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