The Challenges and Opportunities of Innovating a Higher Education Curriculum in Creative and Therapeutic Arts

This presentation will reflect upon both the challenges and the opportunities realised in the recent revalidation activity of an undergraduate degree programme in Creative and Therapeutic Arts. The history of the course will briefly be encapsulated to provide context to the presentation, before engaging with the theoretical context to contemporary participatory arts practice. This will include exploration of the complementary and contrasting approaches of socially engaged art practice (Helguera, 2011; Thompson, 2012), inclusive arts practice (Fox and Macpherson), participatory arts practice (Matarasso, 2013; ArtWorks Cymru, 2015), arts in health (Fancourt, 2017) and therapeutic arts or art therapy (Rogers, 2000; Clements, Hughes and Stiller, 2015). The challenge of defining a diverse practice which draws from such rich and colourful perspectives is insightfully discussed by Swindells et al. (2016) and will be further explored in relation to the specific context of the course. The geographical context of the programme will also be reflected upon, drawing from Welsh (Welsh Assembly Government, 2014, 2015; Donaldson, 2015) and UK (Department of Health, 2008, 2011) policy which demonstrates the relevance and value of this creative practice to strategic wellbeing agendas. The curriculum design will be reviewed in relation to experiential learning pedagogy (Mortimer, 2017) and inclusive practice literature (Grace and Gravestock, 2009; HEA, 2011), as well as relevant higher education policies (QAA, 2014; QAA, 2017). Upon briefly summarising the revalidated curriculum, two examples of participatory arts projects for students on the programme will be presented to illustrate the current thinking of the course team, informed by critical evaluation of recent practice and engagement with the contemporary evidence base. Critical discussion and questions around the future of the training and the discipline more broadly will be stimulated and encouraged, to further nurture and challenge future educators and practitioners in this exciting area of practice. References All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing (2017), Inquiry Report - Creative Health: The Arts for Health and Wellbeing, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing ArtWorks Cymru (2015), ‘Quality Principles’ [online], Available at http://artworks.cymru/en/quality-principles Accessed 30th October 2017 Clements, N., Hughes, R. and Stiller, K. (2015), Person-Centred Creativity, Valley and Vale Community Arts Department of Health (2008), Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Department of Health (2011), No Health without Mental Health Fancourt, D. (2017), Arts in Health: Designing and Researching Interventions, Oxford: Oxford University Press Fox, A. and Macpherson, H. (2016), Inclusive Arts Practice and Research: A Critical Manifesto, London: Routledge Grace, S. and Gravestock, P. (2009), Inclusion and Diversity: Meeting the Needs of All Students, London: Routledge Helguera, P. (2011) Education for Socially Engaged Art: A Materials and Techniques Handbook. New York: Jorge Pinto Books. Higher Education Authority (HEA) (2011), Inclusive Curriculum Design in Higher Education Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)/CQFW (2009), Credits and Qualification Framework for Wales Matarasso, F. (2013), ‘Creative Progression – Reflections on Quality in Participatory Arts’, Unesco Observatory, Multidisciplinary Journal of the Arts, 3(3), p. 1 – 14 Mortimer, S. (2017), ‘Transforming the Student-Learning Experience: The Triple-V Model of Experiential Learning’, Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 7(4), p. 337 – 353 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) (2017), Benchmark Statement: Art and Design Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) (2014), Quality Code to include the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) (2017), Benchmark Statement: Art and Design Rogers, N. (2000), The Creative Connection: Expressive Arts as Healing, Ross-on-Wye: PCCS Books Swindells, R., Lawthom, R., Parkinson, C., Clennon, O., Kagan, C., and de Bézenac, C. (2016), ‘“I’m Not a Therapist You Know… I’m an Artist”: Facilitating Wellbeing and Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Through Community Arts Participation’, Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 7(3), p. 347 – 367 Welsh Government, (2014), The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act Welsh Government, (2015), Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act