The power of coming together

Our national delivery partner, Goldsmiths, University of London, have developed a learning programme that cultivates dynamic, creative learning environments and empowers school communities to be agents of change. At its helm, is Professor Tara Page, who shares her observations on the power of connections the learning programme modules bring to all who attend.

Connection has always been at the heart of Artsmark. Not the kind that can be counted or captured in a metric, but the kind that is made in rooms filled with energy, laughter, and shared purpose. In every learning module, every reflective pause, and every quiet moment of planning, we see and feel what connection makes possible.

Over the past year, teachers have reminded us again and again that connection is the difference between participation and transformation. When we ask teachers what advice they’d give to others following their sessions, they’ve given feedback such as: 

“Come to training as a team so you can collaborate for your setting together in the space provided.”

“Attend face-to-face sessions, it’s where you really connect with other schools.”

“Collaboration is key.”

“Engage with as many people as possible! I have valued the many connections I have made and the collaborative approach I am now part of!”

These are not just bits of advice. Each comment speaks to the value of learning with rather than about one another. Connection builds confidence. It turns individual intentions into shared change.

The power of shared spaces

When we meet, especially in-person – teachers, leaders, and the Goldsmiths team – something shifts. The room becomes a learning community. Questions open up, stories unfold, and new partnerships begin. It is with these moments that Artsmark becomes more than a programme; it becomes a living network of care.

And this feeds into our internal planning too. I’m reminded of something Henrietta, one of the teachers in our delivery team, said about our most recent Goldsmiths-Artsmark team strategy day: “Although there are only a few times a year when we come together in person, there is always a great sense of support, care and being a part of a team. When we do meet as a team there is real generosity of sharing ideas, and problem solving. Sharing reflections on our experience and understanding of Artsmark feels reassuring and constructive.” That day, we shared conversation and quiet recognition. The air felt thick with possibility, that mix of exhaustion and excitement familiar to anyone who teaches. We largely meet online and through sharing notes, stories of change and a sandwich or two, it was a reminder that connection isn’t a by-product of learning, it’s the condition that makes it thrive.

Celebrating connections

This year’s Celebration Week invites us to honour that network. The connections between schools that keep the arts alive in challenging times, between colleagues who find strength in shared ideas, and within the Goldsmiths Artsmark team, who hold the space for it to happen. 

As we celebrate another year of Artsmark, let’s celebrate the connective tissue that holds it all together: the conversations that begin in modules and continue online or in corridors, the ripples of collaboration that reach classrooms, playgrounds, and communities, and the creative relationships that turn vision into change.

Connection is not an outcome, it’s a practice. It’s what makes this work possible, and what makes it matter.

To find out more about Goldsmiths’ learning programme, watch this short animation.

Register for Artsmark to access Goldsmiths’ learning programme.