Teaching creativity: An international perspective on studying art in the UK
Written by: Seungah Lee and Louisa Horner
4 min read
SEUNGAH LEE, ART & DESIGN TEACHER, NO FRAME ART & EDUCATION, SOUTH KOREA
LOUISA HORNER, LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT LEAD, CATS GLOBAL SCHOOLS, UK
Studying art can be a culture shock. In fact, it should be a culture shock.
Art students in the UK are faced with expectations to create original artwork and not imitate, but there is anxiety in baring their creative soul. Students coming from other countries are less likely to have been required to create original work before, so we need a different approach to art-making. Taking inspiration from Martin Robinson’s Impact article ‘The awkward arts’ (2019), we agree that the creative process deserves a significant investment of time and energy. Our article will suggest a six-step process that gradually acclimatises international students to conceptualising artwork, in a ‘conceptual playground’, so that their originality can emerge.
When I transitioned from studying art in South Korea to train as a teacher in Britain, the
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A fascinating study that unpacks the cultural challenges faced by international students of art. The six practical steps to engage a student in engaging with their creativity offer a helpful framework to structure future opportunities to enhance a creative focus to the arts curriculum.