I went on several trips during my Arts Award – Instead of writing reviews on them, I asked my teachers to give feedback on my experience at these events.
Olafur Eliasson – The Tate Modern
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/olafur-eliasson/exhibition-guide
This trip was perfect for someone like Kristin. The exhibition was large but contained which meant she could explore by herself and spend as much time as she liked with certain exhibits. Kristin preferred the large installations as can be seen from the photos above. Kristin felt that the whole exhibition was like a giant sensory room and she thinks that we should take ideas from the exhibtion to build a sensory room at school. Plans for this are now underway thanks to her comments. Kristin’s favourite area was the Big Bang Fountain. A room that was completely dark except for strobe lighting that illuminated a fountain making it appear frozen. This is where she spent most of her time. She found the exhibition relaxing but also engaging. There was one exhibit where a light mist fell from the ceiling and Kristin was the only student happy enough to stand underneath it and feel the mist on her face. She feels that other young people with autism would enjoy the sensory nature of this exhibit.
Melanie – Art Teacher
Zandra Rhodes – The V&A
https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/b9dAqoRd/zandra-rhodes-50-fabulous-years-in-fashion
Kristin is rather eccentric in her fashion style so I knew she would enjoy the work of Zandra Rhodes. In fact, after the exhibition, Kristin had a go at dying her hair blue, although she tells me she mostly just made a mess of the bathroom. Kristin likes to embellish her clothes with patches that she has made herself but she tells me that this exhibition made her wonder if she could make her own clothes too. We got a glimpse of Zandra while we were there but Kristin wasn’t too keen on talking to her in real life. She did admire the models with clothes on although I think she would have preferred it if she could touch them as she enjoys the sensory nature of fabric. So the fact that this was hands off was a little disappointing for her. She thinks people who enjoy fashion and colour would have enjoyed the exhibit.
Fiona – SEN teacher
Death of a Salesman – The Young Vic
https://www.youngvic.org/whats-on/death-of-a-salesman
This was a joint English, Art and DT trip. Death of a SAlesman at the Young Vic is a performance known for its impressive set design. Kristin is studying the play for her English Literature A-Level and has so far found it depressing and dry. She enjoyed the fact that the play was recast with a black family, adding a struggle for acceptance to the usual struggle for capital portrayed by Arthur Miller. Having the Hollywood actor Wendell Pierce play Willy Loman was a great choice and Kristin was impressed that he made Willy into a more sympathetic character than she had found him when reading the play. Kristin knows that Willy’s world is not as stable as he thinks it is and she liked that the set design portrayed a house that could be pulled apart and fragmented. She commented that the whole set was almost like the inside of Willy’s mind. Kristin thinks a lot of young people would find this play difficult as it is long and not particularly cheerful. One of her classmates commented that this isn’t the kind of play you are supposed to enjoy, Kristin found this amusing but admits that she did enjoy herself. She thinks that the play probably has a more adult appeal.
Melanie, English Teacher
Footprint Scenery – Peckham – 2018 trip
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This was a DT trip to Footprints Scenery at Queens Road Peckham. Footprints make props and staging for a number of productions and corporate settings. they have woodwork, metalwork, and a digital studio. Kristin is not a DT student but asked to come along as an art student. This was one of Kristin’s first trips outside of Treasure House and although she had asked to come she found it stressful. Kristin has selective mutism and while she has become very talkative over the last few years, she was still only communicating with a few teachers at this point and was nervous about the trip. To counteract this, we made Kristin the photographer for the event. She was able to experience the trip through her camera and took some really interesting and observant photographs. Once we were back at school, Kristin edited her photos with me and talked about the experience. She found the metal work sections very interesting and wishes she could try metal working at school. She also recognised the software used in the digital section and was excited that software she has experience of is used in a professional setting.
Barney – DT teacher
Research into career pathways in the arts
I haven’t decided what to do when I leave school but I found out about the following options:
| Location | Course | Qualifications needed |
| Birkbeck University – Where I did my work placement. This is an evening university so you can get a job in the day, | BA in Creative Writing. My friend Beth goes here and she enjoys that she gets to do so much of her own writing, She gets a lot of experience writing in different genres and engages with contemporary fiction. My art teacher Melanie teaches on this course which has pros and cons for me! | All applicants, whatever their academic background, must submit a sample of 1000 words of creative writing (fiction, poetry, drama, or screenwriting). UCAS TARIFF POINTS 96-128 points A-levels: CCC-ABB |
| Goldsmiths University of London | BA in Fine Art – This would be interesting because it is practical as well as theoretical: The website says “You’ll make and study contemporary art in a dynamic, critical and interdisciplinary environment” | Successful completion of three A-levels, International Baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification PLUS successful completion of an Art and Design Foundation diploma Portfolio of work |
| London College of Communication | BA Photography – I am not sure I would want to narrow my area of study this much, but I do love photography. My teacher Melanie has a BA in photography and she has been able to pursue other art forms and teaches lots of subjects so it might not be as limiting as I think. | 80 UCAS tariff points, which can be made up of one or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications: A Levels at grade C or above (preferred subjects include: English; History; Media; Business; Art and Design, or other subjects within Social Sciences). Pass at Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (Level 3 or 4). Merit, Merit, Pass at BTEC Extended Diploma (preferred subjects: Art and Design, IT & Computing, Media). Merit at UAL Extended Diploma. Access to Higher Education Diploma (preferred subject: Digital and Creative Media, Film and Production). OR equivalent EU/International qualifications, such as International Baccalaureate Diploma at 24 points minimum And 5 GCSE passes at grade 4 or above (grade A*-C). |
| Photography apprenticeship | An alternative to uni that might get me some practical career experience. | Look locally Don’t be shy about applying to local photography studios, magazines, businesses or newspapers in your area. Even if they can’t offer you a full apprenticeship, you might get invited to complete work experience with them instead. Entry requirements Academic requirements are secondary to your portfolio when it comes to applying for positions in photography. If you haven’t had the opportunity to take professional photos or videos, take matters into your own hands. Gather your friends, grab your camera and start to build your own portfolio. Don’t just stick every single photo in there, though – be selective, and be sure to edit your images properly using software like Adobe Lightroom (or free alternatives). |