How to...Educate Yourself Creatively Outside School and University

Not getting enough creativity from your school or university? Worry not, there are many different options that can help you unleash your creative potential.

How to...Educate Yourself Creatively Outside School and University

With creative education becoming sidelined in the national curriculum and mainstream education not always providing the pathways into the arts for everyone, its sometimes important to think outside the box when looking for a creative outlet. There are various ways to get a creative education outside of school and education environments.

Getting involved with a local museum or gallery. You could join their youth programme or get involved with the work they do with schools. Many museums also run craft activities for younger children to get involved in at weekends and in the school holidays. You can usually find this information on your local museums or gallery's website, or get in touch directly and ask what they have on.

Taking an Arts Award. Many of the modules that you are required to complete for an Arts Award are aimed towards introducing and nourishing young people to the arts. They also teach new skills and help expand your horizons creatively. Check out more here.

Attending workshops and classes. These could be after school classes, university societies or they could be community workshops. Either way you'll be able to learn a new skill and meet new people.

Getting involved with art collectives or art groups. These could be graduate groups, college enrichments, or a collective created from university contacts. It could be community theatre groups, poetry collectives, the options are endless!

Taking art on as a hobby in your own time. Do some painting in your bedroom or clay work in your garden. Have a little 'me' time to be creative! If you're looking for inspiration, hunting out imagery online or creating mood boards can get the ideas flowing.

Use internet vlogs and Youtube to teach you new art skills and creative techniques. Teach yourself something new: there are many youtube and vlogs to help you learn the trickiest of techniques!

Get together with friends and skill share. This way you can all learn something new. Alternatively use safe online chats to meet new people with similar interests (such as on Arts Award Voice).

Join online art communities through social media. Sites such as on tumblr, flickr, pinterest: all share creative communities. It gives you the ability to see other peoples work and get hints and tips.

Author

Mary Strickson

Mary Strickson Contributor

I love writing, blogging and reviewing on Voice and other online publications, covering a range of topics but I especially love the arts, activism, film and theatre. When I am not writing I work as an events photographer and artist/illustrator, as well as running workshops in schools and the community, mostly with young people. I'm also a huge history nerd, have a History BA, Art History MA and work in heritage. I love comics, superheroes and anything sci-fi.

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