WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH...

THE ARTS MATTER JUST AS MUCH AS LITERACY AND NUMERACY!

People constantly tell me that the arts are not as important as literacy and numeracy. I disagree... 

JUST DO IT!

Throughout my working life I have lived with constant and relentless change. Things have never stayed the same and I have been blessed to be living in a world where creativity, innovation and change have been constant factors.

WHAT WOULD LIFE BE LIKE WITHOUT THE ARTS?

"The arts are a central part of the human experience and young people cannot participate or understand our history without engaging in the arts..."

It's funny but thinking about learning and realising the importance of coaching, practice and hard work inevitable leads me back to the arts. My experiences in York and Leeds where we developed powerful arts services, and working with some brilliant colleagues, musicians and artists, have shown me that the arts provide languages and opportunities for shaping and expressing our understandings and can powerfully engage learners and provide them with opportunities to share, develop and learn from what they know.

The arts, like sport, help develop capacities and attitudes central to learning and to life and uniquely help develop imagination and empathy. The arts are a rich context for learning and developing the skills that matter. Young people are required to listen, think critically, problem solve and make decisions, things that lie at the heart of all learning. The arts help young people develop self-confidence, self-discipline and self-esteem and come to understand what it means to achieve high standards and to work as part of a team. And of course the arts bring us joy and bring joy to learning and make schools happier and more vibrant and exciting places. What would your life be like without the arts?

IF YOU HAVE A GARDEN AND A LIBRARY... YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED!

Another day, another place, another library...

I was at Harlow Carr today and visited their RHS Library and discovered another secret treasure and I am a member!

DON'T MISS WHAT'S COMING THIS AUTUMN!

I have lived here in York for more than thirty years and I am simply astonished at the things the wonderful team at Explore are bringing to York this Autumn...

... and this is just my pick of an incredible range of things coming to local libraries this Autumn. Makes you realise how wonderful the Explore libraries are!!!

I LOVE IT: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library!

Every month, my little grandson gets a book from the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

THE WOODSTOCK LIBRARY!

Another day, another library! I popped into the Woodstock Library. 

Very small and very quiet little library operating on temporary staff at the moment. The Summer Reading Challenge was advertised but there was no one around today! The Woodstock Library is housed with the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum which has a lovely cafe and gift shop! There was a ‘Make, Do and Mend’ session going strong as well!

INTERESTING PLACES!

Since I became chair of Explore, I see libraries differently and everywhere I go now I try to pop in to the local library to see what is going on and for ideas and inspiration! I visited Marlborough Library today and it is one of those very quiet old fashioned slightly fusty and damp libraries with a bucket catching the drips and a volunteer sitting at a table waiting for children to encourage them to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge... none appeared in the hour and a half I sat there! The common demographic was the older residents of Marlborough who clearly like crime novels!! In many ways it makes you realise how lucky we are in York to have Explore managing and caring for the libraries which should be really important, vibrant and exciting public spaces!

BE BRAVE!

BE HAPPY!

I am told that happiness is elusive and that most people are simply struggling with the reality of their lives, rushing around too fast to see that there is another way. There is another way...

THIS SUNDAY MAKE SURE YOU EAT SOME CHOCOLATE!

I have been talking about the benefits of eating chocolate for a long time and some people simply wouldn't believe that is makes you cleverer and asked me where is the research evidence.