25 schools and 25 creative professionals will join forces to devise and deliver innovative and creative projects that explore the key themes of Cynefin: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Wales.
A new curriculum will be introduced in Welsh schools in 2022 to teach children about racism and the contributions of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. This follows the recommendations of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the New Curriculum Working Group set up by the Welsh Government to look at how the contributions of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities through history have been taught in schools.
“It’s very important our new curriculum reflects the true diversity of our population and learners understand how this diversity has shaped Wales,” said Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education. “I’m looking forward to seeing the results of this work and how schools and creative professionals will work together to explore the contributions of Black, Asian and Minority ethnic individuals and communities to modern day Wales and beyond.”
Since its inception in 2015, the Arts Council of Wales’ ‘Creative learning through the arts’ project has examined ways of putting creativity at the heart of the new curriculum, and recently recruited creative professionals to work in Welsh schools to look at ways of exploring the history and development of Wales as a multicultural society.
“This project would have been really beneficial to me as a young black kid in a predominantly white school so I’m hoping to bring that nuance, and that different voice that the kids might not be used to,” said multi-disciplinary artist Joseph Roberts, one of the Arts Council of Wales’ selected creative practitioners.
The twenty-five creative practitioners will now work with schools on creative partnerships and projects to enhance the quality of teaching and learning.
“Cynefin: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Wales draws upon the strengths of the Lead Creative Schools Scheme that has helped schools explore new ideas and approaches to teaching and learning over the last six years,” said Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive of the Arts of Council Wales. “I am delighted that we are now also able to contribute in this way to the new curriculum’s increased emphasis on truly reflecting the diversity of Wales’ population and the impact of this on Wales’ past and future.”
To find out more about the Arts Council of Wales, visit their website here.
Header image: Bevin Magama in Adamsdown Primary.
