Arts and technology companies asked to Glow together

The Co-Create Project is asking new media and technology companies to form dynamic new partnerships with arts organisations to help develop innovative approaches to technology in education.

Co-Create, a collaboration between Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) and the Scottish Arts Council, is inviting Scottish Arts Council funded organisations to submit applications for grant funding of up to £30k per project. These organisations are being encouraged to link up with new media and technology companies to develop pioneering methods for using ICT via Glow, the Scottish schools intranet.

Marie Dougan, Director of Learning and Technology at LTS, said: “With Glow now rolled out to all 32 local authorities in Scotland, the Co-Create Project presents technology and arts companies with the unique chance to work together on a large scale, pioneering programme.

“The technology of Glow is proving to be an invaluable tool for teachers and practitioners across Scotland in the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.”

To support companies in developing their proposals, a ‘Speed Dating’ event was held at DCA, Dundee earlier this month for arts professionals to meet with new media and technology companies to discuss ideas and meet potential project partners. Almost 30 representatives from various businesses attended with the technology companies each being allocated a five-minute timeframe to present their work to the attending arts organisations. Following on from this, a ‘speed dating’ style round of introductions took place to allow all attending to meet each other on a rotational basis.

Julia Fenby, Glow Development Officer (Arts) at LTS, said: “The Speed Dating event was a great success. It provided a platform for media companies to share their work with potential new business partners and for arts and media professionals to meet, discuss ideas and form new partnerships for Co-Create. 

“There was a real buzz with so many creative minds coming together and I am excited to see the project proposals that develop as a result. Co-Create is a great opportunity for arts organisations to work together with schools and media partners to illustrate the key role the arts play in supporting Curriculum for Excellence via Glow.”

Joan Parr, Head of Education Scottish Arts Council said:
“Co-Create is a fantastic opportunity to develop new and exciting partnerships between artists and Scotland’s schools so that they can learn together in new ways.  We’re looking forward to seeing the 100s of great ideas for projects from a one-off collaboration using digital technology, or perhaps something that lasts over a term or a year.  Co-Create offers a great way to demonstrate the role the arts and creativity play in supporting Curriculum for Excellence, as well as supporting artists in their work.  Co-create has the potential to transform the learning experiences of young people throughout Scotland.”

Co-Create has been set up as a demonstration project to explore Glow’s potential to support innovative approaches to learning and teaching through the arts. Through Co-Create, between six and ten Scottish Arts Council funded arts organisations will be firstly selected by a panel including classroom teachers and then supported to deliver ambitious demonstration projects which will trial/pilot new ways of learning and teaching.

Interested parties should click on www.glowscotland.org.uk/Co-Create or http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/artsinscotland/education/features/glow.aspx for more information. The deadline for submissions is 5pm Monday, November 16 2009. Successful applicants will be informed on or by Friday, January 8 2010.
 
ENDS

For more information contact:
Kirsten Blackie
Media relations officer
Learning and Teaching Scotland
E: K.Blackie@LTScotland.org.uk
T: 0141 282 5036

Or

Charlotte Rowland
Communications Officer
Scottish Arts Council
E: media.office@scottisharts.org.uk
T: 0131 240 2498

 Notes to editors:

1. Learning and Teaching Scotland is the lead organisation involved in the development and support of the Scottish curriculum and is at the heart of all major developments in Scottish education.  www.LTScotland.org.uk

2. Managed by Learning and Teaching Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, Glow is the world's first national intranet for education. It provides a platform for online collaboration and sharing and allows Scotland’s 54,000 teachers and 750,000 pupils to work and learn in ways that have not been possible before. Glow is breaking down barriers and making learning experiences and opportunities more widely accessible to users across Scotland.

3. The Scottish Arts Council serves the people of Scotland by fostering arts of excellence through investment, development, research and advocacy. Our corporate aims are: to support artists to fulfil their creative and business potential; to increase participation in the arts; and to place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning. The organisation was established by Royal Charter in 1994 and is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) investing over £61m each year, including £12.4 million of National Lottery funding. A new organisation, Creative Scotland, will be established in 2010, subject to the passage of legislation. Creative Scotland will grow out of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen by working with those organisations’ staff. www.scottisharts.org.uk