Zine Workshop on Co-operative Art Education

“Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.” (Paulo Freire (1996/1968). The Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, pp. 72)

This workshop will be an opportunity to explore the potential of co-operative art education while we produce a zine.

Mike Neary and Joss Winn have pioneered the study and practice of co-operative higher education in the UK as members of the Social Science Centre, Lincoln. In University of Utopia (2016) they provide a suggestive glimpse of what a co-operative university might look like. The Worker Co-operative Code by Co-operatives UK outlines the seven co-operative principles. The short guide to Setting up a workers co-op by Seeds for Change provides a summary of the process.

We will begin with an introduction and some questions on co-operative art education that we can address during the workshop. Bring your own questions along! Tools and materials will be provided but please feel free to bring sketches, magazines and materials to cut up and produce a page for the zine. The pages will be assembled into a booklet and distributed in the library so don’t forget to come back and pick up a copy.

Readings:

Please download and read the texts in advance of the workshop.

• Neary, Mike and Joss Winn (2016). The University of Utopia. Post-16 Educator, Issue 84, pp. 13–15.
• Co-operatives UK, Worker Co-operative Council (2012). Worker Co-operative Code, 2nd ed. Manchester: Co-operatives UK.
• Seeds for Change (2013). Setting up a workers co-op. Lancaster: Seeds for Change.

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This is the first workshop in a series that will explore potential models for a co-operative form of art education. The workshops are open to anyone with an interest in engaging with and contributing to the project. They are participatory and experimental, progressing through stages. You do not have to come to all workshops, but if you can that would enhance continuity between sessions.

A co-operative art school? is a research project on co-operative education, alternative art education, radical pedagogy, self-organisation, networks and other dimensions of a co-operative learning environment. The project is supported by an Artquest Research Residency award at the Conway Hall Humanist Library. For more information on the project and how to get involved and please visit this page.

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We are committed to promoting inclusive practice at Conway Hall. Due to the constraints of our historic building, there is currently no step-free access to the Library. Please see our Access and Visitor Information for further accessibility information or contact us at Librarian@conwayhall.org.uk. We vary the location of our events between the Library and other ground-level rooms, and are working to ensure that everyone is able to attend all our events in the future.