15 Apr 2010
Play, Galleries and Family Learning

Image courtesy of Febrik

How can play outside the gallery influence resources and activities for children and families in galleries and museums?

A free evening event at Iniva's Stuart Hall Library sparked by the new engage journal, engage 25: Family Learning. The theme will be explored through presentations and discussion with an artist, an architect, a gallery programmer and the audience.

Chair: 

Alison Cox

Alison is Head of Programming at Compton Verney in Warwickshire, working across exhibitions, collections and learning. Alison has extensive experience of family programming at Tate Modern, Tate Britain and in galleries in the West Midlands.

Alison will introduce the session, drawing on her experience of working on children's and family resources and spaces in different types of galleries, working with artists, and often using low tech, low budget solutions.

Speakers:

Hattie Coppard

Hattie is an artist and Director of Snug & Outdoor, a small company of artists who design bespoke play environments for local authorities, development agencies, housing schemes and schools.  She has developed children's play areas in the public realm and for Eureka, Halifax and the Chicago Children's Museum.

Hattie will discuss her experience of designing play areas outside and inside institutions, and how play is finding its way into museums and galleries.

Reem Charif

Reem is an architect with Febrik, who has researched children's play in East London and in refugee camps in the Middle East.

Reem will talk about her research into children's patterns of spontaneous play, space shared by children and adults, the role of play in learning, and possibilities for family play in galleries.

Full details are at www.engage.org/training

To book a free place, email bookings@rivingtonplace.org

or call 020 7749 1240

As the Stuart Hall Library has limited capacity, early booking is recommended

engage is the National Association for Gallery Education: a professional organisation for those in the field of the visual arts and learning. Members include policymakers, curators, gallery staff, teachers and artists. engage supports Gallery Education through projects and programmes, Continuing Professional Development, publications and resources. For information about membership go to www.engage.org/join