A trip to Margate – CHEAD Subject Association Alliance at The Margate School (Part 2)
A reflection by Dr Jacqueline Butler, CHEAD Trustee and Chair of CHEAD’s Subject Association Alliance
Photo credit: The Margate School
On 19th February 2025 CHEAD held the first in person meeting at The Margate School (TMS) of the Subject Association Alliance (SAA) since the COVID19 restrictions in 2020 drove the meetings online. Although some members were unable to join us (travel issues, teaching commitments, etc.) the meeting had higher attendance numbers than recent online meetings held in summer and autumn 2024. To me this indicates the enthusiasm to come together in a physical rather than virtual space.
Members arrived at the school after brisk and refreshing walks from either the station or the local beach (barely five minutes from the school). Everyone was warmly welcomed by our host, TMS Director Uwe Derksen, with refreshments and introductions to TMS colleagues and associates.
The CHEAD directors and I had been working with Uwe and his team for several months to develop an interesting programme of activities. We agreed a provocation focusing on the diversity of provision for higher arts education, exploring the differences between micro and macro-organizations. Drawing from the unique offer at TMS and the experiences of SAA members, our onus was to stimulate discussion on the challenges and opportunities the smaller more autonomous independent schools and subject associations have, sitting outside the larger HEI frameworks and systems.
The programme began with a talk from the current TMS exhibiting artist. Tory Tyranova-Romanchuk is a Ukrainian artist currently exiled in the UK, her introduction to the exhibition presented a narrative of the resilience of an artist displaced through the exceptional circumstances of war and her determination to continue working, to make and contribute to a creative community. This set good foundations for the day.
We then had tours of the school followed by a panel discussion, comprising of Laura Nyahuye (Maokwo, a cultural organisation inspiring the next generation of creative visionaries), Ellie Gray (Academic Coordinator at The Margate School, MA in Contemporary Art Theory (Goldsmiths)), Peter Fillingham (British Sculptor, Contemporary Artist and Fine Art Tutor) and Gillian Youngs (Trustee of The Margate School CIO and member of The Margate School Advisory Group) chaired by Uwe. All presented their experiences working with TMS in a range of roles as artists, tutors, trustees placing emphasis on the ”Margate” approach … socially engaged and sustainably driven with freedom to teach arts without the complexities of the bureaucracies of larger higher education institutions.
The golden thread throughout the day focused on values, beliefs and resilience. From expressing our deepest values as a driver to arts education, to believing in shared (and fluid) histories and philosophies. Most importantly to not only define values but live them.
Rather than expending energy on acts of resistance, Gillian Youngs presented ideas on building resilience by marking the “baby steps” we take in each learning journey celebrating the small successes, with a focus on supporting one another to “surviving well”. This led us to question, how we can ensure there is space to challenge ourselves and contemplate how we nurture leadership at all levels. Through the subject discipline lens there was a consensus that Subject Associations can act as “enablers” supporting their membership to cultivate a culture that actively engages in discourse and consultations as advocates for arts education. With the support of the SAA network and facilitated by CHEAD there could be many opportunities to influence change.
In Uwe’s reflections after the CHEAD SAA visit he described TMS as
“a radical experiment in learning and making and we continuously ask what it can be, who can access it, and why it matters”
This frames so much of the discussions at Margate, and the ambitions of our SAA members, to build resilience, as a supportive network. The day we spent together created an opportunity to explore and experiment, take creative risks and begin to play. The panel discussion encouraged thoughts on how we could work against the current norm within our sector, reclaim, influence and make positive change. Importantly for the subject associations to continue to ask questions, giving one another a gentle prod, and collectively demand more of and for ourselves.
The Margate School community helped facilitate some open and honest discussions, the generosity of Uwe and his staff, students and critical friends is very much appreciated. I look forward to our next SAA meeting.
If anyone would like to host a future in person event, please let me know.
Looking forward to the next one!