Art & Design Continued Professional Development
By Sarah Crowther – The Arty Teacher
Embedded Files
Throughout my career as an art teacher I often found it difficult to find subject specific professional development. I loved the schools I taught in, but the whole school professional development often wasn’t appropriate for the art department. Below are some suggestions for where you might find professional development suitable for art teachers.
Galleries and Museums.
The Tate in London offers workshops for teachers. You will often find yourself being taught by an artist and making connections to the Tate collection or current exhibitions. If you go to the ‘what’s on’ page, you can filter by schools and teachers to find out what’s coming up.
The National Gallery offers gallery based sessions. They can tailor sessions to various themes such as literacy, visual analysis, or sketchbook skills. For this to be economical, you need to get a group of you together as it is priced per session for up to 25 people. Perhaps you are a member of a regional art teacher group?
Galleries all over the country, from the National Gallery in Scotland to Tate Saint Ives in Cornwall offer CPD sessions for teachers.
It is worth investigating your regional galleries too. For example, the Turner Contemporary in Margate has a teacher and educator network that runs themed sessions.
Online CPD
My website, The Arty Teacher, offers a growing bank of online CPD courses specifically for art teachers. They can be completed in your own time and at your own pace. You receive a certificate of completion for each course too. Topics are varied and include How to Teach Drawing, Making Sketchbooks, How to Teach Lino Printing, Art Literacy and more.
Many galleries, and increasingly since the pandemic, offer online learning too. I attended an inspiring session run by the V&A museum and led by artist Samira Mian. We looked at Jali’s (sandstone screens from India) from the V&A collection and used isometric paper to copy design designs. It was a therapeutic activity!
Collaborative projects and action research.
Collaborative projects and action research are a great way for art teachers to develop their practice. Working with other teachers, artists, or outside organisations can bring fresh ideas into the classroom and give students new experiences. By planning, delivering, and reflecting on creative projects, teachers can find out what really works and make improvements along the way. Action research is simply about asking a question about your teaching, trying out new ideas, and reflecting on the results. Both are practical, hands-on ways to grow as a teacher and show evidence of CPD.
Conferences and education events.
iJade (International Journal of art and design education conference) has an annual hybrid conference for educators. Usually, the first day is online and the second day is in a person. The location changes each year and is usually at a university. The conference is themed and past themes have included ‘Peace’ and ‘Time’. They have many speakers so you can pick and choose who you would like to hear speak.
NSEAD (National Association for Education in Art & Design) offers a range of CPD opportunities for art teachers. These include online training sessions, webinars, and conferences covering different aspects of art, craft, and design education. They also provide resources and guidance to support professional development at all stages of a teaching career.
The Pros and Cons of Online and In-Person
I hugely enjoy being in a room full of people who are all making art. I love to stop being the teacher and enjoy being a student. In person training offers this but it is sometimes expensive and not easy to get to. So what are the pros and cons of online and in person CPD?
In-Person CPD
Pros:
Hands-on experience with materials and techniques
Immediate interaction with trainers and peers
Networking opportunities with other teachers
Access to gallery spaces, exhibitions, or specialist equipment
Cons:
Travel costs and time commitments
Limited availability depending on location
Often takes place during working hours, needing cover
Can be more expensive than online alternatives
Online CPD
Pros:
Accessible from anywhere, saving time and travel costs
Flexible — can often be completed at your own pace
Wide choice of topics and providers
Often more affordable or even free
Hands-on experience with materials and techniques
Also good for theoretical, research-based learning
Cons:
Can feel isolating without real-time interaction
Easy to get distracted or postpone sessions
Networking and collaboration opportunities are limited
Reports like the DfE’s 'Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy' (2019) state that ongoing professional development is one of the key factors in keeping teachers in the profession. Teachers who lack access to high-quality professional development are more likely to become frustrated, stagnant, and leave the profession. In creative subjects like art, where subject-specific CPD is even rarer compared to core subjects (like maths and English), this problem can be even worse.
Ask for subject-specific CPD — you deserve it. Your school should be investing in you as an art teacher. Once you start looking, you’ll see there’s plenty of choice out there. I’m confident that after completing some good CPD, you’ll feel refreshed, motivated, and ready to bring new ideas into your classroom.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse