Engaging Communities

Royal Drawing School Young Artists: Engaging with Young People in our Communities

Alongside our Drawing Clubs and Young Associates Saturday courses the Young Artist team also works closely with a range of other groups and institutions to offer opportunities to young people from all backgrounds, to develop their drawing skills.

After School Community Programme

Our After School Community Programme works directly with local schools to provide free, weekly taught courses for students in years 10 – 13, taking place during term time.*  

In detail

The After School Community Programme is designed to complement the National Art Curriculum, whilst giving students the freedom to develop their observational drawing and fine art skills. During the term students draw from clothed, still life set-ups, draw outside, and work collaboratively with their peers.  We aim to develop students’ creative processes, problem solving skills, idea generation, research skills, contextual knowledge and self-expression. The courses are taught by professional artists with a wealth of knowledge and experience in drawing. 

This programme will complement students' studies at GCSE and A level, as well as supporting applications to further and higher education including foundation and undergraduate courses by building a portfolio of high-quality work. 

Venues

Our After School Courses currently take place at:

• Bobby Moore Academy*
  
• St Paul’s Way Trust*
  
• Haggerston School*
  
• Haverstock School*
  

*Please note that these courses are not bookable via the Royal Drawing School. They are arranged independently through individual schools. 

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Windrush:

In June 2023, to mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush, the Royal Drawing School hosted free drawing workshops for young artists in the studio and online. These workshops explored the living history of the Windrush Generation through drawing and aural history.  

This education programme was developed to accompany the exhibition, Windrush: Portraits of a Pioneering Generation, a series of portraits commissioned by His Majesty King Charles III. The programme was created in collaboration with Baroness Floella Benjamin OM, DBE and Ms Paulette Simpson CBE, members of the Windrush Portraits Committee, and the Royal Collection Trust.

Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Collaboration:

In 2022 the Young Artist Team collaborated with the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust on the [Extra]Ordinary Portraits Competition.

As part of the competition, the Royal Drawing School ran a very special portrait workshop, open to anyone aged 15-18. Participants met Amouna Adam, a survivor of the genocide in Darfur. She came to the UK as a refugee and is now an activist, sharing her story and campaigning for justice. After hearing her story students were led through a practical workshop exploring techniques for drawing her portrait, and how to represent her experiences within a portrait.

All Points East Workshops:

In August 2021 were delighted to join the All Points East Festival as part of their In The NBHD community celebration, in collaboration with Tower Hamlets Council.

We ran a series of family drawing workshops led by our Young Artist tutors. Participants drew from a costumed model, with theatrical poses inspired by the festival site.