ECOLOGY IN THE ART CURRICULUM
September 2025
| In September 2025, the Centre for Art and Ecology hosted 'Ecology in the Art Curriculum – an interdisciplinary CDP’ with the British Ecological Society and the Centre for Arts and Learning. The aim was to pilot a one-day teacher training event that could be replicated and adapted across different disciplines, responding to the Society’s aim to embed ecological learning across all disciplines and stages of learning. The event, which was attended by PGCE and MA Art & Ecology students as well as working teachers and art education professionals, provided inspiration and practical teaching models for embedding ecological learning into the GCSE Art curriculum. Co-Director of the Centre for Art and Ecology Dr Ros Gray opened the event with a lecture describing the historical entanglement of art and ecology. Ros gave a brief art history from some of the first ecological illustrators to contemporary artists whose work nurtures nature connection. Participants then selected from an array of practical workshops, including: ‘Sensing the park: exploring ecology through creative research’, facilitated by Dr Francis Gilbert, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies; ‘Designing ecological school spaces for the future’, facilitated by Dr Miranda Matthews, Head of the Centre for Arts and Learning at Goldsmiths, University of London; ‘Flora and Fauna: the art of hope’, facilitated by Henrietta Patience, Subject Leader of the PGCE Art and Design at Goldsmiths, University of London; and ‘From the gallery to the garden: opportunities to develop learners’ cultural capital and nature connectedness at your local museum’, facilitated by Eleanor Hamblen, Education Officer at the Horniman Museum and Gardens. Dr Lauren Cook, Molecular ecologist, artist and science communicator, closed the event with a talk about her education and career journey, highlighting how beneficial her work as an artist has been for her as a scientist. The day concluded with a networking social in the Art Research Garden. More information about the event, including recordings of the talks and downloadable learning resources are available through the British Ecological Society’s website: |
‘Flora and Fauna: the art of hope’, led by Henrietta Patience, one of the workshops in ‘Ecology in the Art Curriculum – an interdisciplinary CDP’, organised by the Centre for Art and Ecology in collaboration with the British Ecological Society and the Centre for Arts and Learning at Goldsmiths. Image credit: Socius Media @sociusmediauk