Testimonials
The Development Day at The Rep (3rd July) was exciting and inspiring. I came away with lots of practical ideas and inspirations. I met interesting and interested professionals and felt a great sense of encouragement to keep developing projects and reflecting and researching...” Carol Graham, Story Space, July 2010
Earlyarts Professional Development Days always make me feel part of something bigger. Hearing such passionate, energetic practitioners really does make you think anything is possible. I spent the whole journey home thinking ‘what if’ and ‘why not?’. The other thing that always strikes me about Earlyarts events is how incredibly warm and lovely everyone is – days like this make me feel very lucky to be working with the Early Years. Becky Prestwich – Young People’s Projects Officer, the Royal Exchange Theatre, July 2010
A brilliant day with some excellent ideas. I felt inspired to try something new with my nursery class. I have been lucky enough to continue working in the community garden and share what we did with other members of staff and more importantly with our children. They love the spider`s web which was created amongst the trees. Angela Dixon, Nursery Teacher, Appletree Children's Centre, June 2010
The Earlyarts workshop - spiritual journey challenged me as a 'creative person'. Attendee at 5x5x5=creativity's Making Waves conference, Bath, June 2010
The Earlyarts workshop gave some really inspiring ways of working with children but also in raising my own awareness of where my creativity is. Attendee at 5x5x5=creativity's Making Waves conference, Bath, June 2010
The Earlyarts network is a vital organ to keep the heart of creativity beating on the agenda of policy makers and local authorities.
Jane Sedgewick, General Adviser Art and Design, Culture, West Sussex County Council, May 2010
I just wanted to thank you for the fantastic learning experience yesterday - it was great to touch base with so many passionate early years workers. Carly Frey, Youth Music, Yorkshire Professional Development Day on 14th July 2009
Earlyarts has kept me informed, and put me in touch nationally and internationally, with some of the most developmental practice in terms of creative approaches for young children. It’s very inspiring. Penny Hay, Director of Research at 5x5x5=creativity and Senior Lecturer in Arts Education at
We came as a group of four, a creative collaborator and three practitioners, and it was really great to be there as a team hearing the same messages, allowing us time to reflect on the things we experienced and how they related to our setting. The team went back to the centre fizzing with ideas of how to further develop our practice. Lianna Green, Children's Centre Teacher, Manchester
The Earlyarts Professional Development Day was very inspiring - almost too much for the brain on one day! But I think it is indicative of just how many innovative initiatives are now happening in early years and the challenge is to join it up as far as possible and make it count, which is what Earlyarts is able to do. We're looking forward to being on this journey with Earlyarts. Elaine Bates, Early Years Co-ordinator, The Manchester Museum
Very enjoyable day - lots of information and opportunities to network. Great to be updated on resources. Music workshop so useful - lots of practical ideas. Thank you. Earlyarts Member at the North West Professional Development Day on 8th July 2009
Once again an inspiring day which truly achieves a networking ethos. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Networking very useful. Morning presentations interesting and will follow up using Music 4 Health. Joanne's afternoon workshop very timely. Will inform discussion at workplace re direction to take with identifying 'value-added'. Diolch yn fawr (Thank you very much). Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Very relaxing day. Lovely to meet Ros and Holly and make contacts. Exposed to a whole range of new ideas - very stimulating! Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Inspiring! Thinking of doing a project around emotional/well being through creative practice now - will be in touch! Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Great day - very stimulating and informative. Will definitely be 'joining up' so see you soon. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Very, very enjoyable. Once again the information and workshops were inspiring. Look forward to future ones. Thanks. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Ros's workshop absolutely inspiring. Really enjoyed the morning session too. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Wish this level of discussion and knowledge around the child continued in education through to end of Key Stage 4! Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Loved the space to share and reflect, I always leave the sessions inspired to explore deeper. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Fab, really informative. Learned lots and lots of fun. Thanks. Margaret, Prescott Museum
Great day - excellent input, lots of challenge an inspiration - much to do! Thank you. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
Loved the theory and experiential learning - going to find out more on the 5x5x5=creativity project. Earlyarts Member at the NW PDD on 8th July 2009
I always come away from the Earlyarts Professional Development Days very fired up. The last one found me walking home to the bus through the centre of Manchester with ideas for plays about the body - including big legs in stripey socks - and large plastic beach balls - and all manner of other things...........
And it's very exciting.
So - Earlyarts - what does it have to offer? For a freelancer like me, it is great meeting like minded people, getting energised about creativity, playing, having the chance to try out new ideas in a safe environment, and for once to not have to take the lead! There is a clear agenda which keeps us up to speed with the latest developments and initiatives, and then we do active workshops and share ideas. When you are busy, it is great that these days come along when you can start to digest some of your and others learning.
Jenny Harris - Freelance Drama Practitioner
We have been meaning to write to say thanks for the Earlyarts Professional Development Day! It was very enjoyable to get an opportunity to participate in an Earlyarts Forum, and meet with other practitioners. It inspired us both to think of a new project, and within a short time, one had cropped up. Nursery Rhymes through stories, songs and puppets at a setting in Wombwell. It is an ideal new space to work in, the idea builds on a previous project where the school felt Nursery Rhymes are all but dead and were looking for a way of bringing their meanings back to life again. Many thanks again for all the ideas and connections. Mary and Ken Walker, Pandora's Daughter, Storytelling, Puppetry and the Arts with Young Children
Just wanted to let you know what a fantastic day we have had today! It has been really thought provoking with excellent contributors. The two who deserve special mention are John Rainer whose presentation was very informative without being too technical (which is necessary for me!) and Jo Albin-Clark from Edge Hill. She was exceptional in her skills as a facilitator in the morning and very interesting in her workshop in the afternoon. Thank you so much for organising all this. Kathy Brodie, Early Years Practitioner
Awakening the imagination is the most wonderful thing an artist or educator can do, and you certainly did that with us! Anne Jones, Leasowe Nursery and Adult Learning Centre
Your conference was a truly inspiring day from beginning to end - sharing good practice is a powerful tool and I intend to use some of the ideas from today's conference with our practitioners. The conference will live on and continue to influence and enhance people's thinking and develop their practice. Thank you for the affirmation and for the food for the soul which today provided. Marian Fraser, Lead Early Years Pedagogue, Cheshire County Council
Well done for such a fantastic, professionally run, and well thought through piece of work. We were challenged, excited and thoughtful from start to finish. And we had a lot of fun! Joanne Albin-Clark, Early Years Lecturer, Edge Hill University
Thank you for the reminder that music is central to human communication; children deserve to be enveloped in its magic. Julie Callaghan,Foundation Stage Advisory Teacher, Cumbria Sure Start
Ruth Churchill's direction of this training event was very interesting throughout, and covered a wide range of aspects of creative arts. I found the whole day inspiring, and I went away with lots of ideas of how I can move things forward in my area. Thank you for a really worthwhile day. Kate Barker, Early Years Advisory Teacher, Blackpool Council
Your session ‘Creative Journeys Through Experiential Learning' was very helpful. It provided useful information on current thinking about the ways in which young children's can be creatively engaged and assessed which is easily transferable to other age groups and learning contexts. I always find your work inspiring. Margaret Riches, Director, Cumbria Arts in Education
I would just like to thank you for a spectacular session on Friday. I had a very good time, have lots of new ideas, understand how well grounded they are in the relevant theories, and can now connect with many more people than before. Well done on a great achievement! Helen Swainston, Westerton Primary School, Wakefield
Thank you so much, I believe that this was one of the most inspiring and timely pieces of professional development I have ever experienced. This training proved that everyone's personal contributions, no matter how isolated they seem, are valued and vital to achieving our aims and realising the child-considerate principles that make ours such a meaningful community; one that I am privileged to be a part of. I would be honoured to work with you in the future. John Byrne, Manchester University
The den making work was truly inspiring. All the case studies of your international early years work showed how much learning can be fun and how important it is to give the youngest children a good start in their lives. Danny Lane, Music and the Deaf
Wonderful networking opportunity for sharing and cross-fertilisation of ideas and creativity. Great potential to influence development of Early Years service delivery to delight and inspire our children. Proud and grateful to have been a participant. Thank you for the opportunity. Barbara Nicholls, Development Manager, National Childminding Association
We are now working with a high profile gallery on a programme of training for next year, and it's all thanks to the professional development meeting you organised there a few months ago! I met our last two clients through your networking sessions and I really can't thank you enough! Thank you again. Rachel Riggs, Director, DNA Theatre Company
I was totally fired-up with the earlyarts seminar and that's reinforced my commitment to Early Years. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference by Cumbria Arts in Education, March 2008
I have been inspired to talk about ways in which we can give children more opportunities to be creative. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference, March 2008
I have realised through Earlyarts sessions how important it is to embed creativity throughout the Early Years curriculum. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference, March 2008
The challenge now is to change our practice to show how important children's voices are. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference, March 2008
Its so important to champion our view of creativity to parents, to help them have a more holistic overview of its impact on their child's development. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference, March 2008
I'm inspired by how Earlyarts are making connections, helping children and families (and early years professionals) build a sense of belonging. Delegate at the Every Creative Child Matters conference, March 2008