The second in this series of Baltic x Northumbria University talks.
Join us in Front Room for a chance to join our discussion of the future of arts education in schools, colleges and universities. We will be joined by:
Over the past two decades the space, time and resources needed to teach children and young people creative subjects has been eroded in state education. Why and how has this been done? What will happen to future generations of creative makers if government policy continues to follow this path?
Following short provocations by the speakers, we invite audience members to join the debate and share their experiences.
Michele Gregson is General Secretary and CEO of the National Society for Education in Art and Design – the trade union, professional body and learned society for art, craft and design professionals. Michele has worked throughout her career with children, young people and educators in arts education and cultural settings. She firmly believes in the power of the collective – working together to make change through the arts.
After working for many years in London and Kent as an art teacher, Head of Department and school leader, she joined Kent County Council’s Advisory Service for Schools, supporting schools in challenging circumstances, then as Adviser for Art & Design, for all Kent schools. She spent ten years working as an independent arts consultant, before taking office at NSEAD in January 2019.
Dr Pauline Moger started her career as an administrator for HM Civil Service, changing direction to pursue her passion and interest in the arts and culture. After four years as an arts officer in Local Government she moved to The Customs House Arts Centre in South Tyneside progressing to become its Director of Arts.
Pauline returned to full time academic study, undertaking doctoral research at Durham University where she was awarded a PhD in 2016. She remains at Durham University as a lecturer and research manager within the School of Education.
Her current research interests include the longitudinal impact of the Durham Commission Report, exploration of the research-teaching nexus in Initial Teacher Training programmes, supporting Arts Organisation ‘Into Opera’ to explore the value of arts, culture, and creativity in primary education settings in Norwich, and exploration of ITE students engagement with music as part of their lived experience and studies.
Sarah Munro has been Director of Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art since November 2015. Sarah has curated and produced hundreds of artist projects, from exhibitions to major offsite commissions and festivals. She was a juror for the 2020 Turner Prize and selector of the British Pavilion for the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019. Sarah is an external director of the Scottish Parliament’s think tank – Scottish Futures’ Forum, a Board member of Creative Scotland and interim chair of the newly formed Visual Arts Alliance. Sarah also holds a place as a civic co-commissioner for Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission.
Dr Andrea Phillips is BALTIC Professor and Director of BxNU Institute, Northumbria University & BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art. Andrea teaches and writes about the economic and social construction of public and institutional value within contemporary art, the manipulation of forms of participation and the potential of forms of political, architectural and social reorganisation within artistic and curatorial culture. Recent projects include The Witches Institution, an exhibition with artist Emily Hesse at The Tetley, Leeds, UK (May-September 2022). Andrea is currently working on a monograph, Contemporary Art and the Production of Inequality (2025).
Past publications can be seen here
