For Your Students
– Tailormade Workshops

Do you have a vision for how you’d like to work with an artist in your school?  It may be an unusual art form that you’d like the children to experience, a specific theme that you’d like to explore through a creative lens, an installation for the school grounds, or a project to raise the confidence of a targeted group.  Daisi will identify the best-placed artist to respond to your vision and work with school and artist to develop a project that meets your needs and even takes your ideas to a new level. 

Tailormade workshops can last for as little as a day or extend to a week and beyond, depending on the outcomes, number of students and, of course, your budget.

Read on below for further information and inspiration from past projects…
print making workshop in school

Process based workshops

One-off experiences that build confidence, practical skills and creativity

Imagine the freedom to experiment … When you host a workshop in which the process, experience or skills are the primary focus, not only do you find that your project costs less, but you invite creativity to take centre stage.  From felt making to breakdance, and animation to storytelling, music and drama, Daisi artists offer an array of awe-inspiring techniques, imagination and insight that can connect with children in a completely different way to their daily learning.   

Stoke Hill Infant School worked with Daisi artist Matthew Macklin to create a dance routine that enabled the whole school to come together in outdoor celebration. 

With a structure that incorporated simple choreographed steps as well as opportunities to ‘freestyle’, the day balanced both physical development and creativity.  Matthew ran short sessions with an incredible nine classes in one day, and the project cost £515.  

“… every child L O V E D their session with him, we have danced together several times as a school to the Jerusalema track and so many children have begged to dance again” – Sarah McKay, Headteacher at Stoke Hill Infant School 

Year 10 at Dawlish Community College were working on a project around identity and asked Daisi to explore the theme in a 2d artform, “providing pupils with a new set of skills and experiences.”  Daisi artist and illustrator James Hedge worked with students to develop photo montages, which they refined and unified with pencil and paint to convey important messages about what matters to them. 

James worked with two groups of 23 for one day each, referencing Surrealism and DADA along the way.  The project cost £820 and as a Teignbridge School, was subsidised by a grant from The Helen Foundation. 

“The 2-day workshop was a great success for all, James has made a real impact on our students GCSE portfolios” – Emily Parr, Teacher at Dawlish Community College  

Bassetts Farm Primary School worked with Daisi to bring new skills and knowledge to their enrichment week ‘Made from Mud’.  Over three days, Daisi artist Anna Boland worked with eight KS2 classes to create clay sculptures inspired by local marine ecosystems. Each session developed children’s technique appropriate to their age and experience. 

The project cost £975 in addition to materials, which were bought by the school, and was funded through the school’s curriculum budget for enrichment experiences.  

“What an incredible experience they had, with creativity and freedom that engaged all alongside the technical skills and knowledge being taught incredibly well.”  Jodie Jennings, Teacher at Bassetts Farm Primary School 

dance workshops in schools

Temporary Displays and Performances 

Short projects with a tangible outcome 

Working with a Daisi artist to create a temporary display or performance can be a rewarding opportunity for children to see how their contribution can lead to a collective outcome. It allows the ‘voice’ of participating students to shine and opens the door to a vast range of possible art forms, without requiring the durability of a permanent exhibit.   

Gatehouse Primary School wanted to “promote positivity through this piece of artwork as we come out of the pandemic” while linking to the school’s values of achieve, aspire and flourish.  

Such an open, joyful brief offered Daisi the opportunity to invite textile artist Jess Carvill into the school.  Together with 30 Year 4 students, a collective felt hanging emerged, celebrating the value of ‘flourish’ with colour and energy.  The project used a budget of approximately £650 and as a Teignbridge School was supported by a grant from The Helen Foundation.  

“They enjoyed learning about the process and being very hands on – individually and as part of a group. The enjoyed the fact that the finished piece was a collaborative effort but they could still identify their individual contributions.” Debbie Miller, Teacher at Gatehouse Primary School  

“From a Needs Analysis that Daisi carried out for Devon Music Education Hub, we found out that what kids are missing is live performance.  Kids don’t have exposure to live music.” Vicci Worthy, Assistant Director at Daisi  

Daisi worked with Isca Academy and MIDI (Music In Devon Initiative) to bring a rock group into school for a live performance with Year 9 music students.  A week later, some members of the band visited again for a peer-learning session with the school’s Rock Club, in which a small group from Year 9 and 10 passed on their skills to younger students in an awe-inspiring in-house studio session.  The project worked with 30 students across two half-day sessions.  It cost approximately £2000 and was paid for as part of the Youth Music Project.   

“I learnt you don’t need to be good when you start, just as long as you try.” Year 9 Student at Isca Academy  

Kenn Primary School asked “to create artwork in our small entrance hallway to welcome guests with a vibrant positive sunny piece of art and message, contributed to by every child.”  Children from across the school worked with Daisi artist Kerrie Seymour over one day to each create a hexagonal component of a collective ‘honeycomb’.  The project worked with 94 children and cost approximately £550.  As a Teignbridge school, the school was able to access a grant from The Helen Foundation.  

‘We have a few children who have found it challenging to adapt to changes this year enforced by the pandemic and it was a joy to see them fully involved and enjoying their art. It was fabulous to be creating a whole school art work – created a sense of school community, even though the children worked in class bubbles.’ 

Angie Lunn, Teacher at Kenn and Kenton Primary Schools

felt making workshops in schools

Outdoor or Permanent Installations 

More ambitious projects with a lasting presence in the school

Daisi artists have extensive experience of working with schools to create permanent displays in and outside the building.  Such installations enable the school community to create something together, and to communicate the unique identify of the school through a welcome message, sense of peace or representation of the school values.  

Outdoor or permanent displays come with a specific set of considerations.  As well as engaging students across the age range, they require durable materials, careful installation and sufficient planning time.    

Denbury Primary School were looking to create a mosaic to celebrate the 700th anniversary of their local church.  Daisi artist Monica-Shanta worked with a small group of children to visit the church and develop ideas and designs. Following approval from school and church, she returned to the school to build the mosaic. Working with small groups across two days, 98 children from KS1 and KS2 took part in the project, which was finished and installed a short while later.  The project cost around £1300 and, as a Teignbridge School was supported by a grant from The Helen Foundation as well as funds raised by the village through the Denbury May Fayre. 

“It was such a pleasure to contribute to celebrating such an amazing achievement. I hope our mosaic will be there in 700 years time!” Artist, Monica-Shanta  

“We would like to create a collaborative piece for our new spiritual garden … inspired in part by a beach clean, undertaken by one of the classes … “ 

From this starting point, Daisi worked with Landscove Primary School to build a tree from recycled materials. Together, Daisi, artist Peter Margerum and teachers were able to come up with a plan that addressed the school’s budget and needs. Over two days, our artist worked with 98 school children from EYFS to Year 6 to create the elements before working with a group of parents to install the finished result.  The project cost £1011 and was paid for with support from the school’s PTFA.  

“This was an excellent project which resulted in an amazing sculpture. Thank you Peter!” Anna Neville, Teacher at Landscove Primary School  

Daisi artist James Hedge worked with two Year 6 classes at Westcliff Primary School to develop six murals which represented the school values.  He visited the classes ahead of the workshop days to support them in planning their designs, and then returned for two days of intense collaboration and creativity to create the murals with the students. Each painting was 50cm x 50cm and the project cost £1050.  As a Teignbridge school, the project was able to access a grant from The Helen Foundation.  

“It has allowed the children to develop their collaboration and teamwork skills, as well as extending their understanding of paint processes alongside a talented expert.” Teacher at Westcliff Primary School 

art workshops in school

About our Artists

Daisi works with talented, professional artists across all art forms – from animation and environmental sculpture through to music, dance, drama, visual arts and literature – to bring high-quality, creative and exciting experiences into a broad range of settings across Devon and Torbay (and beyond), in schools and in non-formal education, youth and community settings.

Daisi artists have been carefully selected for their balance of creative practice and education experience, are DBS checked and supported by Daisi to create robust activity plans and risk assessments.  We regularly review how we work with schools to provide continued access to inclusive arts education, support mental health and wellbeing, and to encourage class cohesion. 

dance workshops in schools