Turner Contemporary, Margate: Art Critics Programme*

The Art Critics Programme is engaging 60+ students, aged 16 and 17, from East Kent College who are studying Art at GCSE, Diploma and A-Level. Over the course of the academic year, all the students are twice visiting all the exhibitions featured in the 2023-24 exhibition programme at Turner Contemporary, to develop their critical thinking skills and creativity, and be exposed to a broad range of world-class artistic practice. The ambition is to embed the gallery as a rich resource for teaching art and creative subjects for its local college, and to break down barriers for students to access the gallery and its resources. The students are benefiting from sessions with artists featured in each exhibition, as well as sessions delivered by the Turner Contemporary learning team, expanding on concepts and techniques introduced by artists. Sessions will use the gallery’s philosophical learning methodology to encourage critical discussion, research and presentation skills, and to build student confidence in forming and expressing opinions about art. Sessions are also supporting student creativity, mental health and wellbeing.

* Please note that the Turner Contemporary project evolved from initial pilot project work and does not follow the same format as the programmes delivered subsequently by other galleries.