START and the British Council join forces to inspire local artists 'Artist as Educator' programme

The programme will enable artists to come together and explore ways to share their expertise within the local community, not as teachers but as practising artists. Designed by START and Oliver Sumner, the programme is free of charge to artists and looks at past models of artists as educators, develops new templates for workshops about arts practice and offers the important chance to network with other professionals.

The programme, which is free of charge, will run from February 5 - 7 in Dubai and is limited to 30 artists. Guest speaker on February 7 is Venetia Porter of the British Museum.

Artist As Educator, which has already successfully hosted artists in Beirut, will cover a number of topics, including - Why work with young people?; Exploring Creativity; Designing a 5 minute lesson plan; Introducing your studio practice; and planning practical exercises, with contextual information.

Guest speaker is Venetia Porter of the British Museum with a private tour of the "Word into Art" Exhibition.

Workshop facilitator Oliver Sumner has specific expertise in visual arts programmes for excluded young people. He has a special interest in international exchanges working with artists and communities to respond to local situations. He has a five-year track record of hosting international artists' residencies from Africa, Europe, South America and the Arab World. As Head of Education at Camden Arts Centre London, Oliver led a broad programme of artists' residencies, public events, courses and school and community partnerships, including the acclaimed youth mentoring programme Image Conscious (2002-2005, Camden Youth Service/NESTA funded).

"In 2007 the arts industries brought 29bn of revenue to London alone, says Director of START, Sonia Brewin. "The arts industries are the fastest growing sector of wealth internationally. This means that young artists learning to professionalise their skills with START and initiatives such as 'Artist as Educator' training have a very real opportunity of enhancing their personal life choices and on a wider scale, the local economy.

"This is the second partnership for 'Artist-Educator' training between START and the British Council and the first artists we trained are now fully engaged in teaching children within Beirut's refugee camps and orphanages. We are sure the success of the event in the UAE will encourage more professionalization of the arts here."

Director of SOS Children's Villages Lebanon, adds: "You can't imagine how deep our children were touched with today 's experience, it was full of joy and mainly of exploration and sharing and I am really grateful for this. I would like also to mention that our children have suffered and START's art engagement can certainly help a lot."