Return of The Creative Practitioner

In September 2006, artist Moya Sketchley agreed with a little trepidation to return to Montagu School, where she had begun with Creative Partnerships BDR two years before, as part of our initiative, 'The Return of the Creative Practitioner'.

"It was fascinating to return to the site of the original project - I realised how much the project had meant to me - the opportunity to work in a sustained way, creating and experiencing, challenging myself, adapting all the time to the way schools are, I learnt so much."

The Return of the Creative Practitioner is a new initiative whereby artists and creative practitioners have the opportunity to return to the schools they originally worked in - often a long time ago.

They are able to reflect on the project, on whether their work has changed the school's practice and on what they learnt from it.

"It is a pleasure to have the chance to think, reflect and return to the school. I was impressed by the way the staff had picked up imaginative ideas and run with them, effectively moving them on creatively themselves in terms of what they were ready to accomplish. We all learnt we can take risks and be brave."

The Return of the Creative Practitioner has the potential to identify long term, positive changes within schools, and allows the artist to truly reflect on the impacts of the CP initiative on their own practice.