In 2008, I began exploratory research of how artists describe their pedagogies when engaging children, parents, and teachers in creative workshops that take place in so-called informal settings.  I  published two articles from this exploratory research, and more articles from further, principally ethnographic research are on the way.

Denmead, T. (2011). Being and becoming: Elements of pedagogies described by three East Anglian creative practitioners. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(1): 57-66.

Abstract: It has been argued that a creative and cultural education is central to developing a creative workforce and promoting social inclusion. Despite the expanded involvement of creative practitioners in English education toward these aims, their pedagogies remain unclear and under-researched. The purpose of this exploratory case study is to examine elements of pedagogies creative practitioners describe. Four aspects of being central to the pedagogies of three East Anglian creative practitioners are discussed: not knowing, open-endedness, playing like a child, and becoming. It is argued that if creative practitioners are to contribute to imagining and creating new educational systems of and for the future, then their perspectives on ways of being must weigh in on that debate.

Denmead, T. (2011). Meeting and extending participants: exploratory case studies of community artist pedagogy, Journal of Arts and Communities, 1(3).

Abstract: In this article, the author revisits the pedagogy of a chef, which inspired his interest in community arts, before turning to pedagogies of three British community artists that he investigated through an exploratory case study. The article discusses ways in which these artists described establishing relationships with participants and using materials in ways that might push them in new directions and towards the unknown. This process, described by one creative practitioner as ‘meeting’ and ‘extending’ her participants, was facilitated through creating an atmosphere of comfort and care, role play, and using materials in ways that allow for experimentation and are not suggestive of particular arts disciplines. In his final discussion, he explores the implications of these pedagogies for current debates within the emerging field of community arts practice.