Education Programme Report
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
A note from our Education Officer
In June 2023, I stepped into the role of Education Officer at Masterworks, eager to continue learning A budding artist myself, I was inspired by the education I wish I received in the visual arts growing up. I found it so exciting to engage with our talented team, exhibiting artists, art historians, and Bermuda’s artist community at large as I found my footing and continued collaboratively mapping the vision for Masterworks’ Education Programme.
My personal mission became quickly apparent: to foster a creative space where new and unexpected connections could be made and bold and experimental creative learning could take place I wanted all to feel empowered to meet and share their creative selves in the Art Classroom
My hope is that those familiar with the Education Programme experienced a smooth transition as the new school year began, with the sense that their voices and suggestions were heard
More than anything, I hope that our community feels increasingly and immensely welcome and that there is a place at Masterworks for each of them, regardless of skill or familiarity with the arts.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to the artists and facilitators who stepped up to share their skills and perspectives through workshops and classes - we couldn’t do it without you! Thank you to the learners of all ages who cocreated the supportive and inspiring learning environment we know and love at Masterworks
Kimberley Fisher Education Officer
01/10
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
Outcomes at-a-glance
Our current Art Classroom may be small, but it is mighty!
This year, each term centered on an element of art and design We took a deep dive into Movement, Form, and Colour, exploring through drawing, painting (watercolour, acrylic, inks), relief printmaking, paper making, colour theory, ceramics, paint making, cardboard,andpapersculpture.
Thankyoutotheartistfacilitatorsandorganisations who contributed to the success of Masterworks’ EducationProgrammethisyear:
Abi Box, Eli Cedrone, Zoë Dyson, Kimberley Fisher, Alia Hamza, Charles Harrop-Griffiths, John Hartman, Sabriyya Harvey, Christina Hutchings, Blair Masters, Nicola Muirhead, Jasmine Lee, Andrew Stevenson, Katherine Summerville, Ajani Tucker, Christine Wellman, Meagan Wellman, The AgraLiving Institute, DementiaBermuda,Frameworks@ESC
02/10
068
819
512
017 learning opportunities hours of learning people served artist facilitators involved
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
Tried & True Hits, Strategic Shifts
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
Combining forces: art and nature
Dismantling barriers
Introducing Artist Skill-Shares Galleries as interactive spaces
Measuring the impact of arts education
Gearing up for expansion
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
Combining forces: art and nature
Parent feedback:
“ Camp this past week was a hit with our daughter. It was great that there was ample outdoor garden time paired with creative art time She was in fabulous spirits each evening and was thrilled to share news with us about her day at camp ”
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
Situated in the Botanical Gardens, Masterworks has the unique opportunity to engage visitors with nature’s colours, materials, and forces.
This year, we intentionally set out to combine the restorative influences of art and nature, which are proven to positively activate participants’ neural pathways, promoting a sense of calm, well-being, and personal growth.
Through our lessons, we brought the art classroom outdoors, and the great outdoors, inside We built multi-disciplinary art curriculums such as paint making, colourfastness experiments, and observational sketching which combined chemistry, botany, and even physics with visual art lessons
Our new school break camp collaboration with the Museum’s next-door neighbour, The AgraLiving Institute, has received great reviews from parents and children alike
Notably, we have seen increased participation and return rates from children identifying as males in our collaboration camp programmes: from 18% males in our Masterworks-only programmes to 29% males in our collaboration camps with The AgraLiving Institute
Dismantling barriers
What could be better than arts programming? Arts programming that is accessible!
Over the years, Masterworks has offered registration for Kids’ Art Camps at no cost to families who face barriers due to financial constraints, and according to available funds donated year-to-year
We are beyond pleased to announce that with the support of the Ernest and Brendalyn Stempel Foundation, Masterworks now offers a rolling bursary application for parents, guardians, teachers, and social workers to apply on behalf of youth artists to attend any of our child and teen programmes
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Brendalyn Stempel for her belief in the positive impact of arts education on children’s lives, and her trust that Masterworks’ Education Programme is a worthy vehicle for this positive change.
We also extend our thanks to the staff at The Family Centre, and the Transformational Living Centre for their communication and collaboration as we work to disburse bursary funds.
2023 - Spring 2024
Measuring the impact of arts education
Dismantling even those less obvious barriers
This year we introduced Intergenerational Art Space as a shift from our private art lesson partnership with Dementia Bermuda (formerly Action on Alzheimer’s and Dementia Bermuda)
We invited our clients from this class to instead participate alongside preschool classes, stay-at-home parents, retirees, and homeschool students
This shift reflects our commitment to dismantling barriers, however well-meaning Intergenerational programmes decrease age- and ability-related biases, and benefit our community by fostering mutual understanding and breaking down stereotypes.
The idea is also supported by scientific research reporting that intergenerational learning promotes well-being by reducing loneliness and fostering empathy and understanding across age groups.
We work every day to translate our mission into action, but how do we know it’s working?
This year we surveyed our membership base, artists, art educators, and teens We regularly gather feedback from class participants Qualitatively, we clearly understand the difference we are making.
Better still, we are building a measurement framework to quantifiably understand how our learning methodologies meet the needs of our particular social and economic landscape. We are implementing surveys to measure differences in participants’ wellbeing before and after classes We are also building curriculum resources to measure art and design skills progression
Introducing Artist Skill-Shares...
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
and Curated Conversations!
With special thanks to: Cailin Cser, Dr Sara Thom, and Dr Laura Watts for their invaluable contributions to the programme this year!
In 2019, Museum and Gallery Exhibitions Officer, Jasmine Lee launched Behind the Palette featuring Artist Talks, Open Studios and Artist Mixers with the clear goal of increasing Masterworks’ material support of and connection with Bermuda’s valued artist community
This year, the Education Programme jumped into the mix, introducing Artist Skill-Shares as opportunities for artists to learn from each other in a low-cost, lowstakes way So far, the Artist Skill-Share workshops have all sold out!
Artists receive a quarterly newsletter sharing Behind the Palette events, exhibition openings, as well as funding opportunities, and vendor applications
As a direct result of these relationship-building efforts, Masterworks has increased its teacher base by 240% within the year
Earning potential for artists increased, with artistfacilitators earning $29,097 this year, and supporting a richer educational landscape for the wider community of workshop and class attendees
Curated Conversations is a brand-new lecture series introduced by our Curatorial Researcher and resident art historian, Dr. Sara Thom.
These conversations span diverse and fascinating topics and feature curators, academics, and art historians as they share contextualizing, researchbased insights into the art and artists on view in our galleries and housed in Masterworks’ Permanent Collection
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
Galleries as interactive spaces
If there is a limit to how many bustling children we can fit in the Museum at once, we met it!
We know the importance of engaging our future audiences by creating interactive spaces that engage the senses, improve visual literacy, and welcome multi-generational conversations about our collective experience, historical perspectives and cultural legacy
William Wegman’s Around Bermuda exhibition featured an educational and interactive display in the Mezzanine Gallery where visitors learned about vintage postcards and tried their hand at making their own postcard art inspired by the exhibition. People of all ages enjoyed this creative expression hub
There was no shortage of exchange during the other major exhibitions of the year!
A new edition of the Masterworks Art Detective is designed for young Museum-goers before each exhibition. Acting as a guide to explore the Museum, this activity improves visual literacy, introduces visual art terminology, and encourages each viewer to reflect on their experiences viewing art
An Art Detective Activity was designed for The 11th Charman Prize and participants who completed received a free art kit prize. The Art Detective for Looking Out and Finding Form focused on identifying art styles and observational sketching, sending young artists out into nature to identify and sketch the plants found in artist Isabel McLaughlin’s sketchbooks
Whenever artists were available during their exhibitions in the Rick Faries Gallery, we brought our classes into the gallery to meet the artists and discuss their work and journeys Many artists even visited the Art Classroom to guest teach.
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
Gearing up for expansion
“ For Bermuda’s artists to have the opportunity of a dedicated space to make art and grow their practice and professionalism will truly be a gift ”
- Louisa Bermingham, Local artist and art educator
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
Masterworks announced a groundbreaking expansion this year!
With plans to restore the Former Parks Department Headquarters, Masterworks will purpose-build an art and design centre to serve artists and art enthusiasts at all levels, and provide a hub for artistic innovation on the island
For over a decade, Masterworks has successfully run classes, workshops, lectures, and events that speak to the diverse creative needs on the Island
We hope that the new art and design centre will open up even more opportunity in this space, allowing us to serve more groups concurrently. This expansion includes plans for affordable studio space rentals, artist residencies and exchanges, and access to the art materials and infrastructure necessary to support emerging and established artists alike.
We are sincerely thankful to the artists that informed our early research phase for our expansion by attending focus groups to discuss their experiences, obstacles and opportunities.
If you are interested in reading more please request our Case for Support document from Executive Director, Risa Hunter at 299-4000 or email risa@masterworksbermuda org
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024
YEAR-IN-REVIEW
All this, thanks to our sponsors and donors
We couldn’t do this work without you (really!)
Brendalyn and Ernest Stempel Foundation
& our generous individual donors!
Summer 2023 - Spring 2024