Akane Takayama

As an artist Akane believes in a responsibility to help, nurture and support the artistic ambitions of the young and assist them in developing their skills and understanding. She has a long track record of working with children in primary schools and helping them to realise their own artistic vision. Unfortunately the education system in the United Kingdom continually struggles to provide art education despite the work of many committed teachers and professionals. The pressure of the curriculum needs, lack of funding and the small numbers of people with Fine Art Degrees becoming teachers, all mitigates to produce difficult challenges for school managers seeking to deliver art education.

There is also a view within the establishment that art is not quite as essential a subject as the core subjects of literacy, numeracy and sciences. This is a view Akane Takayama cannot share. For here the importance of an understanding of art in the development of the child, both emotionally and intellectually, is a primary educational plank for evolving citizens. As an artist she is no simply willing to hold these views and act as a critique on the sidelines. As a result she has a solid track record of working within schools to set up innovative art projects and support teachers in their delivery and understanding of art as an educational resource.