Arts Connect’s Moonbeams Early Years Conference 2023

Keynote Speakers:

Joseph Coelho, Poet, Waterstones’ Children’s Laureate 2022-24

Professor Chris Pascal, Co-director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood

Date: 27th February 2023

Time: Registration from 9.15am Conference: 10.00am – 4.30pm

Who is this event for?

Early Years Educators, representatives from the arts, heritage and cultural sectors, including libraries, Academics, Local Authority Services and young artists interested in early years.

What is Moonbeams?

Our early years programme – Moonbeams (for 0-5 years) was developed to raise the profile of early years creativity, develop new sustainable practice by building the leadership skills of artists and educators, and through learning networks address issues of quality and access.

The key focus of the programme has been on the critical role of arts, culture and creativity in the development of language and communication in early years particularly for those young children with limited language skills or who are non-verbal.

Details of the day

This will be Arts Connect’s second national/international Moonbeams conference. Our aim is that the conference is provocative, reflective and interactive and that you will leave inspired and energised. The day will involve keynote speakers and a wide variety of workshops.

One of our Keynote Speakers, Joseph Coelho, will be book signing on the day and his books and other early years titles can be purchased from a local independent bookseller who will be with us from lunchtime onwards

Themes of the day:

The role of play and the imagination

Listening to children and valuing their creativity

The important role of adult/s (eg parents/carers; families; educators; artists)

Creating space to explore risk and change

Marking and managing life events to build resilience

Host or Publisher CREC