Teachers' Session: Re-Weaving the Art and Design Curriculum

Join us at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Islington for a hands-on, reflective session led by our artist-teacher in residence, Aasha John. Aasha is developing a new body of work that explores craft as a form of resistance - lingering in process, drawing on family archives and embracing the intricate, repetitive rituals of making as acts of connection and reflection.

In this workshop, Aasha will share how her artistic practice informs her approach to teaching. Together, we’ll explore the National Curriculum to identify what feels meaningful, what feels restrictive and where new possibilities might open up. Through highlighting, cutting, collaging and weaving, teachers will collaboratively create a collective tapestry that captures a shared vision for Art & Design teaching.

The session aims to offer teachers a renewed perspective on the curriculum, practical strategies for navigating common barriers and fresh inspiration for broadening representation and challenging dominant narratives. Participants will leave with a strengthened sense of collective support and a clearer foundation for future curriculum development.

Please note: This session is part of our teachers’ programme, and specifically aimed at secondary school teachers.

Programmed in partnership with The Photographers’ Gallery as part of Autograph's Visible Practice Residency project.

Read more about the event on Autograph's website

Aasha John (born 1989, Trinidad ) is a London-based visual artist whose practice is rooted in storytelling and community. Exploring her relationship with places, often through collaborative or participatory practices, John invites the viewer to physically engage with her artwork and share her experiences, in turn contributing to the artwork themselves, often through printmaking or bookmarking.

She is interested in the artist's role as investigator and interpreter; probing their subject and conveying meaning in a way that engages the viewer and invites them to consider their relationship with the subject matter. John studied Graphic Communication at University for the Creative Arts. She is Head of Art/Technology Faculty and Head of Art at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Islington.

The Visible Practice Residency is a three-year project designed to publicly champion the work of Artist Teachers from global majority backgrounds working in London’s state schools. It reimagines the classroom as a space where teaching and artistic practice intersect and inform one another.

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Location: This event will take place at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, in the Art Room.

Refreshments: There will be complimentary refreshments at this event.

Step free: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School is step free. A wheelchair accessible lift goes to all floors.

Materials: All materials will be provided.

Autograph's events are popular and often sell out. We recommend booking a ticket in advance. This event is free.

Autograph is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

This event is in partnership with The Photographers’ Gallery. Supported by Freelands Foundation.

Images on page: 1) Aasha John, Untitled [detail], 2025. Courtesy the artist.

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