Magic Lantern is an educational charity that delivers inspiring and accessible art history workshops in schools around the country demonstrating that anyone can enjoy and understand art. Magic Lantern is the only UK charity to use art history interactively in schools to educate across the whole school curriculum.
Our work proves that art can be a gateway to virtually any subject in the curriculum and that exploring art helps develop skills including critical thinking, problem solving, communication and confidence. Our approach is designed to particularly help children who have not had previously had the opportunity to engage with the arts and who might be reticent to participate in traditional lessons. The majority of children we visit have never stepped inside a museum before being inspired by our “pop-up” art galleries in their classroom. We also work with adult groups, including those in prison and with special needs.
Magic Lantern workshop leaders always make sure that everyone in the classroom is included regardless of ability. Our workshops provide children the opportunity to experience and engage with famous works of art that they in most cases never have seen, and encourage them to visit galleries and museums.
Over three quarters of schools we visit book repeat visits as they see educational and cultural benefits to them and their pupils. Teachers’ feedback tells us that our work allows every child to:
Each interactive one-hour workshop is tailored to the specific audience and uses a variety of techniques to enhance the learning experience including question-and-answer, dialogue, soundscapes, freeze-frames and role-play. A wide range of famous paintings and sculpture is shown by artists from a range of cultures and periods. These are analysed, discussed and brought to life by the whole class, covering subjects including history, geography, science, art and maths.
Our workshops are available to anyone regardless of age, ability or background and demonstrate how paintings and sculpture can tell amazing stories, teach jaw-dropping facts and raise issues from race and gender to relationships and the environment.
