Building Community. Empowering Creativity. Transforming Classrooms.
Creative Arts Circles is a vibrant initiative led by passionate arts educators who believe in the power of collaboration to enrich primary school arts education. Through dynamic writing circles, educators co-create engaging, diverse and high-quality units of work across five arts disciplines: Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music, and Visual Arts.
Start exploring now – and become part of the Circle.
What you will find here:
- A growing library of free downloadable units of work designed to spark creativity and support meaningful learning.
- Resources backed by educational research, with data collected during development and teaching used to inform best practice and academic publications.
- Find latest news, updates and musings on our MUSE SPACE
- Opportunities to join the CIRCLE – whether by teaching the units in your classroom or contributing your expertise to a writing circle.
Whether you are an educator, researcher or arts advocate, Creative Arts Circles invites you to explore, download and collaborate. Together, we are shaping the future of arts education!
Explore the collection via tags …
Ready to Join?
Whether you are a seasoned arts educator, just a beginner, or studying to be an educator, your voice matters. Join our Research Circle today and be part of a community that is passionate about creativity, collaboration and impact.
Click here to find out more about the Research Project or Get Involved in our Writing and Teaching Circles.
Latest News and Resources …
Designing Meaningful Arts Learning
Effective Arts learning begins with thoughtful planning. More than choosing engaging activities, teachers need to consider curriculum requirements, learner needs, inclusion, assessment, and context. By addressing these key elements, educators can create meaningful Arts experiences that support engagement, creativity, and success for all learners. This resource provides practical guidance to help you plan effective and inclusive Arts learning experiences.
Reflection as a Tool for Learning
Reflection is one of the most powerful yet often overlooked elements of teaching and learning. In classrooms, reflection gives students opportunities to think about what they learned, how they learned it, and what they might do differently next time. Rather than being an activity completed only at the end of a lesson, reflection can be embedded throughout the learning process to support deeper understanding, self-regulation, and metacognition.
Using Freeze Frames in your Teaching
Freeze frames are a simple and engaging teaching strategy that can be used across all learning areas. Students use their bodies, facial expressions, and positioning to create a still image that represents a moment, idea, event, or relationship. As students create and discuss freeze frames, they explore different perspectives, emotions, and meanings, developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving skills.
Why the Arts Matter in the Early Years
The arts are much more than opportunities for children to paint, sing, or perform. They give young children meaningful ways to explore ideas, express emotions, communicate experiences, and make sense of the world around them.
Through visual arts, music, drama, dance, and movement, children learn to observe, imagine, experiment, problem-solve, and share their thinking. These creative experiences support children’s natural curiosity and provide opportunities to learn through play and exploration.