Newsletter #2 March 2025
Hello! as the sun finally decides to grace us with its warm glow I am excited to share new, emerging thoughts with you.
Since the last newsletter I’ve been doing a lot of writing, trying to commit various ideas and reflections to paper in the hope it will make more sense when I write it down! So this month’s edition is less news and more sign posts to extended writing, trying to make connections between art, education, organisational development and collective organising.
Enjoy! and please reach out if you want to comment or discuss anything about what I’m up to.
'Means makes ends' - blog post
In this rambling blog post I ask: How does critical and creative pedagogy relate to and enhance organisational development processes and objectives? How does this cross pollination serve the broader intentions of social and systems change?
These questions have been ruminating in my mind for a while now, moving more recently from the peripheral towards a more conscious and embodied curiosity, as I test and develop activities with organisations. The goal of these activities is to create a space where new ideas and ways of thinking can be shaped and synthesised. To do this, attention towards disrupting habitual thinking to make room for and encourage divergent possibilities is key to success.
Read the full version, where I connect research into neuroaesthetics in art and design education (Carol Wild), Saul Alinsky’s principles of collective action, Paulo Freire’s notion of praxis and provide a case study to reflect on the key questions.
Strategy with See Me Play
I wrapped up a really rewarding piece of work with the brilliant See Me Play this month. It’s been a joy to work alongside their team as they develop a brilliant 3 year strategy. We’ve explored their values and aims and set up some systems to support their small, neurodivergent team, we’ve played games and had some amazing conversations. I’m feeling very grateful to have worked with them and excited about their future. Checkout their crowdfunder and if you can donate, please do.
What they said about working with me:
"Working with Ollie has helped us so much. It feels extremely rare to find accessible structural support that isn’t grossly ableist. Ollie spent time really listening to us and understanding our organisation, and then helped us design neurodivergent-affirming governance systems and strategies that work for us. It’s exactly what we needed!"
Currently working on
Research: I’m in the middle of writing an article for the International Journal for Art and Design Education (iJade), currently titled: Arts education In the 3rd space: Creative journeys towards critical consciousness and social transformation. This invitation to contribute to their special edition: Peace comes off the back of the conference I presented in Liverpool late last year and is helping me to articulate research I’ve been doing at Arts Education Exchange.
Evaluation games: responding to the need to develop better ways for young people to participate in the evaluative process at Arts Education Exchange, I’m in the midst of researching and designing games that work as tools to assess the effectiveness of our programme in meeting our aims. I’ll be testing them out at the end of term!
Reading: I’m currently reading "Warp & Weft: Psycho-emotional Health, Politics and Experiences" by Lisa Fannen. Its a comprehensive exploration of consciousness and experiences of distress in a scoal and political context. She critiques the biomedical model of health and advocates for an holistic approach and collective care. Well worth a read to anyone willing to challenge the current model of ‘mental health’.
Listen to audio version on Bandcamp
Praxis # 4
'Praxis' is a series of reflections based on practical art work that I’ve made. The idea is to make clearer connections between what I make and what I think, bringing them closer together through critical thinking and research to underpin my practice with theory and visa versa. This month I’ve been making long, asynchronous guitar loops inspired by Derek Bailey. Bailey's music and his involvement in free improvisation can be seen as a challenge to the commodification of music. His approach resisted the commercialisation and standardisation that often accompany mainstream musical genres, aligning with anti-capitalist sentiments. For the full reflection and recordings click the button below.
New recordings
I’ve released two recordings this month, titled ‘Palpable’ and ‘Ways of transforming’. It’s so important to find this space for me to play, experiment and be able to share what happens with the world (whether they listen or not! :)
Work with me
If you're looking for...
- organisational development and resource building
- workshops / presentations / teaching about working with young people and undervalued communities; creative learning; art / alternative education
- coaching (1:1 and team)
- evaluation design and implementation
I'd love to connect! email me: info@mycocreative.co
