Hundreds of Hertfordshire schoolchildren inspired by art and science at Big STEAM Event

Nearly 500 children from primary schools across Hertfordshire gathered at the University of Hertfordshire’s College Lane campus to take part in The Big STEAM, an interactive annual event that brings together the worlds of science, art and drama in a dynamic and engaging format.

Now in its seventh year, the all-day event funded by Herts is designed to ignite curiosity and foster a lifelong love of learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).

The day kicked off with an engaging performance-based activity inspired by An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768), a striking painting from the Age of Enlightenment by renowned English artist Joseph Wright of Derby.

Led by David Allen, Associate Professor in Learning and Teaching, and Elizabeth Murton, artist and curator at UH Arts + Culture, the pupils stepped into the scene, bringing the artwork to life by imagining the thoughts, emotions, and intentions of its mysterious characters through dramatic storytelling and role-play.

In the second session, creativity took flight as pupils joined a lively draw-along with Rufus Cooper, a freelance artist, illustrator, and co-founder of Artful Fox Creatives. With pencils in hand, the children sketched native UK birds while learning important facts about each species, sparking both their artistic flair and interest in the natural world.

Nick Howell, Senior Widening Access Manager at the University’s Widening Access and Student Success (WASS) team, said: “The WASS team at the University of Hertfordshire is dedicated to supporting young people and university learners from under-represented groups to access and succeed in higher education.

“Through a range of activities designed to aid student ambitions and improve outcomes, the team collaborates with university departments, external organisations, and students. Key initiatives include sustained engagement with primary schools to support educational choices and targeted outreach to secondary schools and sixth forms or colleges with low progression rates to higher education.

“One of the most exciting collaborative activities run by WASS, the School of Education and UH Arts + Culture is the Big STEAM event. This year, the on-campus event engaged approximately 500 children using innovative teaching pedagogies to teach STEM topics through art and drama.

“The event was designed to inspire young minds and make learning fun and interactive, fostering a love for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.”

David Allen, founder of the Big STEAM event which launched in 2019, said: “We chose Joseph Wright’s painting from the Age of Enlightenment - not only because there is a lot of drama going on in this piece of artwork, but it also focuses on science as well.

“Interactive sessions like these can really help to build children's oracy - the ability to be able to articulate and to talk about art, their experiences of it and their connection with it.

“The vocabulary of the children who took part was phenomenal and this comes from using the painting as a stimulus for discussion.

“One of the things I love about my job is getting to share my understanding and my passion for drama, science and art with children and it has been a privilege to host the STEAM event at the University of Hertfordshire.”

Jonathan Sullivan, who teaches at Oak View Primary and Nursery School in Hatfield, said: “The drawing session with Rufus was highly enjoyable - not only for the children but us grown-ups as well. The children liked that they were able to draw complex subjects, such as a toucan, using basic shapes and lines as a starting point. The session was so easy to follow along and the children were very engaged.”

A year four pupil from Oak View said: “I enjoyed drawing birds starting with shapes such as lines, squared and circles. My favourite one was the hummingbird as well as the toucan. It was really nice to come to the university for the Big STEAM event.”

Click to learn more about the initiatives led by WASS to support pupils across Hertfordshire and UH Arts + Cultures programme Home - University of Hertfordshire Arts + Culture.