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Why Twitter isn’t about your cornflakes: twelve tips for the Twitter shy
The comment I hear the most from social networking shy colleagues is ‘why do I want to know what you had for breakfast?’. I have a confession to make. A few years ago, I was one of those people – at least where Twitter was concerned. Then a conversation with a friend and colleague changed…
Read MoreArts advocacy – stepping up a gear?
It looks as if arts advocacy campaigning in the UK will be stepping up a gear this year. Not only are the funding cuts forcing us all to look long and hard at the true value of what we do, and to get even better at collecting and sharing evidence and stories – but a…
Read MoreHow to create and write an effective e-newsletter
If you want to communicate more effectively with the people you work with/for (whether they’re customers, fans, staff, participants or stakeholders), email newsletters are a great place to start. Write them well, and your audience will look forward to receiving them, value what you have to say, buy from you or get involved, and even…
Read MoreAspiration, achievement and school improvement – heads say music can make the difference
In the next 12 months, as music education hubs form, the National Music Plan gets underway, and the government’s review of the national curriculum is published, head teacher support for music education will be crucial. In the first of a two-part series for Music Education UK, I spoke to secondary heads whose leadership and support…
Read More26 Treasures: bringing objects to life through poems and creation stories
If you like poems and stories, and you’re curious about the treasures we have in our national museums, take a look at www.26treasures.com or www.unbound.co.uk/books/26-treasures. Each poem or ‘sestude’ tells the story of an object from a museum, often from the point of view of the object – the aim is to encourage people to…
Read MoreSeven tips for advocating what music means to your school
If you’re a music teacher, trying to keep up with all the changes in education is one thing. Making sure what’s going on in your music lessons and activities is noticed and valued is probably one of those ‘to dos’ at the bottom of an ever-increasing list. There are lots of rumblings about the need…
Read MoreAdvocating for music – sharing research more widely
I’ve been noticing for some time now how hard it is to find research evidence when you need it. Much of my work is about advocating for music, the arts, or a particular good cause. But although I often know there’s research out there to back up a particular case, I struggle to find it…
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