My Buzz

art-K is the art education service for children aged 6-16 and adults, expanding across the U.K.

Our innovative teaching methods develop artistic skills through learning patterns, observation and memory.

By combining art and child development expertise, we have created an art programme that is tailored to each individual's ability. By creating this personalised and unique programme, children stay an average of 4 years at an art-K club.

My Bio

art-K is a family business with a strong purpose; making art matter. Art is everywhere we look; the TV, the clothes we wear, the buildings we design, the websites we create.

We are passionate about supporting the learning of artistic skills, which is largely overlooked in schools. With the focus shifting to “core” subjects at school- dominated by numbers and letters- children are left without a creative outlet for their visual channel.

To give you an idea of how art-K was born: Kathryn has spent her entire career working with children. Initially this was as a Speech and Language therapist, specialising in paediatrics. Having always been an active artist, selling at exhibitions and shops around Surrey, Kathryn decided to fuse her expertise into a developmental art programme for children that is age-specific. She created art-K initially for her own children, Rebekah and Emily, to grow their visual and artistic skills.

Children of different ages have different levels of dexterity, fine motor control, spatial awareness and visual perceptual skills. By acknowledging these differences (as well as different interests of course), Kathryn has been able to create a programme that builds confidence and self-esteem through teaching artistic skills in an encouraging environment.

Kathryn’s club went from strength to strength; after operating for 10 years in 2010, it was 40% oversubscribed. People were travelling over an hour to reach art-K Ashtead as there was nothing like it in their area.

Emily started the club at age 5 and at 16 became an art assistant, helping Kathryn every Saturday. After graduating with a 1st Class Honours studying Chemistry at University, Emily was on course to join an Investment Banking Department within a major bank. The challenging environment was exciting and stimulating, however she found the lack of autonomy and creativeness was limiting. She missed the connection to the real world and how it benefited people.

Both Kathryn and Emily recognised the strength of the art-K brand and decided that the combination of their skills could be used to create a network of art-K clubs across the U.K. Since launching art-K Ltd. in 2016, art-K has grown to 17 clubs.

My Business Tips

Listen to your team's contributions. Working together you'll be able to create so much more.

Be clear on your objectives and passion but be open to new ideas and consider them fully. It may be that there are new ways of doing things that will help steer your company in a new, exciting direction.

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