MORE than 50 art teachers from across the region met for the first South West Art Teachers conference, hosted by a Newton Abbot school and the South West Institute for Teaching.

Coombeshead Academy’s head of CREATE Sam Eyre organised the event which marked a new chapter for art and design education in the region.

Held at the Phoenix Arts Centre the landmark event brought together passionate teachers from primary, secondary and alternative provision settings, united by a shared goal: to champion creativity, connection and collective advocacy in the face of growing pressures on the arts.

Sam said: ‘We wanted to create a space where teachers could come together not just to learn new techniques, but to feel inspired, supported, and valued.

‘The passion in the room was incredible, this is just the beginning of something powerful for arts education in the South West.’

The event built on a legacy of collaboration, evolving from the long-running Devon Art Teachers’ Conference, which has been going for more than 15 years, into a region-wide movement.

The idea is to help grow the professional community and the sharing of practices.

Highlights included a keynote from renowned artist David Shrigley, hands-on workshops, and an exhibition of the powerful CODEX Project, an inspiring partnership between Sidmouth College, Sidmouth School of Art and local artists, exploring identity and storytelling through visual art.

The South West Art Teachers Conference is set to return in 2026, with organisers hoping to grow the network even further.

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said: ‘This conference is a brilliant example of how we can lead and innovate across our region.

'Art and design matter deeply to our students and our communities, and we are proud to be part of a network that is championing creativity, expression and opportunity at every level.’