Gold Unit 1 Part A: Extend Your Own Arts Practice
You need to:
Tell us what your main art form is
Choose a new art form that you want to try out
Plan a new piece of work which will combine your main art form, and your new art form
Work with another creative practitioner to help you develop
Share your work with others
Download the worksheet or the powerpoint template below to complete this section and use the step by step guidance below to help you.
If you don’t have powerpoint you can open the template in google slides instead.
This part is all about challenging yourself creatively.
You'll take an art form you already know and combine it with something new. Learning, experimenting, and making new work along the way.
Not everything has to be written. If you don’t like writing you can record your answers as an audio or video file.
Skills Development Plan
In your own style, tell us:
What is your main art form?
What do you already do creatively? (e.g. painting, music, acting, graphic design, fashion, writing, dance...)
What skills would you like to develop?
Be specific - are there techniques, tools, or creative processes you’d like to improve or try for the first time?
These could be skills you’ve started exploring or something completely new.
What is a new art form that you want to develop, and why?
It could be something totally new, but we think it’s good to choose something that links to your main art form. For example:
If you create comic book characters, you could try animation or voice acting
If you write songs, explore music video direction or performance
If you enjoy sculpture, you could try 3D design
If you like architecture or engineering, you could explore technical drawing or model making
What excites you about learning more in this area?
How will you develop your skills in the new art form?
Think about:
Who could help you? (an artist, tutor, or group)
What sessions, tutorials, or workshops could you attend?
How long will it take?
When will you stop and check your progress?
What new work / material will you produce?
What will you make as your final piece?
Will it be a performance, a short film, a product, a zine, an exhibition, a digital portfolio, or something else?
Try to be clear about what the final outcome will look like.
What other practitioner will you work with and why?
Who are they and what is their creative role?
What will they support you with?
Why are they the right person to help you?
How will you incorporate your new art form/practice into your original art form/practice to create a new piece of work?
How will your main and new art forms come together in your final piece?
Will they work together in the same piece?
Will one inspire the other?
Will they contrast in a creative way?
(If it’s hard to imagine now, just describe your first ideas - they can change as you go.)
How will you collect and record evidence of the new work created and the process used?
How will you show what you’ve done - for example, through photos, sketches, videos, voice recordings, a diary, or blog?
How will you share the new work with others and gather feedback?
You could put your work on display somewhere or share it online
You could show it to a small group or even just one trusted person
If you don’t want to speak, you could use a video, a voice recording, or write a short explanation
You could collect feedback with a simple form, a thumbs-up rating, or by asking someone else to write down what others said
Think about what will help you feel confident and safe. We want you to feel proud of what you’ve done - sharing your work and hearing others people’s feedback (in a way that works for you) is part of celebrating that!
Reflecting on Your Progress
As you work on your final piece, pause and think about how things are going.
Try to do this twice during your challenge - early on and in the middle.
Then do a final review at the end.
Use the prompts below to help you.
Reflection 1 - Getting Started
You can write, record a video or voice note, draw a comic strip, or use a mind map - whatever suits your style best.
At the beginning of your project...
What are you most excited about?
Which new skills are you starting to use?
Have you made a good start combining your main and new art forms?
Is anything tricky or not going to plan?
Have you changed your ideas since starting?
Have you worked with another arts practitioner yet?
Try to include who they were, what they are helping you with, and how it is supporting your learning. If possible, include photos, quotes, or notes from your time working with them.
Take a photo of what you’ve done so far or share a short note or drawing to show your progress.
Reflection 2 - Halfway Through
You can write, record a video or voice note, draw a comic strip, or use a mind map - whatever suits your style best.
When you’re halfway through your project…
What’s going well so far?
Are there any new skills you’re proud of?
Have you found anything surprising or harder than expected?
Have you had to adjust your plan, and why?
How are your two art forms working together?
Take a photo of what you’ve done so far or share a short note or drawing to show your progress.
Final Review
You can write, record a video or voice note, draw a comic strip, or use a mind map - whatever suits your style best.
When you’ve finished
What skills have developed the most?
What part of your project are you happiest with?
Is there anything you would change if you did it again?
What have you learned about combining your main and new art forms?
How do you feel about the final outcome?
Have you worked with an arts practitioner during this challenge?
Try to include who they were, what they helped you with, and how it supported your learning. If possible, include photos, quotes, or notes from your time working with them.
Take a photo of what you’ve done so far or share a short note or drawing to show your progress.
Reminder: Share Your Work
Remember, you need to share your final piece with others and gather feedback. This is an important part of your project — and a great way to celebrate everything you’ve achieved!
Then don’t forget to add the following into your portfolio:
Pictures of your final piece
Photos or screenshots showing your work being shared
Feedback from others — what did they think?
Send us your work
When you’ve completed this section, please upload it by pressing the button below.
Please make sure your name is on your work and also label it somewhere as Gold Unit 1 Part A.
This will securely send your files to our safe Dropbox.
You will need to add the full name of the child and a valid email address when uploading.
CHECK LIST FOR UPLOADING:
Make sure your upload includes:
Answers to all of the questions in the Skills Development Plan (above)
Evidence of working with a practitioner
Evidence of progress and reflection
Evidence of the new art work
Evidence of sharing the new art work
Feedback from others
A final review