Drawing is a vital tool for education, more so now than ever

2020 was a year of seismic events impacting on world economies, technology, health, culture, politics and, undoubtedly, education.

School closures and the impact on education revealed the realities of home schooling, the reliance a country’s workforce places on an education system, and the disparity across countries and around the world in access to resources, digital networks and technical devices. Looking at education over the last year, the impact on this societal human construct has been significant, the fragility and inequalities of many systems and processes laid bare for all to see, resulting in many calling for change.

Over the past year, with so many of us living in a physically distanced world, this has not only impacted on our external, physical world, but also, perhaps to an even greater extent, on the collective human psyche. Lockdown has offered many people time for introspection and positive reflection. This time has allowed people to reconnect with long forgotten creative pursuits, or to discover new ones. Creativity in so many different forms – drawing, painting, printing, knitting, sewing, making, crafting - has emerged as a truly universal tool that can build bridges, communicate across oceans and make dreams a reality.

Running since 2000, The Big Draw Festival is the world’s biggest drawing festival and an annual celebration of the power of drawing, with hundreds of schools from all over the world taking part. For many students, drawing is a means of understanding the world, how it looks, and how it works. There is ever-increasing evidence to suggest that drawing is the single most powerful tool for learning and retaining new ideas.


Part of the core activity at The Big Draw is to actively argue the case for creativity in schools and in the workplace. With our ongoing work in visual literacy and creativity, The Big Draw is only too aware of the devastating impact the EBacc (UK) has had on the uptake on creative subjects at schools. Within the UK, we support the Bacc for The Future campaign and continue to work with our ambassadors and patrons to lobby in parliament to make the case for creativity.


Drawing is a transferable skill which can be integrated into the entire curriculum, and we at The Big Draw believe everyone can draw and everyone should have access to the benefits of drawing. It is a vital tool in many professions: from mathematicians, to surgeons, architects to engineers, therapists, political commentators to graphic designers. The humble pencil has built many a pioneer within every profession you can imagine.


And so, we can reveal that our festival theme for this year is a creative call for action, building on last year’s theme which focused on the environmental crisis. We expand this theme for 2021 to one of activism and sustainable living, and invite you all to act as champions to help ‘Make the Change’.


From Engage issue 22.


BY KATE MASON, DIRECTOR OF THE BIG DRAW • May 28, 2021

Headlines: Inspiration, humour and advice for school leaders - Competition 2025

By Ann Beatty • August 15, 2025
Mike Fleetham of Thinking Classroom has written a book " Headlines: Inspiration, humour and advice for school leaders ". A collection of original ideas, advice from professionals, quotes, and tips to support and inspire all leaders. Perfect for new and established leaders working in education, especially headteachers. "Being a headteacher is like looking both ways before you cross the road, and then getting hit by an aeroplane." To Enter the Competition To win a copy of Headlines please share your inspiring education or life lesson in no more than 600 words. The winning article will also be published in our next edition of Engage. Send your words of inspiration to admin@stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk 📅 Deadline: 5th September 2025⁠ Stuck on Ideas? Here are some questions and prompts to get you started! What’s the one lesson school didn’t teach you, but life did? Think of a moment that changed your path, what happened? What piece of advice has helped you grow the most? When did a challenge turn into an opportunity for you? What story from your life would inspire someone on the other side of the world? What’s the life lesson that unlocked your next chapter? ⁠ Your words could uplift, empower and be seen by many. Let your story inspire the world! 🌍💡⁠ Good luck and we cant wait to read all the entries!

UNESCO ASPnet Schools Coventry

By Ann Beatty • July 8, 2025
This week our CEO Ann and Jude (SSF Ambassador) visited schools in Coventry and heard about the wonderful work that students are doing to foster peace and community connection, as part of Coventry Arts Week. We visited Lyng Hall school in the morning and met with Ms Hagan and four of the schools UNESCO ASPnet ambassadors. They told us all about their recent project. The students took their art and poetry to the 80th Anniversary symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk. They shared with us some of the poetry they had written together with the students on the field trip and some of their own poems too. They also shared their future plans for working with their local primary school on peace and community. We also had the privilege of joining Ms Hagans class where they were looking at Caliban’s tale. Here is one of the students work

A Get Moving Fundraiser - Ann's 60 Miles Walk

By Ann Beatty • June 30, 2025
For my birthday this year I had the honour to walk 60 miles (yes it was a big 0 birthday) over 3 days to support the essential work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation of which I am CEO. Education in its many forms is essential for all of us to thrive and make the most of life's opportunities. The Foundation works to ensure that as many children and adults as possible across the globe can access the human right of education. The plan was to walk with friends and supporters who I hoped would keep me smiling along the way and it felt like a good way to make use of the Foundation’s “Get Moving” campaign. Here's how my Get Moving Fundraiser went on the first day. The 13th June I started my walk in London by walking from Barnet to west Hampstead and visiting my sister at her shop at Tree of Life where I got served a nice iced coffee to keep me going.