Live arts/arts alive: starcatchers research report 2011

Starcatchers is an innovative project which works in partnership with artists, arts venues child-care settings and families to experiment artistically with audiences of very young children, to encourage their participation and to develop exciting, inspiring performing arts experiences for children aged 0-4. Four artists in residence have worked for a year in a theatre venue in Scotland to engage children and families in a range of arts related performance experiences. Four accompanying researchers were each attached to one venue and have collaborated with the artists to observe children’s engagement, provide feedback, discuss ongoing work, and record the processes of project development. This report presents the findings from the analysis of the wide range of data collected and it suggests a number of conclusions and recommendations about developing the arts with very young children.