‘Bridging the gap’: the role of an arts broker in supporting partnerships with teachers

Arts partnerships involving teachers, artists and arts organizations continue to be popular as a means of delivering arts education. Acting as an intermediary between schools and artists, arts brokers can be crucial to the successful implementation of these partnerships. Characterized as individuals who can act as channels for innovative practice, arts brokers can potentially support teachers to take risks, build capacity for reflection and develop agency as arts practitioners. This article examines the role of the Creative Associate–an arts broker within an Irish arts partnership (Creative Schools-Scoileanna ldánacha). Data was collected using semi-structured interviews in a purposive sample of eight Irish primary schools. Using a framework put forward by Sinclair et al., the support provided by the arts broker is critically analyzed. The establishment and development of stakeholder relationships is explored while emerging challenges are debated and discussed. Findings from this study indicated that the success of the arts broker is underpinned by their ability to build and nurture relationships. By ‘bridging the gap’ between teachers, schools and artists, this article argues that arts brokers can ensure partnerships have a sustained, meaningful impact on the enhancement of arts education in schools.