Personal statement

Dr Penny Hay (National Teaching Fellow, FRSA, FHEA, FCCT) is an artist, researcher and educator. Penny is Professor of Imagination in the Research Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries, and Reader in Creative Teaching and Learning within the School of Education.

Previously Penny was a teacher with responsibility for the arts, advisory teacher for art, and lecturer in arts education at Goldsmiths College, the Institute of Education, University of London, Roehampton Institute and the University of the West of England.

Penny has worked extensively in arts education across the UK and co-ordinated the professional development programme for the National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD). She was instrumental in setting up the National Artist Teacher Scheme with Arts Council England and NSEAD that offers teachers the opportunity to develop their own creative practice, culminating in the first summer school at Tate Modern.

Penny coordinated CEDES (Creative Education: Disaffection, Exclusion and Society), a two-year action research project in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Education and Democracy at the University of the West of England. She was also a Creative Agent for Creativity Culture and Education (CCE) and co-convened the South West Hub for the Cambridge Primary Review Trust, researching the Power of the Arts in Primary Schools.

Penny is a member of the Crafts Council Learning and Development Advisory Group, HundrED Advisory Group, Cultural Learning Alliance Advisory Group, RSA Innovative Education Network, BERA Creativity in Education Special Interest Group and Co-chair of the Creative Practice Research Group in Bath Spa University's Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries.

Penny is the Strand lead for Creative Pedagogy in the Centre for Policy, Pedagogy and Practice and Associate Director of the Centre in Transnational Creativity and Education (TRACE). She is Co-chair of the research group eARTh, focusing on Education, Arts and Environment.

Penny was an artist researcher on the Global Challenges Research (AHRC) project in Dharavi Mumbai ‘Rethinking waste and the logics of disposability’. Compound 13 Lab is an experimental learning space, built on methodological and pedagogical innovation, where issues of work, waste, education and sustainability are explored to develop a 'living curriculum' for young people. Penny recently worked on an Erasmus+ research project, Interstice, with University Autonoma Barcelona and on pARTiciPED with University of Agder and Norway Research Council.

Penny integrates her experience in arts and education with participative action research, engaging individuals, institutions and communities. Her doctoral research focused on how as adults we support children's identity as artists.

Penny has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship at University Arts Plymouth for her international contribution to creative education, a Fellowship in Imagination at the Centre for Future Thinking, Hawkwood College, and is part of the Faculty for The Future of Flourishing, a futures thinking lab dedicated to the field of human flourishing. She is a school governor and active in children's rights. Penny is Co-chair of RSA Bath and What Next? West Chapter, and has awards from Action for Children’s Arts, Thornton Education Trust and Creative Bath.

Current signature projects:

Previously, Penny has also worked on:

She is also a visiting lecturer at Plymouth College of Art.

Academic qualifications

  • PhD - Bath Spa University
  • MEd - Bath Spa University

Professional qualifications

  • FRSA
  • FHEA
  • FCCT

Professional memberships

  • RSA
  • Sightlines Initiative
  • Action for Children's Arts
  • Engage
  • Tate
  • InSEA

Other external roles

  • RSA Fellow, Co-chair RSA Bath
  • What Next? West Co-chair
  • South West Creative Education Network
  • Action for Children's Arts Executive
  • Bath Cultural Education Partnership
  • Cultural Learning Alliance Advisory Group
  • Crafts Council Learning and Development Advisory Group
  • RSA Innovative Education Network
  • BERA Creativity in Education Special Interest Group
  • HunderED Advisory Group

Teaching specialism

  • Arts education and creativity; Visual Art; Creative Pedagogy
  • Teaching: PGCE Primary and Early Years, Arts Specialism, Education Studies, Guest lecturer for Artist Teacher Scheme and Graduate opportunities; PMP tutor; CPD
  • Public Engagement and Knowledge Exchange
  • Strand lead for Creative Pedagogy in Centre for Policy, Pedagogy and Practice

External examiners

  • University of Wales in Newport graduate Art Education courses 2002-5

Recent professional updating

  • School of Education Research Seminars
  • Research Fellow Network
  • Issues in Creative Practice: Creative Conversations
  • National Cultural Education Partnerships Peer Learning Programme

Research Centres or Groups


Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (Research Centre), Centre for Environmental Humanities (Research Centre), Centre for Transcultural Creativity and Education (Research Centre), eARTh (Research Group)

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Children are artists: supporting children’s learning identity as artists
book

Hay, P (2023) Children are artists: supporting children’s learning identity as artists. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781032347219


Teaching art creatively
book

Hay, P (2022) Teaching art creatively. Routledge, Abingdon. ISBN 9781138913967


Researching children researching the world: 5x5x5 = creativity
book

Bancroft, S, Fawcett, M and Hay, P, eds. (2008) Researching children researching the world: 5x5x5 = creativity. Trentham Books, Stoke on Trent. ISBN 9781858564340


Oxfordshire creativity project: in partnership with 5x5x5=creativity and early education
book

Fawcett, M, Bancroft, S and Hay, P (2008) Oxfordshire creativity project: in partnership with 5x5x5=creativity and early education. 5x5x5 = creativity.


5x5x5 = creativity in the early years
book

Fawcett, M and Hay, P (2003) 5x5x5 = creativity in the early years. Arts Development, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bath. ISBN 0954617606


Working with contemporary art : resource pack
book

Mindel, C and Hay, P (1999) Working with contemporary art : resource pack. BBC, London. ISBN 0563463031


Way in, way out: an action research project which documents the "Helplines" series of talks and workshops organised by Arnolfini Education and Art on Tour
book

Hay, P (1996) Way in, way out: an action research project which documents the "Helplines" series of talks and workshops organised by Arnolfini Education and Art on Tour. Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol. ISBN 090773846X


Forest of Imagination: reimagining familiar spaces through creativity and nature awareness
book_section

Hay, P (2024) 'Forest of Imagination: reimagining familiar spaces through creativity and nature awareness.' In: Moula, Z and Walshe, N, eds. Arts in nature with children and young people: a guide towards health equality, wellbeing, and sustainability. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 108-115. ISBN 9781032412795


Pedagogies of the peripheries: city as classroom
book_section

Hay, P, Jeffery, G, Purandare, V, Shifaz, A, Vaghani, N and Samant, S (2023) 'Pedagogies of the peripheries: city as classroom.' In: Parry, B and Jeffery, G, eds. Waste work: the art of survival in Dharavi. Art Editions North, Manchester. ISBN 9781906832513


Creative activism, experimental pedagogy
book_section

Hay, P and París, G (2022) 'Creative activism, experimental pedagogy.' In: Tilley, E, ed. Creative activism research, pedagogy and practice. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne, pp. 225-242. ISBN 9781527581043


5x5x5=creativity: principles, learning and our legacy
book_section

Hay, P (2017) '5x5x5=creativity: principles, learning and our legacy.' In: Goodliff, G, Canning, N, Parry, J and Miller, L, eds. Young children’s play and creativity: multiple voices. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 83-98. ISBN 9781138214064


Creative primary schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity
book_section

Craft, A, Cremin, T, Hay, P and Clack, J (2015) 'Creative primary schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity.' In: Chappell, K, Cremin, T and Jeffrey, B, eds. Creativity, education and society: writings of Anna Craft. Trentham Books, London. ISBN 9781858566665


5x5x5 = creativity in the early years
book_section

Fawcett, M and Hay, P (2009) '5x5x5 = creativity in the early years.' In: Herne, S, Cox, S and Watts, R, eds. Readings in primary art education. Readings in art & design education series . Intellect, Bristol, pp. 231-247. ISBN 9781841502427


Chapter 5
book_section

Hay, P (1997) 'Chapter 5.' In: Inman, S and Wane, R, eds. Development education within Initial Teacher Education: shaping a better future. Oxfam, London. ISBN 9780855983901


Development education issues in art education - a primary art multicultural resource project
book_section

Hay, P (1997) 'Development education issues in art education - a primary art multicultural resource project.' In: Inman, S and Wade, R, eds. Development education within initial teacher training : shaping a better future. Oxfam Education, Oxford. ISBN 9780855983901


Creative pedagogies: School Without Walls and Forest of Imagination
article

Hay, P (2024) 'Creative pedagogies: School Without Walls and Forest of Imagination.' International Journal of Art & Design Education, 43 (3). pp. 396-414. ISSN 1476-8062


School Without Walls
article

Hay, P (2022) 'School Without Walls.' Education 3-13, 50 (4). pp. 521-535. ISSN 0300-4279


Re‐imagining learning: spaces of possibility
article

Hay, P (2022) 'Re‐imagining learning: spaces of possibility.' The International Journal of Art & Design Education, 41 (1). pp. 39-49. ISSN 1476-8062


Creative activism: learning everywhere with children and young people
article

Hay, P, Sapsed, R, Sayers, E, Benn, M and Rigby, S (2020) 'Creative activism: learning everywhere with children and young people.' FORUM, 62 (1). pp. 91-106. ISSN 0963-8253


5x5x5=creativity: art as a transformative practice
article

París, G and Hay, P (2020) '5x5x5=creativity: art as a transformative practice.' International Journal of Art & Design Education, 39 (1). pp. 69-84. ISSN 1476-8062


Creative primary schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity
article

Craft, A, Cremin, T, Hay, P and Clack, J (2014) 'Creative primary schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity.' Ethnography and Education, 9 (1). pp. 16-34. ISSN 1745-7831


The roles and development needs of teachers to promote creativity: a systematic review of literature
article

Davies, D, Jindal-Snape, D, Digby, R, Howe, A, Collier, C and Hay, P (2014) 'The roles and development needs of teachers to promote creativity: a systematic review of literature.' Teaching and Teacher Education, 41 (July). pp. 34-41. ISSN 0742-051X


Creative learning environments in education: a systematic literature review
article

Davies, D, Jindal-Snape, D, Collier, C, Digby, R, Hay, P and Howe, A (2013) 'Creative learning environments in education: a systematic literature review.' Thinking Skills and Creativity, 8 (April). pp. 80-91. ISSN 1871-1871


The impact of creative learning environments on learners: a systematic literature review
article

Davies, D, Jindal-Snape, D, Collier, C, Digby, R, Hay, P and Howe, A (2013) 'The impact of creative learning environments on learners: a systematic literature review.' Improving Schools, 16 (1). pp. 21-31. ISSN 1365-4802


Artists interventions
article

Hay, P (2011) 'Artists interventions.' ReFocus, Autumn (10). p. 24. ISSN 1747-8456


Creativity should be a democratic right: 5x5x5=creativity's practice-based research
article

Fawcett, M and Hay, P (2011) 'Creativity should be a democratic right: 5x5x5=creativity's practice-based research.' AD Magazine, 1.


5x5x5 = creativity in the early years
article

Fawcett, M and Hay, P (2004) '5x5x5 = creativity in the early years.' International Journal of Art and Design Education, 23 (3). pp. 234-245. ISSN 1476-8070


Being explorers
conference_item

Hay, P and Whitehouse, C (2015) Being explorers. In: ASE West of England November Conference, 14 November 2015, Bath Spa University, Bath, UK.


Exploring creative practice in maths and creativity
conference_item

Coles, A and Hay, P (2013) Exploring creative practice in maths and creativity. In: Tackling Underachievement Through Ceativity in Primary Mathematics, 27th November 2013, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution.


School without walls
conference_item

Hay, P (2012) School without walls. In: School Without Walls: Breaking Down the Walls of Schools and Cultural Centres, 28 September 2012, The Egg Theatre, Bath.


Schools without walls
conference_item

Hay, P (2012) Schools without walls. In: Worlds Together Conference, 6 - 8 September 2012, Tate Modern.


5x5x5 = creativity
conference_item

Hay, P (2011) 5x5x5 = creativity. In: Creativity conference: shaping the future, 15 July 2011, Newton Park, Bath Spa University.


HEARTS - The Bath Spa experience
conference_item

Davies, D and Hay, P (2008) HEARTS - The Bath Spa experience. In: BERA Annual Conference, 3-6 September 2008, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.


The role of adults in supporting children's learning
conference_item

Bennett, V and Hay, P (2007) The role of adults in supporting children's learning. In: BESA Third Annual Conference Alternative Visions of Education, 6 July 2007 - 7 July 2007, Bath Spa University, Bath.


5x5x5 = creativity
conference_item

Hay, P (2005) 5x5x5 = creativity. In: How old do you have to be to be an artist, 30th June 2005, Tate Modern.


Children as artists: the role of adults in supporting children's learning identity as artists
thesis

Hay, P (2019) Children as artists: the role of adults in supporting children's learning identity as artists. PhD thesis, Bath Spa University.


Imagination: a child's 21st century super power. A literature review of imagination in education and learning
commissioned_report

Doust, T, Hay, P and Ovutmen, T (2023) Imagination: a child's 21st century super power. A literature review of imagination in education and learning. Institute of Imagination / Bath Spa University / House of Imagination.


INTERSTICE. Encounters between artists, children and educators. Thoughts in-between the arts and education
commissioned_report

París Romia, G, Blanch Gelabert, S, Hay, P, Cabo, H, Dybwik, S, Halle, K, Panciroli, C, Russo, V, Urpí, I, Barrera-Corominas, A, Chapman, L, Ciraso Calí, A, Macauda, A, Chiara Sghinolfi, M, Ribera, E and Moles, A (2023) INTERSTICE. Encounters between artists, children and educators. Thoughts in-between the arts and education. INTERSTICE.


School Without Walls 2010-2018
commissioned_report

Hay, P (2019) School Without Walls 2010-2018. 5x5x5=creativity.


Future Forest: Forest of Imagination 2018 Evaluation report
commissioned_report

Hay, P (2018) Future Forest: Forest of Imagination 2018 Evaluation report. 5x5x5=creativity.


Sense of Place Research Project
commissioned_report

Hay, P, Evans, K, Elders, L and Jones, D.A (2016) Sense of Place Research Project. 5x5x5=creativity.


Tackling underachievement through creativity in the primary mathematics curriculum
commissioned_report

Coles, A and Hay, P (2013) Tackling underachievement through creativity in the primary mathematics curriculum. 5x5x5=creativity.


School without walls : a reflective commentary
commissioned_report

Elders, L and Hay, P (2012) School without walls : a reflective commentary.


Making art work
commissioned_report

Hay, P (2001) Making art work.


Batheaston as a School of Creativity: thinking imaginatively together
video

Hay, P and Kemp, A (2012) Batheaston as a School of Creativity: thinking imaginatively together.


100 Voices - 5x5x5 Researching Children Researching the World
video

Hay, P (2004) 100 Voices - 5x5x5 Researching Children Researching the World.


Curricular Guide and Resources: ArtsTogether Inclusion Curricula
other

Bianchi, J, Hay, P, Hill Male, G, Riley, M and Hunt, F (2019) Curricular Guide and Resources: ArtsTogether Inclusion Curricula. ArtsTogether.