Hi, I am Archita Goenka, the owner and founder of Addo Arts!
Right from the time I was a little girl, I have loved dancing, drawing, painting, and all things arts and crafts! All my time would either go into dancing or trying to create magic with paper, scissors, and glue! Math was also a strong subject of mine, so I decided to pursue Chartered Accountancy. But my love affair with creative arts continued, and soon I wanted to convert this hobby into a full-time career. That was the beginning of Addo Arts!
In the year 2000, I started to supply handmade Rakhis/Bracelets and scented wax candles to stores like Hallmark, Green Petals, and other prestigious gift retail stores in Kolkata, India. These became immensely popular and as word got out, I started getting bulk orders. Soon I was getting requests to conduct classes and subsequently I decided to launch a teaching academy. I have always loved children and teaching my skills to them was the perfect platform!
After moving to London in 2009, Addo Arts started volunteering to organize cooking and dancing activities for school children. Sensing a lack of organised creative activities, Addo Arts launched an Arts & Craft club, Bollywood Beats dance club, and Little Chef’s cooking club in primary schools!
Banga Bibhusan Award Recipient in 2011
The word Addo in ‘Addo Arts’ is the Latin word for ‘To Inspire’.
I have always loved and enjoyed Maths. While studying for my GCSE and A level’s, I found myself helping students struggling in the subject. I realised most of them had a very weak foundation in Maths, their concepts were not clear, or they had gaps in their learning. Some simply did not enjoy the subject as they were not challenged. I would hear the phrase “Why didn’t my teacher just tell me this in the first place?!” a lot. So, I started tutoring simultaneously, while I was studying for my chartered accountancy course in India along with completing my undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Commerce.
After moving to London in 2009, I noticed similar traits in students across primary and secondary schools. When my daughter started reception, I started voluntarily teaching Maths to students of Year 2 who struggled in it and needed additional help in the classroom. Soon I was teaching the subject across various year groups. I was not only helping students who lacked confidence, but also those who needed to be challenged beyond their year group to achieve higher standards.
My private tutoring journey began over 10 years ago. It has been a very fulfilling and rewarding journey to see my students progress from lower groups to the top of their class, filled with confidence and enjoying the subject.
Addo Arts launched in London in April 2012, with an Easter camp for boys and girls in primary school. The overwhelming response received from various schools across London inspired us to start our first term time classes in the summer of that year. Having volunteered and worked with toddler groups, primary and secondary schools from the years 2009 to 2012, we discovered that most primary schools in North Finchley (Barnet) had more clubs focused on sports, and not on arts. As we had already been teaching arts & craft and four different forms of dancing to children in India, we decided to organise these clubs for children here. The idea clicked with the headmistress of Woodridge Primary school at the time before it spread to other schools across Barnet (London).
Addo Arts launched the Art & Craft Club and the Bollywood Beats dance club across schools in London. We received a lot of positive feedback for our dance club as we taught the children not only a new dance form, but also a new language through music. We were soon approached by schools to help their students perform in the Barnet Dance festival and showcase the rich Indian culture during their International Day celebrations. Now we have clubs running daily in multiple schools!
After this came the launch of Little Chef’s cooking club in Moss Hall Infant School. The initial limit on these classes was a maximum of 8-10 children per week. As the club gained popularity, we have had the opportunity to extend our numbers to 25-30 students a week! Through this club, we encourage our little chefs to pursue an essential life skill in a fun way, from an early age!