ARTS WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS

The first half of the summer term has been very unusual this year, with such a late Easter, two Bank Holidays in May, and a week off for half term. The young people seem hardly to have been in school! Nevertheless, this is a crucial time, too, for schools preparing for SATs and GCSEs, and for many there has simply been  little time for arts-based THF-supported workshops.  Yet despite these pressures, over twenty schools, primary and secondary, have already booked and started a series of workshops supported by funding from THF, including two major combined-schools projects. 

In the first, over 120 young people from four schools are involved in three workshops each, where they have been able to share their climate concerns through the expressive power of music and sound, led by Sonopera. This project culminates in the schools coming together in an uplifting and motivating concert later this summer.  Can’t wait!

In the second project, many hundreds of young people from a 10-school grouping are learning new skills and techniques in relation to an art form including 3-D wire sculpture, and felting. They are exploring themes selected by each school, designed to foster a sense of pride and opportunity in their locality, and exploring their core values through the arts using creative workshops to bring ideas like kindness, courage, and respect to life in unique and imaginative ways.  Some schools are creating large-scale artefacts of their school's logo. Finally, all 10 primary schools will come together in an exhibition and performance, celebrating the Primary Partnership Group to which they all belong. 

We had the privilege of attending one of these workshops recently at Kingskerswell Primary School to see Daisi-registered artist Iola Weir working with the children.  There was such a buzz of excitement and engagement in the room as the children worked busily on their own sculptures, using a wide range of different coloured wire of varying thicknesses. They also worked together to create a large-scale sculpture of the school's logo, as in the photo above.

This is what some of them said afterwards in very thoughtful and detailed feedback, with warm tributes to Iola's teaching:

"I learned how to shape with wire and what types of wires there were. Iola was very kind hearted and help people understand the process of it, how to do it and decorate it and in the end it looks so good."

"We each made a person and decorated them, they were all unique in their own way. I thought it was really hard to bend the thicker wires."

"I liked to listen to Iola and learn how to do something that I had never done before. When I got the hang up the wiring, it was more enjoyable. The workshop was so fun. "

"This project was a great experience. I learned that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."

Iola is working with other schools in the project and Daisi recently posted this lovely sculpture of a pony from her work with Haytor View Community Primary School. Next month, we shall report back on one of the felting workshops in the project led by artist Jess Carvill.