| 17th February 2010
 Staffordshire University - Community Arts and The World!
The aim is to create a world festival society for a day, to illustrate how festival and celebration through art can provide answers.
World Community Arts Day website
World Community Arts Day 2009
Our contribution
To celebrate World Community Arts Day Mark Webster from The Creative Communities Unit at Staffordshire University decided to ask his students what community arts projects they were doing on and around World Community Arts Day……
Contributors
Towers Above Participatory Arts Group
Towers Above Participatory Arts Group is made up of two groups for adult users of Mental Health Services who all have a severe and enduring mental health diagnoses in the Borough of Telford & Wrekin. One group is for those with little or no experience of creating art but have a keen interest in the subject and one is for those with experience. Each group runs weekly for half a day. At present we are based in a community centre in Hadley but are looking to move to a more permanent venue soon.
Towers Above is essentially an arts group, not a therapy or health group, although we do encourage members to use the arts as a tool to aid recovery and sustain a positive mental health wellbeing.
We are currently delivering a multi media project called "Onwards & Upwards" which will lead to a public exhibition in July 2010, and also the launch of a newly created website. After July it will then form part of a touring exhibition along with other Arts and Health organisations in the borough. This particular exhibition is funded by Arts Council England and Telford PCT.
Margaret Manuell
 Margaret Manuell (in her aler ego as actor Margaret Jackman) is working with a group of eight to twelve year-olds from schools across the town for Shoebox Theatre c.i.c. at the Torc Centre, Tamworth, using theatre games and activities to help them gain confidence, make friends and learn new skills while being CREATIVE and HAVING FUN. So far this week, among other activities, they have played memory games and, using their bodies, have designed and 'sculptured' statues and images to illustrate traditional stories and rhymes.
On Wednesday they will be following this up with devising 'working machines' and a series of moving images as a way of telling stories. In their final session they will be using their new skills to interpret two short scenes from Shakespeare: The Mechanicals from A Midsummer Night's Dream and the opening fight scene in Romeo & Juliet. For more about Shoebox Theatre c.i.c. go to www.shoeboxtheatre.co.uk
Community Music Services
 This project expects, using creative expression and a positive social experience, to contribute to:
“Improving the wellbeing of disabled children and young people through improving access to positive and inclusive activities”
Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children’s and Young People’s Services and to impact on the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of the young people involved.
The project outline: a music club, funded by the Aiming High for Disabled Children over 6 sessions and a taster in Stoke-on-Trent (funding is being sought for a similar sized project in Staffordshire.) It is expected the young people, age 13-18, will participate in playing and writing music using conventional instruments and software and accessible music technology instruments such as Soundbeam and new accessible music software E-Scape. Through this project Make Some Noise is seeking to gain further organisational expertise working within disability and health settings, grow the sub-regional workforce and its partnerships.
For further information about Make Some Noise Music Club contact Tim Sharp, Programmes and Marketing Manager 01785 278 274 www.make-some-noise.com
For further information about the research contact Clare Smith on 0121 449 1215
Footprints
As part of the Caldmore Village Festival Celebrations in Walsall this May, artist Alan Cheeseman has an ongoing project entitled Footprints ,this will be taking place at Aaina womens centre in Caldmore ,Walsall ,we will aim to collect as many footprints from participants as we can towards an exhibition/ celebration of our community at the festival .
Click here to view full gallery
Visit our site to find out more http://caldmorevillagefestival.wordpress.com
Getting Shirty
What?
'Getting Shirty'
Children are invited to bring along an old plain shirt and turn it into something fun, funky and altogether unique. The wilder and more creative the junky styling the better!
The shirts will be modelled and shared with the rest of the participants in Green Week at a celebration session on Friday afternoon.
Where?
Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton
When?
Wednesday 17th February from 10am to 4pm
Who?
This event is open to children of all abilities. 7- 11 year olds am session. 12-16 year olds pm session.
The celebration and sharing of all arts workshops taking place during 15th - 19th February is on Friday 19th February at 3pm.
Any queries, please contact Laura: artyphoenix@hotmail.co.uk
Lesley McKnight
Lesley Mcknight (MA student Community/Participatory Arts at Staff. Uni.) is a community artist living and working in rural Shropshire. Lesley is working on projects that deal with the needs arising from the changing face of rural 'communities' in light of the loss of agricultural base for employment, tourism and migration from large Cities.
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She is director of a Community Interest Company that works all year towards a celebration/carnival event www.theworldsbiggestgallery.com, that aims to reconnect/connect people with their environment by delivering projects that creatively explore identity and 'sense of place'. Although this is a one day event in September, workshops kick start NOW and continue right up until September and culminate in a spectacular celebrational event.
Pictured: Lantern Making Workshop February 2010, Craven Arms,
Shropshire
Lichfield Mysteries
Lichfield Mysteries goes for Passion...
Lichfield Mysteries is a community theatre project which began in 1994. It produces a cycle of 27 Mystery plays every three years, with each play performed by a community group from the Lichfield area. Anyone who wishes to be involved in any capacity will be included and the event is free to participants and audience. We have worked together with a huge variety of people of all ages,talents and skills and the event is valued for bringing the community together and because everyone has enormous fun!
Currently we are are bringing together several groups from around Lichfield to perform the story of Christ's Passion in drama, music, dance and poetry. All participants are volunteers including the director, Stuart Goodwin. Stuart directed members of Wade Street Church in 2009's production of Lichfield Mysteries 'Crucifixion and Burial' and this project will reunite them whilst introducing new participants including young dancers, musicians and Lichfield Poets. The script has been specially adapted from the original Mysteries scripts to make a performance of around 45 minutes and to reflect the talents of the participants. It will take place on April 1st at Wade Street Church, Lichfield.
The idea of the project is to provide an opportunity for performance, maintaining contact with previous participants in Lichfield Mysteries and also to include people who have not been involved previously. It will maintain the profile of Lichfield Mysteries as a community theatre project and bring together people of all ages from around Lichfield to work together.
For further details please contact Jill Taylor:
jilltaylor@lichfieldmysteries.co.uk
Rawlins College
A chance for all ages to get together and try out a new skill or just have fun
£2 each (booking in advance essential)
Wednesday 17th February 2010 (during half term)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please bring your own lunch and snacks
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Click here to view full gallery
Throughout the day you will get a chance to attend three of the following workshops: (please note, these are subject to change and options will be made on the day, not in advance)
01509 622827 (Community Office) 01509 622800 (School Office)
01509 416668 (fax)
Website: www.rawlinscollege.org.uk
Email: communityed@rawlinscollege.org.uk
If you would like to help out on the day, please contact Hayley Fern, Rawlins’ Community Arts Development Worker on hayleyfern@rawlinscollege.org.uk
Arts Xpress
Arts Xpress is a Playtrain action research project that aims to assess and influence access to high quality arts provision for disabled children and young people. With funding from the Lankelly Chase Foundation and the Eveson Trust, Playtrain has been working in partnership with play providers, arts organisations and statutory bodies to deliver this exciting programme.
On 17 February a group of young people and their families from Kids West Midlands will be installing the final part of the Snake Mosaic Path at Woodgate Valley Country Park. The group worked with artist Lizzy Bean creating drawings, collages, dream catchers and sculptures in response to the natural landscape and wildlife. This culminated in the design and creation of a mosaic stepping stone path in the shape of snake, now permanently set on top of a grassed mound outside the visitor centre.
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Click here to view full gallery
Friction Arts
 Friction Arts invites you to join them athe the edge to hear about their recent three month residency in Johannesburg, SOuth Africa. This talk will provide a facinating insight into making participatory arts projects in an international context. For artists with an interest in international public realm projects and others with the cultural industries with an interest in participation and engagement, this event is not to be missed. The event is free and will be followed by a Q & A session with the artist. Refreshments will be available. Please RSVP to Friction Arts if you would like to attend this free event as places are strictly limited.
Thursday 18th Feb 2010
4:30 - 6ish
The Edge
39 Cheapside
Deritend
Birmingham
B12 OQH
Tel: 0121 7726160
email: info@frictionarts.com
web: www.frictionarts.com
project web: www.square-mile.net
Debbie Banks
The project I wish to talk about is my arts club which I hold every Monday afternoon. It's run by the agency Clubs4Children which I joined last year. When I first started the arts group, the children painted their own portraits of how they thought they looked. It was very interesting to watch the children express their feelings though the paintings they were doing and mixing the colours which they couldn't wait to show me. They were very proud of their achievments. Some of them even added the family to the paintings!
The following week we started making masks. We did the is by blowing up balloons, (mainly me doing the huffing and puffing!) then, the group started putting on papier machier on the balloon. We did this for two weeks so make the masks firm. The third week, they painted the masks and decorated them with some art jewllery that I'd taken in. We had some superb masks.
The other nice thing about the group was the parents. They came and helped either work with the class or helped to clean up after we'd finished. They appreaciated being involved and found it good fun helping with the children. Regretably we couldn't take any pictures of the group as some of the parents weren't happy about it which is fair enough.
What I love about doing the project, the children love too, is that thay can express them selves through having fun. I remember clearly the head master came in to see how the group was doing the second week I was there. He was very pleased that the group were doing so well. I invited him to join in and he gracefully declined.
When I first started the group, there were only twelve pupils. The following week, I had eighteen. Now I have nineteen. It keeps growing. If it grows any more I shall have to start another group on another day.
My next project, is to have the group do a mural and then draw round their hands on paper, cut the stencil out, then paint them. I shall ask the head, if the rest of the school would like to be involved and and make a large picture of the world and put the hands around the world with the theme of "Hands of Friendship Round The World". This would be a school community project.
It is really good to see the children broaden their minds, work as a team, have fun, share their day with you. The moment they see you they want totellyou what they've accomplished during their day.
Borderland Voices
‘ART AS A CATALYST FOR CARING AND SHARING’
Borderland Voices celebrated World Community Arts Day with the regular Tuesday Visual Arts group who made sketchbook journals with Viv using simple materials.
Read more and view full gallery
Urban Vision North Staffordshire
Amongst the activities for its community education programme, Urban Vision North Staffordshire runs an annual Big Draw event.
Most recently we partnered up with Rethink (Mental Health Organisation) an artist, an architect and a photographer to deliver a day of drawing activities at Pennybank House in Leek, Staffordshire.
The drop in event was well attended and enjoyed by the community and as well as Rethink service users.
Using the drawing experiences on offer the participants and practitioners explored the idea of how our built environment can affect our health and wellbeing.
As a follow up to this event we will be hosting a free cpd drawing workshop with Eileen Adams, the founder of The Campaign for Drawing on Wednesday March 24th here at Burslem School of Art.
Booking is essential so please contact me for further details.
fiona.waddle@uvns.org
Deborah Rogers
Deborah is a co-founder of The Cultural Sisters and currently on the course Developing Arts For Health at Staffordshire University.
Image is from a creative consultation at Aaina women's centre Walsall - consulting with young people and women about a 'wellbeing garden project' that the centre are aiming to develop in their unused green space over the next few months. The consultation used the '5 ways to wellbeing' as a guidance combined with 'space shapers' architectural game to find out what the young people and women, that use the centre, would like to experience in a community garden.
5 ways to Wellbeing:
- connecting
- keep learning
- take notice
- be active
- give
Full gallery to follow shortly
Pyn Stockman
Pyn Stockman (www.dramask.com) is a drama practitioner and mask maker. Leading projects in a wide range of community settings. She is currently studying on the Artists Professional Development Progarmme ( Arts in Health) at Staffordshire University.
The project I would like to highlight is in collaboration with D.J and Music producer Marc Reck (www.marcreck.com). We are working with an Inclusion Connect project in Washwood Heath with a group of 12 young men with SEN to make a short but very creative film which will be presented in April to an invited audience (where the group will also D.J at the party afterwards)
The first day involved the group developing a storyline - rehearsing on location around the centre. Sampling sound and using a range on music technology to develop the soundtack. The storyline belongs to the group and was developed through improvisation and discussion the ideas were of an excellent quality and show some really deep thinking on the part of the participants.
The group meets twice a week and we will be working with them every Tuesday over the next 6 weeks to complete the film and soundtrack. Beyond the creative experience of film and music making we are exploring strategies of co operation and group work and are seeking to develop speaking and listening skills, raise self esteem and enjoy ourselves.
I you would like to find out more about this or other projects contact:
email: pyn@dramask.com
or
tel:07828 766 714
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