MineCraft gives you SKILLS - Summer Family open day

Use your Minecraft skills towards your Arts Award with this fab summer programme:

http://www.meetup.com/EPIK-UK/events/222113344/

Six Ways to Wellbeing

Do you have young people wanting to do their Arts Award? We have this opportunity for young people to do their Bronze or Silver Award with Six Ways to Well-being in Swale.

Six Ways to Wellbeing with Wide Eyed Theatre

Your ideas, performed from scratch - Join our unique young persons performance group in which we create a story of people, place and events that make us happy and share them with the world.

All the ideas come from you...

Book your place here

Timetable:

Project Launch - Tuesday 28th October - 10am till 4pm - Bluetown Heritage Centre
This session will launch the project and is open to anyone interested in joining the project. It will be a day of building our performance company and creating project ideas.
Lunch will be provided - if you need support with transport please email vicki@wide-eyed-theatre.co.uk

Weekly Evening sessions in November and December - Location and times TBC

Celebration Event - 6th December - Location and times TBC

This is part of the Six Ways To Wellbeing programme being managed by Ideas Test and Swale CVS and is funded jointly by Kent County Council, Artswork and The Royal Opera House Bridge. Find out more about the Six Ways to Wellbeing at www.sixwaystowellbeing.org.uk.

You can find Ideas Test, Swale CVS and Six Ways to Wellbeing on Twitter @IdeasTest @SwaleCVS and @liveitwelluk, all of whom will be tweeting about the project under #sixwaystowellbeing. Six Ways to Wellbeing is also on Facebook, please search for ‘liveitwellkent’.

You can find out more about Wide Eyed Theatre on www.wide-eyed-theatre.co.uk

FAQs

Is there an age limit/restriction to take part?
You must live in Swale (which includes Faversham, Sittingbourne, Sheppey and surrounding villages) and aged between 13 to 19 years.

What happens after I book?
We will email you to confirm the details and send you some forms for you and your parent/guardian to fill in.

What do I need to bring on the day?
You must send us signed consent from your parent/guardian in advance or bring it on the day. If we don't have it you won't be able to take part.

Where can I contact the organiser with any questions?
Yes, please get in touch if you have any questions. Call Cassy Fry Programme Coordinator on 07713 865955 or email cassy@creativepeopleplace.info.
Do you have questions about Drama Workshop with Wide Eyed Theatre? Contact Ideas Test

Book your place here 

An exercise to begin the Arts Award

In our last session Vicki introduced the forum group to an exercise she uses regularly with groups of all sizes, ages and abilities. Its great at identifying skills and areas of interest that the participants have. It is also is a way of identifying an individuals arts challenge that can be used in Bronze and Silver and other levels. When coming to evaluation it is a point to look back on a develop progress. The best thing about it is that its fun!


Materials needed: Something to draw with, Paper

1) Ask the group to draw around both their hands on one side of paper. If they have large hands they can overlap!

2) In one of the hands ask the group to write/ doodle/ draw positive things about them selves e.g. skills, their personality, what they enjoy. This can sometimes be an exercise within itself as some groups find it very hard to say positive things. You can suggest things to encourage them by telling them your own or ask the to ask someone else in the group to give them a positive point they've noticed about the person. Aim for a minimum of 5 things and 3 of those to be arts related.

3) In the other hand we create wishes for ourselves. Try to not call this a 'negative' or 'bad' hand. Changing the language to 'I would like to be a better listener' is more proactive than 'I am rubbish at listening'. Again make sure some of these are arts related.

4) The final stage is to discuss your 'hands' and find challenges. How this is done depends on the group; some groups may be willing to share with everyone, others may want to work with a partner or you on a one to one basis. The idea is to identify a goal or challenge for the individual that they feel comfortable about. This may jump out of the I wish hand, or it may be a combination of using skills they are already good at to achieve something new. For example many of our participants are great at drama but want to take it further by writing a script or directing. Others have combined feeling comfortable in the group with a new skill such as photography and photographed the group rehearsing and performing.

Enjoy the exercise and don't forget to revisit the hands when evaluating and reflecting!

Gallery oppurtunity from an Arts Award Supporter

 
For anyone looking for an opportunity for young people to engage directly with with artist and gallery there is a a private exhibition viewing in Ramsgate next Thursday for young people. There's a chance to talk to the artist and meet the gallery director to know more about galleries. its a really good opportunity for anyone doing arts award or studying arts subjects. Click the link below to find out more.

http://artsawardvoice.com/magazine/events/inside-art-gallery

Artsbox, Objects, Stories and Puppets

In March we had two forums so we also welcomed Peter Morton, from Knuckle and Joint Theatre, to the second session with his great Puppetry workshop. Peter demonstrated some fun and interesting tasks on how to transform an ordinary object into something creative and imaginative.

Rose, from Artwork, provided everyone with fliers and leaflets and a look into the new 'ArtsBox' concept. ArtsBox is an online dropbox service whereby you can link and collate any photos, videos or imagery to portfolio's, viewed by a Moderator.

Please see our earlier post on signing up to Artsbox here

Peter lead the creative activity...

Using Objects:

1. Pass around an object, eg; an umbrella, a book, a shoe
2. Each person had to respond with "This is not a ...","It is a ..." In which people were invited to think creatively of a different object instead, i.e; "This is not a shoe, this is a ship, sailing in the sea".
3. Change the object for new ideas.
4. Pass around again without repeating and of the previous objects already mentioned.

Secondly, Peter split the group in two to create our very own puppets, simply out of a mug and a dish cloth. The key was to:

1. Accentuate the body stance with detail to movement and breathing.
2. To establish a point of focus on the puppet from the puppeteer/puppeteers. This enables the audience to focus on the puppet.
3. Add an objective; a daily routine for the puppet to move to i.e. getting out of bed, getting dressed, etc.
4. Change the object and do the same.

The outcome of the sessions were great and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the future Forum sessions.

Arts Award Advisers Forum: 26 March 2014

How to become a Supporter

The last Arts Award Forum welcomed Rose Kigwana who is the Programme Manager for Arts Award. Rose covers the South East and is connected with the Arts and Cultural sector. She helped to explain how to become a Supporter with a step-by-step guide. During the session, Rose went into fine detail about what it meant to be an Arts Supporter, with all the additional information of what it entails.

The best place to start is here with this short guide.

So what are the pros of being a supporter? If you are an arts venue or heritage organisation you can attract more visitors by displaying the supporter logo on events which are suitable for Arts Award participants alongside talks with experts and artists, exhibitions and more. By offering discounts and incentives to groups you can join the Arts Award Supporter map to promote your centre to schools and groups undertaking the award in your area.

The activity comprised of the group splitting in two; each group were asked to discuss and plan a hypothetical situation, e.g, how one School or Youth group can be a Supporter to others; where they would start, and what the plan of action would be. The two groups were then asked to report back to each other to share ideas.

The Gift of Gold

Our last forum welcomed artist, musician and facilitator Peter Cook. Peter lead a thought provoking session stimulated by GOLD! We listened to music, viewed pictures and played games before launching into the main activity.






I always find other people's games really interesting and have 'borrowed' 3 of Peter's already.









One great game for warming up was 'Pass the Clap':

Group size: 5 or more players Group age: 5 up (may need to be adapted)

1) Ask the group to stand in a circle
2) Start off a clap that gets passed around the circle from player to player, you can slowly build up speed. Make sure it is passed consecutively and no one claps too soon!
3) Introduce the two clap rule. If someone claps twice on their go the clap gets sent the other way around the circle (Peter advised us to only let each person use this once or it tends to get stuck).
4) If the group get the hang of it introduce the 3 clap rule. If a player claps 3 times on their go the clap skips the person next to then and jumps to the next player!

A great simple and fast paced focus game.



We continued the session exploring poetry and comparing our feelings on Gold to the actual award.



We really got into discussing how gold is a precious gift, showing maximum effort and dedication. It is also a gift that is passed on the next person. This is exactly one of the aims of the Arts Award, in creating young creative leaders to pass on their gifts to the next generation.



We discussed how the progression of Bronze, Silver and Gold could be used in this way to pass on experiences between groups. If you were running them simultaneously, in schools for example, you could have the groups delivering to eachother i.e. the taking part of bronze could be a project run by silver or gold particiapants.

 

Thanks to Peter's diversity as an artist and facilitator, we were easily able to grasp sing cross art forms from poetry, to drama to music. This really relates to the challenge set in Gold Award in participants finding  new art form or challenging their existing one.

Artsbox has arrived!

Artsbox for online portfolios was released last week. I have just had a quick look around it and its looking good.

Firstly I would say if you're planning to use it sign up in advance as it can take up to 48 ours to register.

To begin with you are greeted by the rules of Artsbox, clearly laid out and with templates for letters etc.

The first thing I saw was the chance to make an avatar, so without looking anywhere else I began. The graphics made me chuckle straight away and much fun was had making my mini me!

On with the serious business! Next I made a practice page for the forum. You can upload Pictures, Video and Text. This is going to be great for our reviews which we have always shared online.

Over all it looks simple to use. I'm not sure how the comments box works, I'm wondering if this is open to all? I will watch what happens.

Vicki

What is the value of Gold?

February's Arts Award Forum

Wednesday 26th February
5-7pm
@ The Gulbenkian

Join us for an evening of creativity, inspiration and Gold!

On Wednesday 26^th February, Wide Eyed Theatre will be joined by the talented Peter Cook who will be leading a fascinating workshop on the value of gold. Come along and explore the representation of gold using music, poetry, drama and colour!

Book your place today through the Gulbenkian's website. You can join in the fun!

We will also be joined by Leanne Macdonald, Artswork, who will be showing participants how to use the new Artsbox to get their Arts Award evidence together.

This is February’s Arts Award Forum and it is open to one and all. Not only will you have the opportunity to experience an inspiring workshop, but there will also be the chance to share ideas with other Arts Award Advisers, including our resident Advisers, Vicki and Emma of Wide Eyed Theatre.

Do you have questions about the Arts Award?
Do you want to learn some creative skills?
Do you want to be inspired?

The value of gold materialises when it changes hands, and that is what the Arts Award is about: Passing on something valuable.

And bring a friend! Thanks to our brilliant location in the Gulbenkian, there is room for all. Free to attend, but please book in advance so we can supply materials for everyone.

Come and create with us.
Come and learn with us.

Best wishes,
Wide Eyed Theatre

The Third Arts Award Forum - Discovering Arts Award in Folkestone...

On Wednesday 23rd October, we visited the Quarterhouse in Folkestone to deliver our third Arts Award Forum. This time we were looking at the Discover and Explore program and got a chance to discuss ideas and they way the program runs with Leanne Macdonald from Artswork, South East.

Please feel free to share and use our ideas in your Arts Award Delivery...

Discover:

The Discover program is designed for younger children and there are different workbooks for a different variation of age groups( KS1-KS3). Here are an example of some of the books :

There are three parts of the Discover program, these are:

A) Discover - What can you learn about/discover?
B) Explore- What artist can you research?
C) Share - How are you going to present it? (Can be one to one.)


OUR ACTIVITY 

In groups we planned how to run an Discover programme both in an education setting and outside.

WITHIN SCHOOL

The 'school group' decided they would theme their work around nature, forest schools and their local environments.

Discover:

• Out door workshops to gather natural materials and using them to create art.

• Kites - history and DT/design elements

• Use of local areas such as a church - grave stones, stained glass windows etc.

Explore: 

• Nature artists
• Historical aspects of local area
• Religious artists

Share: 

• Use of church, assemblies, presentations, arts evenings and open afternoons where children can take parents round and share what they are doing.

Extra Curricular

The 'outside of school group' decided to look at Gulbenkian Youth Theatre and the Youth Service. Here were some of the points they discussed:

• We decided the Youth Theatre are already discovering the Arts by participating in weekliy session. They look at a number of different art forms e.g. mask making, poetry, technical theatre. Incorporating all skills.

• The group decided that the Youth Service could run taster and drop in sessions so that young people could discover the Arts and make their own choice of what they would like to focus on.
•  The use of Pintrest was discussed as an effective method of keeping different ideas on.
• The group felt that there needed to be greater awareness of Arts Award within the host organisations so thatcould be effectively run with assistance from non trained staff.

Explore:

• The group thought a buddy systems with Arts venues for tickets to shows and day trips to visit places would improve the cultiral offering

• Youth Service to encourage more visits to different arts venues identified by the young people.

Share:

• Pinterest - easily and quickly share ideas with people

• Gulbenkian Youth Theatre can share with their group in session tme

• Awards ceremonies, press coverage ... BUFFET!

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR ARTS AWARD DISCOVER AND EXPLORE STORIES...

DISCOUNT THEATRE TICKETS

We are super excited to offer discounted tickets to this show for all forum participants at Quarterhouse, Folkestone.

Moon Project

Wed 23 Oct

Stillpoint Theatre

Directed by Paul Hodson & Emma Roberts

Two people suffer nostalgia for impossible futures:

Shahab yearns for home but cannot return.

Leila yearns for transcendence but cannot escape.

One day their lives collide and everything atomises. How do we recover, when, in a single moment, everything we thought we knew is blown into a billion pieces? A play about looking back at earth from the moon.

‘Deft, detailed theatre for the brain and heart’ Tim Crouch

Winner, Outstanding Theatre (Fringe Review, 2010)

You can sign up for the forum here 

How can we encourage good leadership skills?

Maidstone Museum’s beautiful Library was the setting for our second Arts Awards Advisers’ Forum.  During the short two hour session we managed to cram in a huge amount of information, discussion and debate, which I will aim to summarise here.  This session focused mainly on the Bronze ‘Sharing an Arts Skill’ component and Silver Unit 2, ‘Arts Leadership’

The attendees had a huge range of experience from those that had not yet managed to run the Award to those trained in all stages. This was fantastic as it meant that we could start to envisage a ‘buddy’ type system where more experienced Advisers could assist those not so practised.  If this is something you would like us to develop further please let us know.

The session began with Sam Sladden leading the group in a drama session. Sam is a young person who completed the Silver Arts Award two years ago, and has since gone on to speak at regional conferences and be considered for the privilege of being the next Arts Award Case Study.  We asked Sam to demonstrate an example of what could be considered appropriate for the leadership sections of the award. He took the group through some drama warm ups and then gave us a piece of his script (written for his Arts Award) and asked us to work through the design elements of it. This was an insightful task that allowed the attendees, who work in all different disciplines, to play to their strengths and interpret the activity in their own unique ways.

This lead to a follow on from last week’s session where we came to the conclusion that in a school setting where Advisers feel they must encourage the whole group to work on the same project, using a stimulus could be a fantastic way of encouraging individuality, without providing lots of extra work for the Adviser. A stimulus could be presented, such as a script, a painting or piece of music and individuals could then focus on it in their own way, or smaller groups could be set up to focus on a particular aspect.

After Sam’s workshop we discussed the concept of ‘leadership’ and what qualities we can look to build on to create young leaders (see below for the group’s interpretation of a leader).  There was a huge list, most of which you should be able to see in the images below. 

       

We also discussed examples of when a student had done the majority of work for an award without realising it. For example, Vicki discussed her experience of a group of boys at a youth centre who had organised DJ workshops for others. They had managed the whole event, and had evidenced it all in the form of photography and so had only a small amount of work to put in to achieve an award. Other attendees also mentioned that this had happened with students they know. For some people the leadership qualities are absolutely already there, it can just be a question of drawing attention to them. For others it can be a little more difficult but by focusing on some of the qualities below they will soon become aware that they are in possession of at least a couple of them.

We also discussed a number of different ways of ‘passing it on’ including mass cross-teaching (as suggested by Turner Contemporary in the last Forum), including a q&a after a performance and a summer fete where students can teach a craft etc they have learnt.  There are many, many more ways and we would like to compile a list. If you feel like you can add to this discussion, or expand our list please let us know.

What is the difference in delivering Arts Award in a curricular v's an extracurricular setting?

We opened our discussion at the first forum with the question 'How to engage young people in Arts Award?' This lead to a variety of responses and engaging stories about people's experiences. What separated the group however, was where Arts Award was delivered and in what context. The two camps seemed to be:

•  'Curricular' - delivered within a school setting, by teachers, during lesson time or attached to a school project i.e. a school play
•  'Extracurricular'- delivered by an arts organisation or group, lead by artists or practitioners and either long term or short term.

We chatted about the pros and cons of each:

Curricular Pros

• Participants are constant
• Sessions can be planned in advance
• The school/parents will fund the cost of the award
• Adviser's time and training is paid for in the role of teacher
• Additional costs such as materials are absorbed by the school

Curricular Cons

• How does it fit practically for schools?
• The award is an 'attachment' to the existing programme and some pupils don't realise they are doing it!
• All students tend to follow the same route e.g. all have to focus on the same art form, programme of work etc.
• Sparking interest or independent research is potentially difficult

   Extracurricular Pros

• It is easy to get young people interested as they are already on board!
• Young people set their own challenge, or the challenge is set by their interests
• Choosing their own art form means young people are in control
• Developing the award in an individual way and a more organic approach to learning
• Higher success rate in experience, confidence building and leadership

Extracurricular Cons

• Difficult to fund/ make financially viable
• If you charge do only those who can afford it do it?
• Regular access to young people
• Consistency of young people's attendance
• Getting started once you have trained! This was a major point we focused on; newly trained Advisers need the support to start a group, as as an independent facilitator it can seem a scary/unachievable prospect

  
Extra-curricular vs curriculum   

HOW DO YOU ALLOW FREEDOM AND CHOICE WITHIN THE CURRICULUM?
HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM?







Solutions

These are some of the solutions advisers came up with:

General

• When working flexibly create 'I-books' for individuals to keep rough work in one place. These can then be pulled apart to make personal portfolios later - Thank you Leanne!
• Recording Kent's Arts Award success stories on this site to give other advisers ideas about innovative ways of delivering. If you are an adviser with such a story, please contact us to tell us about it!

Curricular 

• To open up the 'Leadership' section of both Bronze and Silver it was suggested that Primary and Secondary schools could can link projects, with Secondary groups delivering their projects to Primary groups and inspiring interest in Discover and Explore for primary ages.
• In the Bronze 'Heroes and Heroines' unit and Silver 'find out about artists and arts organisations' schools would benefit from 'real artists' visiting the schools. Some attendees spoke about how this was successful in inspiring young people to take up the award whilst also providing first hand contact for students to inquire about careers within the Arts.
• Schools can find organisations/individuals who deliver certain parts of the award here

Extracurricular 

• Artists can collaborate with services such as the Youth Service to deliver Arts Award
• Venues can become Arts Award Supporters and encourage those undertaking the award to visit. Find out more here 
• When writing funding bids for projects with young people build Arts Award into the costs.
• Promote the work you do and are able to offer by becoming one of our profiled advisers
• Apply for Arts Awards Access Fund

Please feel free to comment below and contribute to this discussion, we want to hear your opinion!

A book binding tutorial from our first forum

I first learnt how to ‘book bind’ with Jo Dyer at Animate Arts , and the addiction began. Just about everyone I know has received one of these wonderful little books from me. Whether receiving them or making them everyone is amazed at how lovely they are. So I decided to share the tutorial with you.

I frequently use this workshop as a starter to The Arts Award as they make fantastic and personalised portfolios that everyone wants to fill.

For our first Kent Arts Award Advisers Forum we decided to pass the skill on once again to ‘encourage’ people to share the award with more people.

This is me looking proud with my first ever creation!

Here is the tutorial...

You will need:

•  card (this can be nice spangly new card or even better re-purposed from packaging like cereal boxes and the back of pads of lined paper)

•  Scissors

•  Glue (stick or spray is best as it doesn't wrinkle the paper)

•  Gummed tape (the kind used in mounting pictures) or masking tape

•  Paper for pages

•  A needle and thread

•  Paper for your cover (wrapping paper or something special that you have saved)

•  materials to decorate

First you begin by placing two pieces of card together with a small gap between them (this allows your book to close better and not gape open). Create the spine of your book by taping the two pieces of card together.

Lay your cardboard on top of your chosen cover paper and cut out the corners as though you are wrapping a present. If your paper is to small to cover both pieces you can always do the covers individually as in the picture.

Once the pages are cut you are ready to glue.  Do one side at a time gluing the paper down to create the front and back cover (smoothing any bubbles) then glue the flaps. Make sure the covered side is neat, don't worry about the inside at the moment as you will neaten this later. 

Now leave this section to dry...

Next to make the pages! Fold the size of papers you wish to have inside your book (It's best to fold them separately as they sit together nicely). Use a pin to prick some holes down the fold, at about an inch apart, depending on the size of your book. With a needle and thread do a basic in and out stitch down the length of the spine then come back up filling the gaps. ‘Wow I can sew!’ says anyone who can’t sew. As a tip start and end on the outside so you don't see any threads inside your book.

Now it’s time to glue the first and last pages to your book. Cover the surface of your first paper page with glue. Position your paper pages inside the cardboard cover making sure the spine sits in the gap. Stick the first page to the cover. Then you do the same with your last page. Your book is almost there! 


Where the pages are glued to the book glue some other paper over it if you wish to make it look really smart and hide the binding.

Now comes the best bit, decorating! We used stamps to personalise the books and scrapbooking/card making supplies to add embellishments. You can make fastenings to close the book from ribbon or string.

This is an example of one of the first Arts Award activities inside the portfolio.

And here are our finished books waiting to be used:

Participants: Wide Eyed Theatre, Kent Arts Award Advisers, and Fran and George who are doing their Arts Award

Venue: Turner Contemporary, Margate

Tutorial written by Vicki from Wide Eyed and Fran who is doing her Silver Arts Award