Children & The Arts

Salisbury Arts Centre is in the third year of a project part funded by the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts and aimed at local primary schools.

Eight local primary schools are involved in the project which offers 350 pupils the chance to engage with a variety of art forms, through performances and workshops.

To create the project Salisbury Arts Centre have worked with resident companies Hoodwink Theatre and Sarum Orchestra. 

Activities in 2008 – 2009 included:

• A visit to the Arts Centre’s Small Pictures Exhibition 2008 with a tour from a visual artist and Hoodwink Theatre Company
• Visual arts workshops led by artists
• Teachers INSET day led by Hoodwink Theatre Company
• Drama workshops to create ‘living pictures’ led by Hoodwink Theatre Company held in schools
• A visit to the Arts Centre for the schools to present their ‘living pictures’ to each other, and watch a performance by Hoodwink Theatre Company
• Public exhibition of pupils’ Small Pictures
• Discount for families of pupils involved in the project, to come and see a performance by Sarum Orchestra
• Teachers education pack
  

A selection of comments from participants after the first part of the year:

What did you enjoy?

"You could look at all the beautiful different paintings and pictures" (Whiteparish)

"Everybody was really kind" (Manorfields)

"Painting, because it makes me more confident and it was fun" (Durrington)

"First time in an art gallery really enjoyable" (Sarum St Pauls)

"The children's responses were brilliant and it triggered lots of discussion at school" (Teacher, Manorfields)

"All had a positive experience and were excited prior to the follow up visit. A wonderful experience for both the class and myself" (Teacher, Netheravon)

What did you learn?

"Everybody likes different pictures" (Manorfields)

"I learnt that some pictures have good details so I will do that in art" (Manorfields)

"I learnt that people have different ways of seeing the picture, like me and my twin painted the same picture but they were completely different" (Durrington)

"I can do things by my self and be proud of it" (Netheravon)

"Thinking, appreciation of others work" (Teacher, Exeter House)

For further information about the The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts please visit www.childrenandarts.org.uk

In 2009 – 2010 the focus will be on movement and dance, and activities and performances will be led by Hoodwink Theatre and Sarum Orchestra.
Details about this project will be uploaded soon.