Evolving Landscapes
Evolving Landscapes was a six month heritage and multi-arts project for young people aged 13-21 that aims to take advantage of Wiltshire's incredible heritage sites and history, allowing groups to explore their roots and the amazing landscape that they live amongst.
Eight groups from across Wiltshire took part in the project including army welfare groups, extended schools groups and youth development centres. Approximately 80 young people engaged in 300 hours worth of arts workshop. The artists who worked on the project will include a digital media artist, a storyteller, a potter and a music technology artist.
All the groups worked towards a final celebration event at the Salisbury Museum on 19th July 2008 where friends and family had the opportunity to see the work that the young people have produced. In sharing in this heritage learning experience, perhaps we saw our own natural heritage in a new light.
Katherine Hebbard, a young person involved in the project wrote,
"the teenagers taking part.., have done a number of activities starting with their trip to artistic sites around Wiltshire...[they] took photos of the landscape and used photoshop to edit them and create beautiful pieces of artwork."
To read her full review, please click here.
Here is just a taster of the fantastic images created by young people from the Malmesbury group with help from Jackie Calderwood, digital media artist.
On 5th August 2008, 18 young people successfully gained their Bronze Arts Award as a direct result of the work that they have created during this project. Well done to all those young people for your hard work, dedication and enthusiasm.
This project had been made possible through a grant of £25,000 from the National Lottery Young Roots programme and an additional £5,000 from English Heritage South West. The project was a partnership between English Heritage, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Salisbury Museum, WYAP and Wiltshire Youth Development Service. To read the press release, click here
Young Arts Leaders Group
An exciting new young arts leader's project where young people get to have their say.
This project is an opportunity for young people aged 14-21 who already have experience of the arts, whether it is being in the school play or playing in a band.
This project will build on the success of the Most Wanted project (click here to link to Past Projects), and is an opportunity for young people to gain an Arts Award.
This is a chance for the young people of Wiltshire to say what they really think about the arts in Wiltshire and learn the skills to organise and run an event. This event will give other young people the chance to get involved in the arts and have their say too!
We want you! We want you to have your say!
If this interests you or you know of a young person that would enjoy this opportunity, sessions are held fortnightly from 7.00pm - 9.30pm in the Art Room at Bradford on Avon Youth Development Centre, Frome Road, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1LE.
The project runs from February to September and sessions are FREE to attend.
The project is being run by Wiltshire Youth Arts Partnership with help from the Voice and Influence Team. The group is supported by an experienced Project Manager. To find out more information, please click here to contact the Project Manager.
Drama Xpress
Drama Xpress was an exciting project that has been designed for young people by young people. Young people successfully applied for WYPOF (Wiltshire Young People's Opportunity Fund) to design, manage and have real input in this groundbreaking project.
Young people have been involved at every stage and have interviewed drama practioners. They were on the Steering Group that directed the project.
There were groups across the county: in Great Bedwyn, Wootton Bassett, Warminster, Westbury, Corsham, Salisbury, Devizes and Netheravon. The groups met weekly over a year. All participants had the chance to see professional theatre work in action.
During her work experience with WYAP, as an Arts Administrator, Silver Arts Award student, Sophie Eccleston attended a Drama Xpress workshop in Warminster. To read this wonderful review, click here.
" When we performed, it was really funny and really interesting to see what the other group had come up with....I just want to say thank you for letting me review Drama Xpress, it was amazing and I definitely would recommend it to anybody!
(Sophie Eccleston)
Theatre Rocks
As a culmination of this project and to celebrate the success of the project, the young people involved in the project showcased their work at two events in Wiltshire, on 27th April 2008 at the newly refurbished Pound Arts Centre in Corsham and on 4th May 2008, at the Salisbury Playhouse.
This project was in partnership with Salisbury Playhouse, Pound Arts Centre and Wiltshire County Council Youth Development Service.
Roots 'n' Motion
Roots 'n' Motion is a fantastic new Cultural Youth Dance Project funded by Wiltshire County Council, Arts Council England and the Arc Theatre, Trowbridge. Led by the new Youth Dance Animateur, Louise Forster, this project is open to all young people aged between 13 and 19 years. No dance experience is necessary, just enthusiasm to explore this stimulating artform.
So, do you want to have fun, learn new moves, make new friends, create your own dance routine and work towards performances.......regular dance sessions take place this term in Chippenham, Calne, Devizes, Pewsey, Salisbury, Amesbury and Westbury. There is no extra charge for taking part in these sessions - just the usual Youth Centre fee applies. (Varies between centres, please contact individual Youth Centre for exact cost.)
Two young people, who were doing their work experience as Arts Administrators for WYAP and are studying for their Silver Arts Award, attended two sessions, writing excellent reviews. To read both Sophie and Jess' reviews, click on their names. A sneak preview....
"The workshop started off with a warm up of learning how to do the splits....all were engaged. I was very impressed with the dance that they made in just one session. It was very welcoming, and even though I arrived three weeks [into the course], I felt that I could have joined in at any point." Jess Horth
The groups recently (April 2007) attended a residential course in Plymouth, where they worked together exploring the roots and heritage of dance. This was a highly successful event and enjoyed by all.
Dancers from the Roots n Motion project recently won a place to compete at the Regional Finals of the Youth Dance England competition. Well done to all those who competed!
FOR A SESSION NEAR YOU....!
CHIPPENHAM
To be confirmed
CALNE
Wednesday nights 4.45pm - 6.15pm
Calne Youth Development Centre
Contact Sally Willox on (01249) 812509
DEVIZES
Tuesday nights 3.30pm - 5.00pm
Leisure Centre Dance Studio
Contact Steve Smith on (01380) 722598
PEWSEY
Tuesday nights 4.00pm - 5.30pm
The Shak, Pewsey Youth Development Centre
Contact Lou Forster on (07917) 050557
SALISBURY
Tuesday nights 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Salisbury Youth Development Centre
Contact Winnie Manning on (01722) 410963
AMESBURY
Friday nights 5.30pm - 7.00pm
Amesbury Youth Development Centre
Contact Dawne Dawes on (01980) 654172
WESTBURY
To be confirmed
Arts Award
The Arts Award is the first accredited scheme to underpin the development of young artists and young arts leaders from 11 years to 25 years., helping them grow as artists, to lead arts projects and develop rich and fruitful relationships with familiar or new art forms.
A pioneering relationship between the Arts Council England and international Awarding body, Trinity Guildhall, has culminated, following a pilot supported by Wiltshire County Council, with the Award being available to young people across the country. The award can be taken at Bronze, Silver and Gold Level, which are accredited at Levels 1,2 and 3 on the National Qualifications Framework.
Uniquely, the Arts Award celebrates the creative progress made by young people, and not just their artistic skill. The Award can lead to further study, and it will enable you to enjoy the arts throughout your life. If you want to find out more about this exciting new Awards Scheme, go to www.artsaward.org.uk
Local Success
Well done to the 18 young people from the Evolving Landscapes project who have gained their Bronze Arts Award at our recent moderation on 5th August 2008. A huge congratulations also to Jennie Page, a young person supported by WYAP to gain her GOLD Arts Award. Your success continues to realise this fantastic new award within Wiltshire.
In September 2007, Jess Horth successfully gained her Silver Arts Award, advised by WYAP and seven young people from the Dance project, Roots n Motion also succeeded in gaining their Bronze. Some of these young people were so inspired, that they aim to go on to gain their Silver Arts Award. Also, young people from Salisbury Youth Development Centre were inspired by the WYAP Music Xpress project that they continued with their music and gained a Bronze at this moderation. Following this in April 2008, young people from the Drama Xpress project, the Roots and Motion dance project and Spark Radio gained their Bronze Arts Award. A very well done to all those young people!
Our next moderation event will be in Spring 2009. If you are an Arts Award Centre and wish to share our moderation event, you are most welcome. Click here to contact the Moderations Coordinator at Trinity Guildhall, the awarding body.
Want to be an adviser?
Arts Award advisers are key to the success of the award......
All young people who take part in the Arts Award must be supported by an adviser. The adviser could be a teacher, youth worker, artist or another adult who meet regularly with the young person, either individually or in a group, to provide support, help and advice with their arts award work. Is this you?
If you are interested in being a insipiration, a catalyst and a mentor for young people in Wiltshire, then WYAP can help you to train. If you are at least 20 years of age and have at least two years of working with young people in the arts, then you can register on to one of the many courses that we have running throughout 2007 across the county. For more information, please contact the Arts Award Administrator or log on to www.artsaward.org.uk to register online. Courses last one day and cost just £120.
Arts & Education
Wiltshire Youth Arts Partnership is working with Wiltshire County Council to provide a complete service to schools, artists, youth organisations, parents and carers to a be the first point of contact in connection with providing arts within education.
Our Information Officer for this new initiative is available to support all Wiltshire schools and colleges regarding delivering arts within education. Teachers and other education providers can also register for a free monthly e-bulletin and to receive up to the minute developments on arts in education.
To download the registration questionnaire, please click here.
To download the latest Arts and Education e-bulletin, please click here.
In addition, the Information Officer is able to provide information on running the Arts Award within your school and direct you to the relevant bodies/agencies when applying for Artsmark or Specialist Arts College status.
Artsmark is a national award that recognises and rewards schools making an outstanding commitment to the full range of arts: art & design, music, dance and drama. For more information about Artsmark, click here.
To apply to gain specialist arts college status, please click here to log on to the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) website. WYAP can help you to make links within the community and aid in the success of your application. To contact the Information Officer for more details, click here.
This website will give you access to an huge database of artists that work within Wiltshire, to link with the database, please click here.)
Study Support Packs
New Study Support Packs designed to help Wiltshire Schools to engage with artists in school. The pack contains a checklist with guidance for third party providers, intending to run activities and clubs in schools. Its purpose is to assist providers in preparing to plan activities, giving details of the questions and checks that schools will wish to discuss. The document contains both mandatory and best practice checks. The mandatory checks are legal requirements and are designed to be clear and comprehensive. Sent to all schools in March 2008, this document is proving to be a valuable resource. To download the document, please click here. If you have any queries about the Study Support Pack, please contact Jonothan Hope, Extended Learning and Study Support Officer by clicking on his name.
Summer Arts in Education Conference - "Arts and Minds" 16th July 2008
On Wednesday 16th July 2008, Wiltshire Schools came together at the first "Arts and Minds" conference at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon. This event was a huge success and was well attended by teachers from both primary and secondary schools, artists and arts organsiation. During the day, delegates discussed best practice and the development of arts with the educational context. There were key speakers and workshops relating to hot topics in this field and contributions from Specialist Arts Colleges in Wiltshire.
Another conference will be planned next year. Watch this space!
The event was reviewed by a young person involved in the Young Arts Leaders Group (see above for more information on this project). To read the complete review, click here.
"I thought the conference was a motivational day. I was impressed by the opportunities for networking and the shared passion for the arts. The connection between artists should continue to be supported by this kind of event."
Artsmark celebrations in Wiltshire
On Wednesday 9th July 2008, schools across the South West came together at the Michael Tippett Centre at Bath Spa University, Bath on a typical "tipping down" British summer's day to celebrate their achievements in gaining the nationally recognised Artsmark certification. This event was the culmination of many months of hard work by Wiltshire schools. As well as the presentation of the Artsmark certificates, which were collected by pupils from each school, there were exciting performances from schools across the region including a stunning and thought provoking performances from Kingdown Community School from our county.. The event was a huge success, and thanks should be given to the Creative Learning Agency, the arts and education agency for Bath, Bristol and North Somerset, who organised the days events.
Many congratulations this year to: Bemerton St John CE Aided Primary School (Gold), Bowerhill Primary School, Charter Primary School (Silver), Christ Church CE VC Primary School (Gold), Crockerton CE Primary School (Gold), Dauntsey's Aided Primary School (Gold), Great Bedwyn CE Primary School (Gold), Lea and Garsdon CE Primary School, Lydiard Millicent CE Primary School (Gold), Minety CE Primary School (Silver), Salsibury Highbury Primary School (Gold), St Dunstan Primary School (Silver), Sutton Veny CE Primary School (Silver), Woodborough CE VA Primary School (Gold), Wylye Valley CE Aided Primary School (Gold), Avon Valley College (Silver), Kingdown Community School (Gold), Malmesbury School (Silver), Salisbury High School (Silver), The Stonehenge School (Gold), Trafalgar School at Downton (Gold), Rowdeford School and Springfields School.
Of the 166 schools in the South West that have been successful in Round 8 of Artsmark applications, 23 were gained by Wiltshire schools. Another fantastic round for Wiltshire, which also saw a rise in the number of Artsmark Gold Award holders! This now brings the total number of Wiltshire schools holding the award to 47!
WYAP website
Launched on 20 March 2007, this website was funded by a WYPOF (Wiltshire Young People's Opportunity Fund) bid by young people from Wiltshire. The site was designed by the Interactive Media Centre, based at Wiltshire College, Chippenham. This site will be updated on a regular basis and will provide an easily accessible point of information for artists, teachers, young people and youth organisations county and countrywide.
Please click here for a short film, providing more information.
