Summary 2009
Bradford Matters Art Project - 22nd-
26th June
Public Display
This was a year-long project involving four
primary schools. The four schools worked in two pairs:- Fagley
Primary School and Byron Primary School and Crossflatts Primary
School and Holycroft Primary School.
Following work in their individual schools on
identity and diversity the schools met at Centenary Square in
Bradford to mark out the location of the Mirror Pool.
This was an event to raise awareness of the
future plans for the city. Following the photograph the children
took part in activities organised by Schools Linking Network,
including photography, film, sketching and collage in order to
capture the students’ thoughts and images of the people and places
in Bradford.
After this first meeting the four schools
worked in two pairs. They looked at how Bradford’s population had
changed over time and began to think about the recent city centre
developments. The children made documentaries using the photographs
and film footage they captured on their first meeting.
The children worked with artist Tim Curtis to
develop an exhibition based on a panoramic photograph of Centenary
Square. This work is a moveable exhibition and has already
been exhibited at the Bradford Univeristy University Atrium
Building and the Midlands Hotel. The exhibition will go to
many other locations in Bradford over the course of next year.
The project raised the children’s
awareness of their shared city and enabled them to explore what
they all hold in common in terms of the places they enjoy visiting
and their hopes and fears for the future Bradford. The project also
gave them a real sense of shared pride in their work and in living
in such a diverse city, providing many opportunities to celebrate
this.
Identity Umbrellas - 22nd- 26th
June
Public Display
Low Moor Primary and Marshfield Primary used
the global art project, Matt Lamb Umbrellas for Peace as the focus
of their linking.
Within their own schools, the children firstly
explored their own identities through poetry. This was shared with
the partner school and helped open up conversations about the
diversity of Bradford. Children then met in a workshop held at
Cartwright Hall, where pairs, made up of both schools, decorated
umbrellas to represent their shared hopes and fears. Many children
and parents visited these unique umbrellas when they were exhibited
at Bradford University. This project allowed the children to
express their opinions on the city in which they live.
Personal Journeys- 22nd- 26th
June
Public Display
The above project was aimed at uniting young
people from Hanson School, Selby High School, Upper Wharfedale
School & Carlton Bolling College. Through a series of art based
workshops the students explored common ground such as journeys to
and from their localities, as well as highlighting and celebrating
the differences in their everyday experiences.
Over a period of time, a relationship
developed between students at the schools. After preparation in
each school, students met and worked together at an art gallery to
produce pictorial maps of their individual journeys to their shared
destination.
They captured their personal experiences and
responses to the questions: ‘Who am I?’, ‘Who are We?’, ‘Where do
we live?’ in their sketch books. These activities were followed by
visits to each others’ schools.
Their personal journeys are represented using
felt making, an age old textile tradition.
Childrens Rights – 22nd June
Performance
Clayton CE and Clayton Village Primary are
situated within walking distance of each other and the Head
teachers were keen to develop a shared community in Clayton.
The School councils working across the age
groups, explored human rights within their immediate shared
community and globally. This raised a discussion about refugees and
the children engaged in workshops to investigate stories, facts and
myths regarding refugees and asylum seekers. The children have
become ambassadors for their school and have shared their learning
with their class members.
The year ended with an excellent drama
performance called ‘A Diary of a Refugee’, based on the story of
Gervelie, a refugee girl from the Congo. This was performed for
parents at the Theatre in the Mill. The performance marked the end
of Refugee week and the beginning of WDWTWA week.
Unfair Trade: Transported Rhythms -
23rd June
Performance
St. Bedes and Challenge College students
looked at the history of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
This project involved the creation of backdrops, composing music
and incorporating this into a performance for WDWTWA at Theatre in
the Mill.
Colour & Light : A drop of Science –
24th June
Exhibition
The main object of the project has been to
look at the cohesion of two diverse communities within Bradford.
Sharing similarities and differences through common artistic
interventions and activities that explored the theme of colour and
light from both scientific and creative perspectives.
The exhibition was the product of children
working together. A curriciulum based outcome of imagery and
learning. It is hoped the ‘soft’ outcome of children beginning to
discover and consider the diverse cultures and people of Bradford
comes through.
Fair Trade – 25th June
Performance
Allerton primary school serves children from a
wide range of cultures, faiths and socioeconomic groups. In
partnership with SLN, all children in year 5 took part in a cross
curricular project on Fait Trade. Pupils ideas were central. The
project aimed to develop deeper conversations, a sense of personal
and whole group identity and to engage parents in their children’s
learning.
The end result was a performance by all the
children at the ‘Theatre in the Mill’ at Bradford University,
two miles from the school.