PHOTOS: Pupils' create rural trail

Ten students from Meadowside Primary School, in Burton Latimer, have mapped the route of an historic trail from Fermyn Woods to Lyveden New Bield with drawings, poetry and signs, which have been installed along the route.
Their artwork will be unveiled on Saturday, August 6, as part of a wider international exhibition in Fermyn Woods, called Encounters, Journeys through Language and Landscape.
The pupils have been working with Poet Keely Mills and the staff at Fermynwoods Contemporary Art on a Creative Exchange project which is funded and delivered through The Mighty Creatives (TMC).

Check out some of the photos taken during the project which saw pupils exploring the trail for inspiration!

Click here to find out more about the exhibition launch and project.

PHOTOS: It's time to Progress your workforce

Find out what nine young people from Castle Estate in Bolsover achieved when they joined Sporting Futures who were delivering the Progress project on behalf of TMC.

Hinckley and Bosworth Deputy Mayor praises TMC project

Statement from Martin Cartwright, Deputy Mayor, of Hinckley and Bosworth Council.

"On Friday 15th July 2011, I had the unique opportunity to open the "Footprints to the Future" exhibition produced by the students if Redmoor High school, Hinckley.



"Featuring items from the past discovered by the students and presented in media and exhibition style formats to the very highest standard of quality. Explained by the students in a presentation to the audience that everyone has a past, present and future. The exhibition was opened by myself in the Atkins Building, Hinckley a building that has a past from its origins as a hosiery factory over one hundred years ago to its recent times as being redeveloped into what is today a fabulous building with a great future in helping projects such as Redmoor High School.


"The Footprints to the future exhibition featured findings of the past in archeologically digs that the students of Redmoor School had produced. Presented in an exhibition that the students had produced and featured in a ten minute and thirty minute of video footage from the hundreds of hours of recordings taken. Highlighting beautifully the quality of the student’s work it will be these students that will be among the stars of the future.


"I was very proud of the students and their achievements. Thank you to all the Students of Redmoor high School, Redmoor High Schools staff, Dr Ramez, Ransome Sammone, The Mighty Creatives, Creative Hinckley and to everyone else involved.


"If a news headline were to be produced it would simply say, "Fantastic", "Stunning", "Creative", "Professional"."

Well done Redmoor High school, a simply stunning exhibition, "Footprints to the Future"."

Click here to find out more about the project and exhibition launch.

The Bank of TMC - the story so far.

After 6 months of planning, creative workshops, market research, spreadsheets, tweeting and hard work by all involved the Bank of TMC is about to invest in up to six new social enterprises, set-up and led by young people from Leicester and Leicestershire. Social Enterprises are businesses that are run for community benefit rather than private profit.

At the start of this year we worked with a group of 25 young people aged between 15 and 22 to imagine what the Bank of TMC would look like: what our values would be; how we would work with young people and support them; how we would keep our self going; what social enterprise is all about... and a host of other questions.This group of 'Young Advocates' met together again in March to design the Bank's first logo and help us with our communications strategy.

By April we were ready to announce the Bank to the world and explain what we had to offer:

• Research and development bursaries worth £500 - designed to help young social entrepreneurs turn their good ideas into real social businesses with a creative and cultural focus.
• Access to support networks and expert advice on finance and business planning, market research and proving the social impact of social enterprise. (Plus some creative activities and quite a few laughs along the way).
• The chance to apply for up to £5000 start-up investment from the Bank of TMC.

We were delighted to see that of the eight bursary winners who joined us on our 'journey of discovery' all eight were supported to put together a business plan and apply for investment.

On 29th June the Bank's Investment Panel met to make decisions on who would receive start-up funding. The panel was made up of:

• Two Young Advocates, one who is a freelance project manager for creative and cultural organisations and one who is President of the Leicester Young Chamber
• Leicestershire's Head of Heritage and Arts
• Leicester's Enterprise Support Manager
• A young member of the TMC Board

Investment was announced on 1st July and by 1st September we'll be signing the funding contracts with three new social enterprises - details of the new businesses will be featured in an article in The Wave supplement to the Leicester Mercury next week (hopefully without the dodgy picture of the Bank Manager). We hope to make up to three more investments by 1st November... watch this space.

We have learned such a lot in a relatively short time. We'll be using this learning to help us roll out the Bank of TMC at the start of 2012; working with our Mighty Team of young people, adults and social entrepreneurs to keep moving onwards and upwards across the East Midlands.

WATCH: Stories of the World

This film shows a group of Young Curators working with Northampton Museum. They'll be curating next year’s Dress the World exhibit, which is a part of the regions Stories of the World program for the Cultural Olympiad.

The exhibition will look at shoes from around the world and in their first Journal the group looks at some of the shoes in the collection that have caught their eye.

Click here to see more photos and films from the Journals project.

PHOTOS: CP history project

Students at Redmoor High School, in Hinckley, Leicestershire, explored their local history for their Creative Partnerships project.

The photos (below) captured the launch of their exhibition which was attended by BBC presenter, Dr Nina Ramirez and Martin Cartwright, Deputy Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth.

Redmoor student exploring history

                                         Redmoor students showing Dr Nina Ramirez their history project

                                                  Redmoor student exploring the history exhibition

                                         Dr Nina Ramirez talking 'history matters' with Redmoor students

                                                                           Exhibition

                                                      Redmoor students exploring their exhibition

Click here to find out more about the project and the exhibition launch.

Creative Agent testimonials

We asked our schools to nominate a Creative Agent for the TMC Creative Agent Award. Here are some of the testimonials: -

"Fi Burke has been our Agent for Change Schools. She has always been very professional and such a support for our school. She is obviously passionate about the Creative Process and a great advocate for TMC and has even joined the Governing Body of our school. She has done way over the hours she has been paid for and is a true professional and Creative Agent. She has been a pleasure to work with and will be a great loss to the school."
Jo Beattie, AST Wilsthorpe School.


"Amy Christer has been a fantastic asset to our school this year. She has provided excellent support and encouragement to set up our MEdia project and her work will continue to have a positive impact on our children's lives for many years to come."
Claire Mulhern, Knighton Fields Primary School


Andy Barrett - "Although the management of a large scale project involving multiple creative practitioners has the potential to create a number of logistical problems, there is no doubt that the unswerving focus of our Creative Agent has led towards the highly effective outcomes of this year's Change Schools Programme at The Nottingham Emmanuel School.

"Highly creative approaches to learning have been facilitated and young leaders have grown in their talents, skills, self-confidence and personal choice. Most importantly, the action research that this project has allowed leads the school to ensure that the style and content of this project will continue in the life of the school, even once the the project window and funding have expired. Thank you." Andy Wolfe, The Nottingham Emmanuel School


"I've created a testimony for Rob Aitken in the form of an acrostic and would love you to pass it on to him;
Reliable
Optimistic
Businesslike
Articulate
Ingenious
Tenacious
Knowledgeable
Enabling
Noteworthy"
Sue Miller, St Giles School


"Sue Khan - At first it was a glimmer of light as we started out journey .. then a flicker……turning to a steady glow … and finally the way has been illuminated for us to continue our creative exploration.
"Without the hand of Sue Khan holding our light to show us the way we would not have made it……I would have drowned under paperwork, the Children Centre Workers captured inside cane sculptures and the artists would have been lost in fabric jungles and left fighting mutant vegetable people !!!
Many, many thanks to everyone who has enriched our lives and led us to find the treasure on our doorstep!!!" Liz Morris, Children Centre Co-Ordinator, Newhall Children's Centre


David Matthew - "Firstly, respect goes to David Matthews. A top agent, not only for the help with the sorting out, but making a brew on arrival for meetings, the introduction of fruity tea in the staffroom, teaching the children to make owl noises, turning emails in poetic masterpieces, making up Driving instructor company names, and getting the paperwork done to leave plenty of time for 'chewing the cud' and putting the world to rights!


"He must stay involved in the mighty creatives as he is a superb asset to the team.

"My thanks also go to Ruth Jones, who i believe is no longer involved with TMC but was a brilliant agent! and all the team at your end involved in running the projects over the years. It's been brilliant and our children have really benefitted from your help and involvement."
Colin Howard, Holly Primary School


Jodie Creswell – "South Normanton Nursery School has worked with the mighty creatives on two brilliant projects over the last two years.
"A big thank you to Jodie Cresswell who has helped us with the organisation, form filling and evaluation of both our projects."
From all the children and staff at South Normanton Nursery School


We then announced the three winners of the Mighty Creative Agent Awards:-


• Sara Giddens


"She is very easy to talk to, she makes us feel comfortable to say what we want about how everything is going."
Kelvin (Year 4 Pupil)


"She smiles a lot and is always really happy to see us when she comes to our school."
Chloe (Year 4 Pupil)


"He has been fantastic throughout this project, always a positive word to get you back on track when work load was tough. I felt that throughout the project she has really understood our aim and supported myself and the children in anyway she could. She had a lovely relationship with the children and they looked forward to their meetings as they felt she valued what they said." (Lead teacher)


"Tireless in their drive to bring creativity to schools and to make positive changes to those who inhabit them."


"A fantastic mentor and role model for the TMC programme. ‘The fountain of knowledge’ and a great individual for sharing good practice with others."


"For being a committed member of the team and being inspirational in what she has achieved as an agent. Her knowledge and understanding of schools, young people and what makes it all tick is invaluable."


"For having high standards; for being knowledgeable, supportive and generous enough to share her experience and expertise."


"A fabulous mentor in every way!"


• Al Muir


"Always smiling, cares for and works hard to develop relationships."


"Consistent, clear, reliable, brilliant."


"It’s [….] that I turn to if I have any issues with my schools and need help! He is the voice of reason and gives excellent advice. I trust his judgement and think he’s an all round super Agent!"


"A big thank you to […….] for all his help and support over the past year."Janine Keel and Lincoln St. Christopher's media team


• Tricia Kelly


"Tricia Kelly started out as our Creative Agent at Uplands Infant school and ended up being a much loved, reassuring, friendly face whose support to myself, the school and the creative practitioners was priceless. Feedback from children, staff and practitioners show that everyone felt she was there to help 'them'.

"Our project ' The Anywhere Project' was also Tricia's project…..Can't thank you enough Tricia for going above and beyond what your role as the Creative Agent included. The relationship was a stunning example of the wonders that collaboration brings-the sum of which is greater than all the parts."
Ami Shirley Lead coordinator for 'The Anywhere Project'@ Uplands Infant School


"Tricia has worked with us at Redmoor High School on the "Footprints Project."


"Tricia has been a constant supporter of the project and has attended every visit the pupils involved have been on. Her commitment to supporting the pupils and the school has been a great asset to the project, providing encouragement and guidance to both pupils and staff. It has been great having Tricia as a Creative Agent, her enthusiasm has certainly rubbed off onto everyone who has worked on the project.


"Tricia has been very proactive in her communication and work, she has been a valued team player and a pleasure to work with.
"Thank you for everything - we WILL continue the good work Tricia has begun."
Chloe Sanders, Redmoor High School


"Tricia has been a most helpful partner, not least in her willingness to be flexible when working alongside staff such as myself. She has never once shown her frustration with the many difficulties we have encountered. Her calm, patience and willingness to get on with things has been a source of constant security in co ordinating this project." Nigel Roberts, Redmoor High School

To read more about the Creative Agent Celebration event click here.

Summer Holidays

The summer holiday break starts early for pupils and students living in Leicester/shire today (July 15) and TMC will send its last eBulletin of this term.

Make sure you're signed-up to receive the latest news, jobs, events and projects for young people.
You can keep up-to-date the latest news and jobs from TMC via our social networks through the summer holidays. Watch out for tips on activities and days out for young people suggested by staff at TMC.

Twitter

Facebook

YouTube

Tommy Code - A short film

Watch Tommy Code (above) - the short film documenting a recent creative practitioner training scheme planned and delivered with young people which demonstrates an innovative approach to collaborating with young people, creative professionals and cultural organisations.

Click here to see the full documentary from our youth engagement project, Propel, with Hub Agency and Pedestrian Arts.