Portrait Palace

                                          Display wall at Pop-Up Gallery at Phoenix Square, Leicester

Portrait Palace is the culmination of five month’s work by Year 5 and 6 children from Spinney Hill and Sandfield Close Primary Schools and from Braunstone Frith Junior School.

Inside you will find a dazzling collection of portraits large and small – paintings, drawings, collages and photographs, as well as sculptures in wire and clay.


Come and see who’s there – you might even find yourself – and have a go at making your own piece of artwork too!

                                                     Artwork by young people (Portrait Palace)

The Creative Exchange project offers young people the opportunity to work with a cultural organisation on a real life creative challenge. It will provide an exciting and innovative approach to work experience, allowing schools the opportunity to engage with cultural organisations in a different way. As part of this project 17 schools are working with 10 cultural organisations across Leicester, Derby and Northamptonshire.

 The Mighty Creatives delivers the Creative Exchange project as part of the governments’ flagship creative learning programme, Creative Partnerships.



The programme brings together creative workers such as artists, architects and scientists into schools to work with teachers to inspire young people and to help them learn.

                                                     Artwork by young people (Portrait Palace)

                                                     Artwork by young people (Portrait Palace)

                                                     Artwork by young people (Portrait Palace)

Artwork by young people (Portrait Palace)

If you visit the gallery you'll be invited to create your own portrait using wire and coloured pipe cleaners. Here's the three portraits created by TMC staff during a visit to the gallery:

                                                         Wire faces created by TMC staff

 

There's still time to see the pop-up gallery exhibition!

Public drop-in times:
Friday, June 10 10am - 1pm
Sat/Sun, June 11/12 11am - 4pm
More information

Adventures in Creativity (Lincoln)

Pupils, teachers and VIP guests are being invited to The Mighty Creatives (TMC) summer sharing event on Tuesday, June 14 at Lincolnshire Showground.

The East Midlands children’s charity has organised the ‘Adventures in Creativity’ to help celebrate and share the creative talents of pupils across the county who’ve taken part in a Creative Partnerships project over the last year.

The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lincoln Councillor Kath Brothwell will be attending the event which will see more than 100 young people sharing their creative journeys.


Pupils and staff from the following schools will be joining TMC on the adventure:
- St Christophers School, Lincoln
- Willoughton School, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
- Caistor Yarborough, Market Raeson, Lincolnshire
- Gosberton House School, Spalding, Lincolnshire
- Nettleham C of E Voluntary Aided Junior School, Nettleham, Lincolnshire
- The Horncastle St Lawrence School, Horncastle, Lincolnshire
- Lincoln Birchwood Junior School, Lincoln
- Queen Elizabeth’s High School, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
- The Blouecoats School, Stamford, Lincolnshire


Richard Clark, chief executive of The Mighty Creatives, said, “Our summer events celebrate the vibrant impact creativity makes on the lives of children young people in the East Midlands. Sharing work from the world-leading Creative Partnerships programme, schools will see how creativity has helped children and young people love learning in schools, raising levels of attendance, achievement and ambition.

“As Creative Partnerships draws to a close, these creative lessons provide a valuable route map to promoting a new generation of creative children and young people, ready to take on the world.”

Bourne Westfield Primary School Choir, who achieved the Sing-Up Platinum Award status, will be performing on the day.

The event will be opened by Hasmita Chavda, an inspirational young person who is also a TMC board member.

Hasmita’s bio is available online.

Following this there will be a choice between workshops led by young people showcasing their creative projects and open space discussions about sustaining creativity.


For the full event guide click here.

Adventures in Creativity (Derby)

We're excited to welcome pupils, teachers and VIP guests to the 'Adventures in Creativity' summer sharing event tomorrow (Wednesday, June 8) at Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

‘Adventures in Creativity’ is a chance to celebrate and share the creative talents of pupils across the county who’ve taken part in a Creative Partnerships project over the last year.

 Pupils and teachers from the following schools will be a part of the adventure on the day:
- Calow Primary School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
- Firfield Primary School, Breaston, Derby
- Norbriggs Primary School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
- Allenton Community Primary School, Allenton, Derbyshire
- Town End Junior School, Alfreton, Derbyshire
- Clowne Junior School, Clowne, Derbyshire
- Fairfield Infant and Nursery School, Buxton, Derbyshire
- Model Village Primary School, Sherbrook, Derbyshire
- Wilsthorpe Business and Enterprise College, Derby
- Bennerley Business and Enterprise College, Ilkeston, Derbyshire
- Nottingham Blue Coats School, Nottingham
- Gardendon High School, Loughborough, Leicestershire
- Oakthorpe Primary School, Swadlincote, Derbyshire
- The Nottingham Bluecoat School and Technology, Nottingham


Richard Clark, chief executive of The Mighty Creatives, said, “Our summer events celebrate the vibrant impact creativity makes on the lives of children young people in the East Midlands. Sharing work from the world-leading Creative Partnerships programme, schools will see how creativity has helped children and young people love learning in schools, children’s centres and children’s homes, raising levels of attendance, achievement and ambition.

“As Creative Partnerships draws to a close, these creative lessons provide a valuable route map to promoting a new generation of creative children and young people, ready to take on the world.”

The event will be opened by Hasmita Chavda, an inspirational young person who is also a TMC board member.
Hasmita’s bio is available online.

Following this there will be a choice between workshops led by young people showcasing their creative projects and open space discussions exploring creative learning.

Children and young people will also create an installation from recycled materials to reflect and celebrate their achievements and to imagine a ‘world of endless possibilities’.


For the full event guide click here.

School Creative Project Awarded

Nicola Crook (Education Team Clayfields), Paul Dickens (Care Staff Clayfields), a young person from Clayfields, Anna Soubry MP, and Thirza Smith (Centre Manager Clayfields)

A Secure residential children’s home in Nottinghamshire received a prestigious award at the House of Commons.


Clayfields House won the Kids Count Best Creative Contribution Award for its Creative Partnerships project. Clayfields has worked to support the social and emotional well-being of young people through developing creative learning experiences. By taking risks they utilised the oppressive external walls within their environment as creative catalysts for change.


Young people at the secure children’s home worked in small groups with practitioners and staff to create two murals.


A young person and staff from the centre and a representation from The Mighty Creatives and Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry attended the awards ceremony on Monday, May 23 at the House of Commons.


MP Soubry said, “I visited Clayfields a number of years ago and, more recently, as their MP. I have seen both murals and am not surprised that they have won the award.


“The event was a huge success and this achievement is a great testament to Clayfields’ invaluable and innovative contribution towards rehabilitating troubled teenagers.”


The Mighty Creatives, the young people’s creative development agency for the East Midlands, delivers Creative Partnerships programme in schools across the East Midlands.


The programme brings creative workers such as artists, architects and scientists into schools to work with teachers to inspire young people and to help them learn.


Richard Clark, chief executive of The Mighty Creatives, said, “Finding new ways to inspire young people facing significant challenges requires courage and imagination. Clayfields House has demonstrated how working with artists helps young people define different futures for themselves.


“It was a great privilege to spend time with Clayfields at the ceremony in London and to learn about the impact of their Creative Partnerships project. The language used in their monumental art works looks to a bright future: the Kids Count Award celebrates their achievement and rewards their determination to make a difference to young lives.”


Notes
Clayfields House is a mixed gender secure residential children’s home with 18 places available for children up to the age of 17. It is managed by Nottinghamshire County Council Children, Family and Cultural Services. All young people in the setting have faced significant personal difficulties. The home ethos is that change is always possible.

The Kids Count campaign is to put Children and Young people at the heart of policy making and of the family. For more information visit www.kidscount.org.uk  

ACE news

I am delighted to announce we have been chosen by Arts Council England to be one of 10 strategic partner organisations nationally to help children and young people experience the richness of the arts.

This work will begin on 1st April 2012 and will build on our track record in helping schools build creative learning programmes for children and young people across the East Midlands. We look forward to working with Arts Council England and our partners in the region to continue to build amazing partnerships between arts organisations, children, young people, families and schools.


TMC’s priorities for 2011-12 are to complete our major funded programmes - Creative Partnerships, Ignition and Collaborative Investment. These world-leading programmes have made a significant impact upon young people’s lives in the region – improving attendance in schools, raising young people’s attainment in a wide range of subjects and empowering young people to play a positive role.
We look forward to completing the best year of activity yet, sharing and celebrating the work of the many hundreds of schools, creative practitioners and other partners that have made this work such a success.


At this time of celebration for The Mighty Creatives, we also understand that some artists and arts organisations in the region will be uncertain about their funding futures.
The arts are a fundamental aspect of giving children and young people the very best start in life. Wherever possible, we will play our role to argue for investment in the arts to help all children and young people thrive.

Children and Young People Now Awards Finalist

OK, so we didn’t win…. But the experience of being shortlisted for a Children & Young People’s Now Award was a thrilling one. The Creative Partnerships project “Filling Buckets and Lighting Fires” at Eyres Monsell and Gilmorten Children’s Centre and Saffron Sure Start Centre is an excellent example of how creative collaboration raises expectations and puts new tools in the hands of the adults responsible for helping our children get the very best start in life. As we didn’t win, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the project, and all of those partners responsible for every other Creative Partnerships project we have been associated with. Together, we have had the chance to put creativity at the heart of education and we have proven that it works: surely the better reward?

The most inspiring part of our trip to London was the opportunity to spend time with two parents from the children’s centres, Debs and Jeanette. Both deeply committed to promoting new opportunities for the parents and children on their estate, it was a true privilege to share our moment in the spotlight with them. Deb and Jeanette’s commitment to creative activities with their children was clear and deep – to the extent that they will be introducing parents from neighbouring estates to the ideas they have been developing through their Creative Partnerships project. No better reward, and no better ambassadors for the work we do. Thanks again.

The issue of creativity in the early years takes a profile boost this month with the publication of a new series of essays by Demos: Born creative. The publication makes a number of valuable recommendations and is well worth a read. Let’s hope it proves influential in the forthcoming review of the early years foundation stage conducted by Dame Clare Tickell.

Following the announced closure of the Creative Partnerships programme, it is more important than ever that we give children facing significant challenges the opportunities to thrive. Thanks to former TMCer Adam Clarke for sharing the following illustration of Ken Robinson’s arguments for creative change in education. Worth 11 minutes and 40 seconds of any one’s time:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

A flourishing space…

Arts Council England will shortly publish its 10 year strategy. There will then be a flurry of briefings as they set out their funding and partnership programmes to continue to extend access to the arts. The next few days will therefore be of serious interest to those with a priority concern about children and young people.

Our goal in TMC is to make sure that the social and economic significance of children’s creativity, as explored through programmes like Creative Partnerships and Find Your Talent, is fully understood and valued. This will involve working with our many partners to better understand how the removal of funding from these programmes affects young people in the region and the many adults that inspire them. It will also involve setting out a bold development agenda for the future, based on the broadest possible body of support and mutual ambition. The key challenge will be how we can connect children and young people’s needs and aspirations with the resources that are required to put their ideas into action. I remain confident that this is possible - but it will require hard work and innovative thinking.

Last week, I travelled to Brussels with our team of directors to gain a better understanding of European policy pertaining to young people and culture. The message we have brought back is a simple one: young people’s creativity and capacity for innovation is at the heart of European social and economic recovery. Whether this is articulated through Europe 2020 (the EU’s economic development strategy), the Council of the European Union’s declaration on ‘promoting a creative generation’, or the recently published research report Youth Access to Culture (a cracking good read if you fancy it: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/news/news1788_en.htm itself likely to form the basis of a second Council declaration on this important theme.

During our time in Brussels, concern was expressed that the UK - seen as a pre-eminent leader in this field - might slip back due to the spending cuts. Whilst there is a risk, our ambition in TMC is to make sure this is not the case, joining with our partners to ensure we retain a focus on what works (investing in children and young people’s creativity); and how it should work (starting from a perspective of what young people are capable of, not what’s missing; involving young people in the development of policy, the design, delivery and evaluation of new programmes).

Speaking at the recent launch of the Culture Action Europe campaign We are more, President Barosso said: ''in challenging times such as these, creative thinking is more essential than ever. We must provide a flourishing space where culture can unlock creativity in each of us'' http://ec.europa.eu/culture/news/news2995_en.htm We couldn’t agree more.