in the thick of it!

Despite the understandable doom and gloom surrounding us on all sides (funding cuts, redundancies, uncertain future, closure of services, etc.) we're currently so engulfed in a whirlwind of work that we're managing to not let the gloom get to us TOO much!  Hurray!

What are Frilly working on at the moment?

1. CFWO carries on until the end of March.  As part of this, we're supporting the planning of a number of events and also developing some youth 'panels' (for want of a better description) to lead on the project management within those events
2. We're deep into two PiCL (Creative Partnerships) projects in Stoke.  As mentioned earlier, they revolve around the transformation of 'creative learning enironments' indoors and outdoors.  We've been photographing our progress throughout, so will inevitably do a gigantic photo-filled blog once they are ready to be unveiled!  (As a small hint - the work so far could not have happened if it weren't for the amazingness of SCARF in Wolverhampton - their recycled materials and amazingly knowledgeable and helpful staff are an asset to the REGION - particularly now that most other scrap stores have closed down!)
3. We're about to start our third PiCL project - this time focusing on using digital tools to enhance learning in an SEN school in Stoke.  This will be particularly challenging given the extraordinarily diverse needs and abilities of the young people in the school.  The staff have been overwhelmingly supportive and keen though, so we're very excited about the project!  It's likely to involve some stop frame animation as a tool to explore Macbeth - but we're still ironing out some of the finer details!
4. Last - but by no means least - we're soon to begin work on our first Telford & Shropshire project!  Yes, Frilly can roam the country for ANY project!  We're going to be working closely with two sets of young people - one from each area - on a visual arts project called "Watch this Space" which they will shape and lead, and will be linked to Arts Award at Bronze level.  I'm extremely excited to finally be running with an Arts Award project!  And am even more excited that as part of the project, we're going on a weekend retreat to Wales where we will devise a weekend's worth of creative instigations to get the young people busily making and doing.

In addition to these projects which are filling every moment of every day, we're also attempting to raise our heads up (with strategic hats on) to get better at forward planning and staying on top of the various political agendas which are impacting upon the arts and cultural climate of the region.  As part of this, we're really pleased to be involved in the beginnings of a possible West Midlands branch/development/coalition/collective/networking group/other misc descriptor of EMPAF (likely to be referred to as 'WMPAF', although I can't say I'm hugely keen on that name as it makes me think of wombs) (not that there's anything wrong with wombs, mind..!).  The first structured meeting has taken place, and was very well attended by passionate and informed people - so I feel positive about the direction this could take!

So that this post isn't just a fairly rambling to-do list, I'll finish now with a quick pic taken after the  "We ♥ Wolverhampton" workshop - it's my house according to Google Map's Streetview (although we haven't had a gravel drive for a longlong time..) traced using carbon paper, and painted with watercolours.  I love playing with line and colour.

upcoming workshop!

'Carbon View' (Kirsty loves her play on words.. and was GUTTED she didn't think of 'Carbon Footsteps' before committing to this!) is a workshop we'll be running in half term for Wolverhampton Arts & Museums Service to support their week of "We ♥ Wolverhampton" workshops.  Throughout the half-term period, each day there will be different free creative workshops at City 10 (Queens Square, Wolverhampton) including badge making and t-shirt printing and here are details about what we'll be doing:

23 Feb 11.30am - 3.30pm
Join 'Frilly' in this interactive digital and creative workshop. Find your house on Google's Maps with Street View, then using drawing, printing and tagging methods, pinpoint it on a wider map of Wolverhampton.

Free, drop-in.

creative learning environments - more thoughts

OKAY!  So we're planning a school trip to go and see the amazing Len Lye exhibition at the Ikon in January.  It features a range of his work, but of particular interest to us are his kinetic sculptures, and the direct link to an idea one of the Y7 children came up with that he wants featured in his outdoor learning space:

sticks on metal

That was without us even mentioning the existence of Mr Lye.  We hope at least one person from the class will be clapping their hands in glee when they get to experience these giant noise machines in real life!

This then led me back to thinking about CLEs. 

What can they be?  What are they made of?  Who constructs them?  Who takes ownership?  How long do they exist for?  How sturdy must they be?  Must they be 3D?

The Ikon have a history of working in very interesting ways, and whilst finding out more about the Lye exhibition, we stumbled upon a past example of them working with a nursery in Birmingham to explore their environment.  The Brearley Project was a wide partnership between nursery staff, parents, children, Ikon gallery staff and artists to explore together the children's interactions with their environment enhanced and challenged through artist interventions on site.  Inspired by the work of John Wood and Paul Harrison, and also Giuseppe Penone the children were invited to explore materials and processes similar to those used by the artists.  Gallery and nursery staff were able to observe the childrens interactions within the gallery and back in the nursery to find out how these different environments affected their explorations and engagement.  The project continued further with German artist Jurgen Partenheimer working with children and staff of Brearley in their setting exploring their environment in even greater depth.

Whilst the link above takes you to examples of Partenheimers interventions, I found the pamphlet published at the time of the project much more inspiring and insightful.  Images of children in a 'white cube' space given large plain cardboard boxes to explore, and large scale projections to interact with.  The environment kept as minimalistic as possible, yet clearly the images show children with curious faces and excited eyes.  Staff were quoted as saying:

Interactions with the artist, the materials and the space allowed us to 'glimpse' aspects of the children's thinking which were previously unrevealed. 

Is the ultimate CLE an empty room with some basic 'tools' (clusters of pencils, masking tape, plain paper, boxes etc) dotted around the perimeter? 

If we suggested this to a school, how would it be received?  It's not pushing the boundaries of technology or science - but clearly it's an approach that works - but is so often forgotten or unable to happen in settings which are already bursting at the seams with equipment and work and belongings. 

Would staff feel untethered or adrift in such a non-prescriptive space?  Would a space as empty as this challenge staff more than children?