A month of weeks
Deincourt Community School
Big Arts Week was a big success at Deincourt this year. They are a small school of approximately 400 pupils and located in an ex-mining area, so it can be a challenge. Despite not being allocated an artist, they went ahead and managed to find eight local ones of their own who gave free time, or travlled free. Ascendance Dance Company from Leeds put on a superb performance and Martin Wright volunteered to be the artist in residence. There were also literacy projects with Steve Bowkett, Caroline Pitcher and Gerard Flanagan, Dance workshops with Imogen Buxton, African Drunning sessions with Steve Rivers and Julie Latham and a mask and physical theatre performance from Tony Middleton and Anna. All of these events and the school's own events took place during June, creating a packed timetable of events for the children and teachers alike. Margery Watts of the school organised the activities, taking time out of her normal duties to ensure the children had a great time and enjoyed being creative.

Broad Field
Lizi Botham and Broadfields Infant And Nursery School
Lizi used an Antony Gormley inspired idea for this project, based on his ‘Field’ pieces. Every child in the school made a clay model of themselves in a classroom that has been converted into a pottery studio. All the models were then laid out in the shape of the floor plan of the school to represent the community feel of the school. There were 260 children (aged 3-7) taking part as well as teachers and helpers, all keen to get covered in clay. On the last day the older children had a chance to have a go on the pottery wheel. As a special treat for one class, their workshop was visited by Antony as he wanted to see how his art had inspired others. He chatted with each child and thoroughly enjoyed his Field trip.

Mint Source
Sonya Dawn Flewitt and Ysgol Casmael
This idea was for Sonya to work with pupils between the ages of 4-11 at two schools in West Wales, to produce an abundance of hand crafted commemorative metal coins. The motifs for these coins was based on the local history and culture of Johnson, Haverfordwest and Casmael, particularly the unique currency of the old Drovers who came from this rural heartland of Pembrokeshire. Recycled aluminium and tin cans collected by pupils, staff, families and the local communities, formed the raw material and this was melted and the liquid metal was poured into sand moulds. The design for the moulds and the hand press's required for the imprint were designed and produced by the children. Sonya poured the molten metal in view of the pupils who, while supervised, watched the process from a safe distance. Sonya felt a project such as this offered the children an insight into the creative possibilities and value of sustainability. The reason Sonya volunteered to be part of The Big Arts Week's exciting event was not only to engage and inspire young people through sculpture but also, by focusing on certain aspects of her own work, furthering her creative and professional development. She feels that the event is a truly valuable treasure trove of creativity that offers a wealth of artistic experience not only for the young people but for an artist too.





Alphabetical list of schools with projects...
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