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Community
Arts Workshops
Newcastle Evening Chronicle
9th April 2007
School pupils on Tyneside have been using Aboriginal art as inspiration to achieve
in class.
Thirty boys and girls have been working with community artist Eddie Galvin as part
of a set of challenges organised by Blue Venture, the education business partnership for South Tyneside.
The idea behind the Target 20 project is to raise pupils' confidence and self-esteem
and increase their motivation to achieve.
The Aboriginal art session tapped into Mr Galvin's expertise, as he guided the students
to produce individual contributions to a mural which will go on display.
"The art sessions allow us to start from a creative base and because this kind of
art encourages personal interpretation, it gives the youngsters a chance to express themselves in a positive way," said Blue
Venture's project manager Keith Newman.
The Aboriginal art and history experience is just the beginning of a six-month personal
development and team building initiative for the youngsters, who are from schools in South Tyneside.
Using mentors from North East businesses, the pupils are working in teams to meet
20 target activities on an online jigsaw.
Each pupil received a "passport" at the start, as a record of
their achievements. The completion of their objectives is matched by a scheme where the youngsters can earn gift tokens, event
tickets or an iPOD.
I was recently invited to BBC Radio Newcastle to talk about community arts,
Newbigin Arts Forum & how NE Arts came about. If you want to know more about this, please contact me.
We recently were involved with a highly successful event for East Ashington
Development Trust. Over the course of the weekend we provided an opportunity for peopleof all ages to take part in aboriginal
& pop art workshops which were very popular. We received excellent local press coverage of the event.
Pictures from an Aboriginal Art Workshop with pupils from Benet Biscop School
Bedlington
Pupils take art
from looking down under
By Leah Shaw
Education reporter
SOUTH Tyneside students have been inspired by Aboriginal art.
The youngsters from The Alternative Education Service – based at the Cleadon Park Centre in South
Shields – have been gaining greater educational achievement from the personal development project.
Thirty boys
and girls have been working with community artist Eddie Galvin as part of a set of challenges organised by Blue Venture, the
education business partnership for South Tyneside.
Blue Venture project manager Keith Newman said: "The art sessions
allow us to start from a creative base, and because this kind of art encourages personal interpretation, it gives the youngsters
a chance to express themselves in a positive way.
"Art is a fantastic way to bring out hidden talents,
encourage
free expression and interpretation, and of course in this case, learn about Australian and Aboriginal history and culture."
The
Aboriginal art and history experience is just the beginning of a six-month personal development and team-building initiative
for the youngsters.
Mr Newman added: "The indications are that school work and attendance improves when these youngsters
are given responsibilities within this type of challenge.
"Their confidence grows and their outlook on life is more
positive as a result."
The Blue Venture education business partnership brings schools and industry together in and
around South Tyneside, involving employers in projects, raising achievement and developing an enterprising edge to the school
curriculum.
Business involvement helps young people develop employability skills and introduces them to careers they
might never have considered.
" Hi Eddie,
Tina and
I really enjoyed yesterday and so did the children and parents at Seaton delaval 1st School. I really appreciated both the
art workshops you ran and the amount effort you put in to the day; above and beyond (almost literally!) anything we expected.
The enthusiasm
you were able to generate in both the children and adults present was a great help in our being able to get our message across
in a very positive manner."
Mark Tait
Children's Information Service and Marketing
Assistant
Sure Start Northumberland Childcare and Early Years Education Team
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