Thanks to Cheryl for sending though news of this great art and youth initiative. Ed
Quay Arts are part of a ground-breaking national programme on the Isle of Wight.
The enquire programme is the largest systematic review in England to focus on how children and young people can learn through galleries, contemporary art and with artists. On the Isle of Wight, Quay Arts was one of the the participating organisations.
Backed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), the programme was managed by engage the National Association for Gallery Education, in association with Arts Council England.
Across England, 124 schools, 40 galleries and 7 universities and HE institutions collaborated in the research. In total, more than 7,000 young people took part in a huge range of projects.
The enquire report, launched in November 2008, contains a wealth of research evidence, about what inspires young people to learn about art, and how their cultural understanding and confidence develops through work in galleries.
Artists are one of the largest professional groups working with our schools, and enquire has helped to establish long-term partnerships throughout the country through which they can develop the skills to work in this growing, but challenging, field.
The research reveals how artists, working alongside teachers, can bring a unique approach and style of engagement with young people.
Karen Sunderland, Medina High School Arts Manager, comments:
‘Enquire 3 has offered the students of Medina another experience that supports and enhances their existing curriculum. Our students have benefited form new ways of ‘seeing’ in addition to working with Artists who have introduced them to a variety of processes and skills/techniques. Working within the gallery space at the Quay removes them from the security of the classroom and places them within a new working environment where the only distraction is the inspiration within the space. It is a joy to see the students interacting in such a positive and exciting way.’
Case Study
Quay Arts and Medina High School organised an intensive 3-day workshop at Quay Arts which gave 22 A-level students the chance to work within an inspiring arts space and the chance to explore new mediums and ways of working.
Workshops took place between Mon 24, 25 & 26th November and were inspired by current Michael West exhibitor, Thomas Hick’s ‘Dark City, Lonely Circus’. Students were tutored by three professional Island artists, Sallie Kneebone, Christopher Jenkins (pictured) and Tim Johnson, as part of the national Enquire programme.
The workshops were devised to remove the students from their comfort zone and place them in a creative environment; providing them with the chance to focus, to inspire and to stretch them artistically.
They were introduced to new materials and different ways of working; giving them the time to think ideas through and the opportunity to share their thoughts with one another without pressure. They were given the chance to visit a high calibre exhibition and express their ideas
The group was split into two smaller groups and each group attended three morning or three afternoon sessions. Sallie Kneebone conducted the first workshop in the Michael West Gallery with students’ interpretation of Thomas Hick’s exhibition expressed through creating an artist’s book. The second was tutored by Christopher Jenkins who encouraged students to stamp their individuality and their reaction to the Thomas Hicks exhibition onto blank masks. Tim Johnson’s workshop on day three was conducted in the Anthony Minghella Theatre where he encouraged students to work as a team to and develop a storyline using stick painting using water-based black paint.
Students found it challenging, enjoyable and interesting. Some of their comments follow:
‘I found it hard to finish the book work especially in the style of another artist, it was quite interesting and working like this is not in my usual style. I really liked working in the Michael West Gallery; not lots of clutter around to overpower my mind, no distractions like we have in our art room at Medina High, ‘ said A-Level Medina High School student, Caty Macaulay, 16.
Another noted,
‘It was really fun to be surrounded by everything with nothing to distract me from my work. We worked in different spaces including the gallery and the theatre. Thought the classes were quite nice but had to think about it more when I worked in the theatre as I wasn’t surrounded by Thomas’s work.’ Katie Denham, Year 12 student at Medina High School, 16.
Verity Godwin, 16 Medina High School student:
‘Being surrounded by art makes you realise this is where people come to exhibit their work. It is interesting to see how to get into the business and makes you want to do it yourself. We work in a different style. This is quite abstract compared to what I usually study and its an artist we can meet rather than someone really famous.’
