News
Artists in residence bounce into schools
14 Oct 2010
Bounce Theatre is delighted to announce a new programme of work for schools - Residencies project
The residencies provide a unique opportunity for Bounce to work intensively with a group of young people. The Company are able to place drama practitioners, writers, dancers, poets and visual artists in schools.
Residencies are offered at primary and secondary level. We can provide artists for the school day or after school hours. We have a strong commitment to participatory work and where appropriate are able to link schools to community groups in their local area, increasing children's learning experiences and supporting schools with their community cohesion policy.
The residency projects are completely bespoke to each school. They can focus on curricular issues - such as encouraging children to write creatively. They may also link the school to their local community, as in the case of Beavers Primary School. In January 2010, Bounce began Arts Projects for Everyone , following a commission from the Arts Council. Within this project artists worked with a range of participants from 10 months old to over 80. In particular, they focused on bringing children from Beavers Primary to a set of intergenerational workshops with elderly members of their community. Children were able to interview residents about their memories of WW2, as they were reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe . As the children are now in Year 6 they are using a lot of the information given to them from the workshops for their studies. The school are also working with the elder residents to create opportunities for an on-going relationship, with a range of projects planned from ICT classes to intergenerational workshops.
Community teacher, Simone Morgan says of the experience "The projects have helped us develop community cohesion and intergenerational links whilst also enabling children and adults to acquire new skills and build confidence. Beavers school is in an area of deprivation where cramped housing, noise pollution and financial issues can easily to lead to domestic violence and mental health issues. The vibrant activities led by Bounce Theatre have not only increased community engagement and strengthened links with our community partners, but have enabled participants to widen their horizons, promote wellbeing and provide opportunities for them to venture into new and exciting projects. Thank you."
For more information on a Bounce Residency project, please visit http://www.bouncetheatre.com/learning, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 02084081124.
I have improved my mime.