FOOTFALL

Making tracks in the museum

We are asking for your help in creating a fantastic mobile of your footprints to decorate the museum in Warwick.

In the museum we have quite a few footprints from Warwickshire in ages past… Some are reptile tracks from the Triassic, over 220 million years old, some are footprints made in Roman times by cats, dogs and even stoats who ran over clay tiles as they were drying in the sun, we have leather shoes from mediaeval times and even some footbones of an anglo-saxon woman.

Now we want to record some footprints of our current day visitors. So, we are making a giant mobile of footprints which will hang in our stairwell.

Can you help us by getting as many of your group to decorate the templates attached.

We would like it to be as colourful as possible… so go mad; perhaps you can make tracks with trainers, or your own bare feet, or fill the template with other tiny footprints or swirly colours or anything you like.

We would like people to put their name on the feet too – this means that when you come and see the mobile you will see your name too… your name making tracks in the museum.

We need over 400 people to make the mobile, so the more the merrier.

Please note we will be cutting around your feet templates and laminating each of them – so keep the decoration flat.

If you would like a pack of actual copies and a stamped addressed envelope, please contact me.

Return the completed feet to us at the Market Hall Museum (Warwick, CV34 4SA) by November 17^th.

When the mobile is complete, you will be invited to an opening event …and of course are welcome to come and see it whenever the museum is open.

Thank you for helping out…

Glynis Powell

Community Museums Officer, Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull

01926 418267

glynispowell@warwickshire.gov.uk

foot-fall-poster

foottemplate

In September Warwickshire schools and youth groups visited the “We Were There” exhibition in Leamington. The exhibition explored the involvement of BME communities in the forces….

Some of the young people from Campion were so moved by the exhibiiton they were inspired to write …here is their poem …

I am dual

nationality

I wonder why they don’t understand

I hear those

calling names

I see them

laughing

I want to be accepted

I am able to laugh now

I pretend it never happen

I feel older,

wiser,

and stronger

I worry about their

naivety

I cry no more

I am just an ordinary girl

I understand they were ignorant

I dream about the future

I try to

stand up for others

I hope they understand now

I will be proud

of who I am

I am ME!

 Are you inspired to write a piece of poetry, short story or a lyric … if so send in your poems via comments… we’d love to hear them too so MP3 welcome !

(To make a comment Click on the title box and look at the bottom of the blog … there will be a comments box there for you to fill )

Radio Abbey in action

Radio Abbey – Kenilworth Youth and Community Centre

Ever wanted some where local to showcase young musical talent? Some where to hear fascinating interviews and information/advice programmes where young people are at the heart … look no further Radio Abbey is for you !

Over the past 6 months young people at Kenilworth Youth and Community Centre have been working with youth workers to establish a young people’s radio project.

Radio Abbey will be launching its broadcasts on the web at the end of November with the support of local business Solutions – Squared, and will be able to provide up to date information for young people by young people. Radio Abbey will be totally managed produced and presented by local young people and will offer training for those who would like to get involved. Right now they are looking for exciting events and opportunities to cover on the show  …

Kenilworth centre manager Andy Norman said ….’ At last young people will have a voice about what really matters to them! Not what adults think really matters. Their music, their issues, their life!’

If you have something to Broadcast on Radio Abbey please contact Andy Norman (Centre Manager) on tel; 01926 855205

On the 13th October young people from Lillington Youth Centre, The BHK Project and Stratford College went to see Hoschef Schecter ( of Skins coregraphy fame) perform at Warwick Arts Centre …. I thought it was a fantastic night, I have never seen dance quite like it before and really recommend seeing this show… it is paticularly good for young people as it is familiar but strangely different and challenging at the same time

See below to see example of the “Skins” coreography ….

and now the real hard stuff at Sadlers Wells ….

I think the groups liked it … but I wonder what they really thought ???

If you went to see Hoschef post your commnet NOW!

is a powerful and highly acclaimed DVD that shows the impact of the arts on young people at risk. The film was launched last year by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, with support from Arts Council England.

The DVD has been freely available to anyone with an interest in this vital area of work - and demand has been so high that the first pressing was quickly exhausted. However, the Foundation has commissioned a second pressing, and is once again making the DVD available free of charge for a limited period.

dvd@nrassociates.co.uk

Nick Randell

Regional Youth Arts Officer

Regional Youth Work Unit

Government Office West Midlands

T: 0121 352 5139

M: 07778 795812

E:

nick.randell@gowm.gsi.gov.uk

On the 19th September 2008,  19 arts advisers were created in Warwickshire - they came from all over the county and from variety of different organisations. Over the next 6 months they will be working with young people to help them achieve an arts award  … to find out what they do watch this space

If you are interested in arts award and would like to know more about the Warwickshire pilot contact Clare Mitchell at claremitchell@warwickshire.gov.uk

The truth is…. Boys CAN dance

The truth is…. BOYS CAN DANCE !

Beingfrank Youth is a new and inspiring dance company. They say “We create energetic theatre through a fusion contemporary dance and physical theatre”

Aiming to interact with their audience with breath-taking effect the four young men who make us Beingfrank Youth with WYANs support have successfully applied for a youth opportunity bid that has enabled them to tour their show piece to youth groups and schools in Warwickshire as well as offer some workshops to budding young dancers.

Sound good doesn’t it … but perhaps what is most surprising about being frank youth is that the whole company are under 18 years old and so not only will this work mean that other young men are being encouraged to take up dance but also the dancers ( boys themselves) are learning new skills in fundraising touring , work shopping and business marketing all of which will certainly aid their career development as they move on to bigger and greater things.

Youth arts worker Clare Mitchell said

“It’s a real pleasure to work with such talented young men who have not only a very desire to develop themselves  but also the desire to contribute to the lives of other young people. Imagine what talent they might unearth as they embark on their tour of local youth centres and schools…”

Already the world is staking notice as, with help from their mentor Dave Mckenna (Being frank physical theatre) they took part in the national youth dance showcase in London last year and in February begin a months long tour with Birmingham based dance company ACE dance  in 2009… so watch this space blink and you might have missed them !

The local tour starts in Lillington Youth Centre and ends in Keresley village community centre at the BHK youth project.

For more details contact Clare Mitchell.  Youth arts development worker  01926 74 2486 or www.wyan.org.uk

A reporter for the Birmingham post said “the gymnastic antics of the Being Frank Youth Dance crew blew any stereotyped ideas of lanky, undisciplined sullenness right out of the water. I think I actually gasped out loud at one point; which was a bit embarrassing. It kind of made me wish that I’d done something a bit more worthwhile with my teenage years - like somersaulting around a metal bar rather than hanging around street corners drinking White Lightning.”

The second round for funding applications to the Community Radio Fund in 2008/09 will open on 5 November 2008 and close on 2 December 2008

The Fund has been established to help fund the core costs of running a community radio station. These not-for-profit radio stations have a social purpose, and work to involve their target community in running the service. While some of the activities undertaken by a station such as training, may attract funding more easily than other types of activity, it is recognised that the essential core work involved in running a station is the most difficult for which to find funding. This is what the Community Radio Fund has been set up to provide help for. These core functions might include, for example:

Fundraising to support the station (e.g. grants, commercial funding), management, administration, financial management & reporting, community outreach, volunteer organisation and support

Application form and guidelines: www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/Communityfund/

Deadline: 2 December 2008

deadline: 31 January 2008, 31st August

The Ernest Cook Trust make grants from £500 to £15,000 for educational purposes to organisations which are charitable or not-for-profit. The trustees have chosen to concentrate their assistance on the educational aspects of the arts, crafts through education of young people and research devoted to these areas of work.

www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk

Small organisations could gain a new exemption from rules governing the playing of copyrighted music in public. The Intellectual Property Office is consulting on proposals to change copyright rules and smaller organisations could be exempted from paying the performing rights licence.

 More at www.ipo.gov.uk/press/press-release/press-release-2008/press-release-20080701.htm