Guided by a lead artist and youth board member from cultural education charity The Mighty Creatives during the sessions, the youngsters discovered how to connect painting with movement, and how to express their hopes and dreams with illustrations.
Year 2 children from Whitemoor Academy were encouraged to explore different ways of mixing paint and crushing chalk, while pupils from Southwark Primary School got to reflect on themselves and their future by drawing book covers and bookmarks for a ‘book of me’.
Kaya Percival-Walton, teacher at Southwark Primary School said
“It was just lovely to let the children have a whole day where they celebrated who they were, and for them to think about what dreams and wishes they would like to have in their lives.”
Tracy Mumford, teacher at Whitemoor Academy added
“It was great to see the children having fun, being confident. Exploring different ways they are able to use art to express themselves.”
The striking and colourful artwork will be showcased at The Mighty Creatives Without Walls event this Autumn – an immersive and interactive exhibition based on five social topics that matter to children and young people in the East Midlands.
Emily York, Youth Programme Manager at The Mighty Creatives said
“We had two very exciting and collaborative workshops at Whitemoor Academy and Southwark Primary School, and were thrilled with how well the children at both schools engaged with the activities. They came up with some amazing creative ideas.
“The sessions were part of a series of classes we are running at schools across the region in preparation for our five-day Without Walls exhibition in three months’ time.
“The collages they designed will be used to make wallpaper, the paper suits they painted will be on show in the wardrobe at the exhibition, and the books will be on the shelves too.
“These workshops are about giving young people a chance to change and shape the future through art, culture and creative voice.”
One pupil during the session at Whitemoor Academy said: “I wasn’t just painting, I was the painting”, and another added: “You can be anything with art”.
Without Walls will take place from Monday 19th September to Friday 23rd September at Leicester’s brand-new community space Beta-X. The five themes will include Equality & Diversity, Arts in Education, Environmental Responsibility, Mental Health, and Employment & Training Pathways.
