Young Arts aims to inspire young people with a lasting enthusiasm for the arts either through Young Arts groups (for 8-18 year olds which are affiliated to member societies) or a Young Arts project.
Projects cover a wide range of activities and may benefit individuals (such as by bursary) or by supporting school groups eg funding visits to galleries and museums, purchasing special equipment or funding ‘Artists in Residence’.
CURRENT PROJECTS
The committee is in the process of investigating and discussing local projects involving young people before deciding on a ‘Young Arts’ programme to support during 2011-2012.
COMPLETED PROJECTS
2010-11 - Following our involvement with the SHED project in 2009, we supported a similar programme aimed at 16 to 25 year olds who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) and who were based in Ladywood. This Arts Award training programme is run by Performances Birmingham Limited, and allows young people with limited life-opportunities to access facilities, learn new skills, gain a qualification and meet others in a safe, creative and constructive environment. The training took place over four months and included a THSH outreach session in the Ladywood constituency, with THSH artists working directly with the young people in their community groups, plus a programme of 18 sessions in the Patrick Music & Multimedia Studio at Symphony Hall including a drop-in session for independent work. There was also the opportunity to attend a Master Class following the Arts Award training programme.
2010-11 - In the summer of 2010 BDFAS was delighted to support the Dance Track programme of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Our contribution will sponsor one child for one year through the full Dance Track programme. The initiative, started in 1997, was set up to provide opportunities to children who showed a talent for dance. The aim is to provide high quality dance training, to nurture talent and to promote an understanding and a love of dance. Dance Track works with 33 schools across Birmingham and in 2010 delivered over 100 workshops across the north and south of the city, working with more than 2000 young children. Some students are offered places at the pre-vocational programme at Elmhurst and on the Royal Ballet’s Junior Associates programme.
2009 – BDFAS supported the ‘SHED’ project, an after-school club where where 11-16 year olds can learn skills in creative multi-media. ‘SHED’ reaches young people who would not normally have the opportunity to access such facilities and, for example, there is currently an initiative to boost the number of young people accessing the programme from the Ladywood area, which is recognised as one of the most deprived areas in Britain.
Young people from the SHED documenting a project called Bollywood Steps, part of Birmingham Town Hall’s 175th anniversary celebrations
A flagship project of the Town Hall and Symphony Hall’s participatory youth programme, the SHED project takes place in the Patrick MusicTech Studio, a high-tech, multi-media facility where a wide range of creative musical and artistic activities can be taught. The equipment available includes a suite of eleven iMac computers and a range of additional digital technologies such as still and video cameras, portable sound recorders and relevant software programmes. The studio has evolved to offer diverse creative activities to participants of all ages and backgrounds from Birmingham and the West Midlands. These activities include music composition and recording, photography and film projects, 2D and 3D animation work, story telling and audio book production.
The resources also include specialist technology which allows children and young people with special needs to engage in creative activities using devices which ensure equality of access.
2008-09 - BDFAS sponsored two internees to work on a programme to promote young art to the wider community, one of whom completed her term in March and the other started in February. The post-graduates in History of Art spent six months working for three days a week at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. They gained experience in the marketing, education and curatorial departments. This sponsorship offered a rare opportunity outside London, thus helping to keep talent in Birmingham and benefitting the local community.
NADFAS was so impressed with this venture that they have pledged funds from the Patricia Fay Foundation in order to support another two internees at the Barber Institute in 2009-10.
Professor Ann Sumner, Director of the Barber Institute (far right) and Stephanie Faroqui, Chairman of Birmingham DFAS (second from left) presented a certificate to the internees sponsored by BDFAS.
February 2007 - working with Benson Community Primary School, Hockley during their Art Week in which we helped to create ‘Benson Gallery’ at the school.
Benson Community Primary School
2007 – cooperation between the various NADFAS societies within the West Midlands area led to financial support being offered to Swinfen Hall Young Offenders Institution near Lichfield. Eight young men designed and produced large mosaics on the theme of ‘Freedom’, a subject chosen by them. The completed work was exhibited in Lichfield Cathedral as part of Prison Week in November 2007.