Young Cultural Creators

Young Cultural Creators is an exciting new project to connect school children with the wealth of inspiration on offer at libraries, galleries and museums.

It is a national initiative, led locally by Torbay Library Services, that has already been hugely successful in London in switching teenagers' enthusiasm from Game Boys to Gainsborough, and from Pop Idol to Poetry.

Funding from the South West Museums Libraries and Archives Council enabled Torbay Library Services to work with local partners, particularly museums, and saw young people visiting local heritage sites, museums and libraries to inspire them in their own creative and artistic efforts. By involving professional artists and writers in workshop sessions with the children, Young Cultural Creators aims to enhance their opportunities for personal, academic and social development.

Young People from Eden Park Junior, Roselands Primary, Curledge Street Primary, Foxhole Junior and Upton St James C of E schools met with children's authors, local artists and musicians to explore Torbay's unique culture.

Aims of the Project

1. To inspire young peoples reading and creativity
2. To open up the use of libraries, museums & archives by young people and their families
3. To develop the skills & awareness of the professionals taking part
   

Sense of Place - where we explored during the project

Local Libraries for:

• Books and further reading
• Torbytes
• Local history resources
• John Lee Webquest

Torre Abbey - creative writing, poetry, drama and art workshops, concentrating on paintings in the Abbey and exploring the stories behind them

Paignton Zoo - creative writing and art   workshops, using the zoo and library books and Blake's "Tyger Tyger" for inspiration. Artefacts also supplied by Torquay Museum

Brixham Museum - creative writing, art workshops and shadow puppets all using the inspiration of maritime, and other artefacts, at Brixham Museum

Brixham Harbour - "The Leader" and Brixham Harbour provided the inspirational setting for creative writing workshops and sea shanties led by the Wren Trust

How we celebrated the project and the work created

Torbay Poetry Festival - reading of work created by the young people involved in the project

DVD of the project - filmed edited and produced by students at South Devon College

Celebration Afternoon - Held at Eden Park Junior School and attended by the Mayor of Torbay

"The Book" - examples of activities and work created:

• On CD-ROM (and on the web) - a "virtual" copy of the book is available online.
• In Hard copy - copies distributed to participants and partners - you can borrow a copy from any Torbay Library!

What Next?

• Watch out for a display of the project which will tour round the bay!
• A report, with evaluation using the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council's Inspiring Learning for All will be available shortly

Related Documents

Young Cultural Creators Book

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