An exciting opportunity

Hi folks
I received this very exciting email from Steve Moffitt at A New Direction this afternoon. I thought I'd share it with you in advance of our meeting to see if you'd like to be involved:

Dear Jon,

Hi there - I hope you are well and things at Tallis are going from strength to strength.

I am writing to see if we could work with a small group of young people from Thomas Tallis as part of A New Direction’s launch event “Inspired by London” at Delfina on November 16. (www.thedelfina.co.uk/events_private_parties).

We would like to involve a small group (5 - 10 students) to work with Visual Artist Clare Burnett on the realisation of a 3 dimensional model of the London skyline. The idea would be the students would meet with Clare briefly at school to plan and discuss their ideas and then work with her on site at the venue on Monday 16 to construct the sculpture/ model. The materials will be wood (batons) and the large scale piece will be completed at 7pm as part of the event. Ideally it will be quite abstract, self supporting and in some way represents buildings from the London skyline. My initial thoughts are that it is quite skeletal, quite large and can be lit to create shadows projected on to a wall.

If you are up for this and you feel there is a particular group of young people (or individuals) who would benefit from this (or dare I say it even enjoy it) and could be released as a part of school time to participate I am happy to go with either gifted and talented students, visual arts students, keen young people - from whatever year group you felt was appropriate.

This piece would effectively be representing the Creative Partnerships programme. The aim of the event is to position A New Direction as more than an organisation that delivers the Creative Partnerships programme with people who know us (and a small group of targeted individuals who we feel would benefit from getting to know us). The plan is for the first hour the audience will come into an event with a number of activities happening that they can observe, engage with and participate in. These would be:

· Creative Partnerships: An artist working with a group of young people on building a 3 dimensional model of the London skyline. This would represent the Creative Partnerships programme.
· Dance piece on the theme of London: commissioned from participants from Connecting Vibes this piece has been created as part of the IRIE and City and Islington College Dance Foundation degree
· IPC Media Schools Design Programme: An exhibition of work from this year’s programme and small group of students working with an Art Editor from IPC designing something for the event http://www.anewdirection.org.uk/ipcmedia
· Story of Stratford - Westfield: A group of pupils from Colegrave Primary School working with Artist Helen Marshall on photographing the model of the Stratford City development and filming an interview with John Burton, Director of Stratford City, Westfield Shopping Towns Ltd. There will be an exhibition of work created. www.storyofstratford.com
· Launch of IN London: we will launch our new Interactive Network with 70 schools who will be attending the event. The network will be aimed at schools across London not currently involved in the Creative Partnerships programme. To promote and advocate for creative teaching and learning by providing opportunities to share practice, develop thinking and skills and link with other interested schools across the capital.
· London 2102 Olympic and Paralympic Games: The Welcoming the World Exhibition (a project we delivered with 19 schools and LOCOG) a set of Olympic resources to give away (including the Raising the Game report, TAG; Jane Buckler’s short story and the Olympic Literacy Resource) and a small group of young people getting people to fill in the Olympic rings we used for Raising the Game and then hanging them on nets
· International: London to Beijing - showing of the CANDI film on a large screen with head phones of your visit to Beijing last year.

At 7pm there will be a series of short speeches and then some music.

We would cover any costs for the students (lunches and travel etc) and the costs of an LSA (or cover costs for a member of staff) and make sure they get home safely etc. If you would like the finished sculpture for the new young person arts space on the Ferrier let me know we can get it driven down to Greenwich.

What do you think? Let me know when you can.

-- Posted from my iPhone