Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts, has teamed up with Dorset Scrapstore and foodbanks in Poole and Bournemouth to offer young people without internet access the opportunity to gain an Arts Award Discover qualification.
Aimed at five- to nine-year-olds Arts Awards Discover is an introductory award, certificated by Trinity College London for which young people collect evidence in an individual arts log of their experiences of participating in arts activities, researching artists and their work, and sharing their arts discoveries.
Creative Engagement Officer Perdie Bargh, who has been working to create Arts Award resources that can be downloaded from the Lighthouse website, was concerned that not every young person has access to the internet. In a meeting with the regional Real Ideas Organisation, it was suggested that Lighthouse could reach out to some of these young people through local foodbanks.
“The brilliant thing about creative activities is that anyone can take part,” says Lighthouse Chief Executive Elspeth McBain.
“Creativity fosters curiosity and encourages children to learn new things. By working with other community organisations we are really pleased we can provide the materials and opportunities to support and inspire creativity for local families.”
Partnering with the Dorset Scrapstore, the arts and crafts recycling charity in Poole, 100 art packs will be available for families at Poole and Bournemouth foodbanks.
Each pack will contain materials to make paper chains, rolled paper beads and other art works that will count towards an Arts Award Discover certificate. Participants follow the instructions in their Logbooks then bring them to Lighthouse which is funding the Arts Award Discover certificates for these young people.
Dorset Scrapstore is a local charity that focuses on providing low-cost art and craft supplies to all.
“We have had to close due to the current lockdown, so we were thrilled to be asked to make up craft packs for children during this time,” says Trustee Carolyn Corr.
The packs contain paper of varying colours and patterns, scissors, a glue stick, wool and a suggestion sheet of how the materials could be used.
“Most of the items have been donated by local industry as unwanted ‘waste’ or ‘scrap’ and we love finding different ways of using them. Watch our Facebook and Instagram pages over the next few weeks, we will be posting suggestions for crafting ideas during lockdown and beyond and are looking forward to welcoming back our customers old and new when we are once again able to reopen.”
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