2014 IN PICTURES

In time-honoured fashion we thought we'd wrap up the year with a glance back at some of the highlights. Thanks to everyone who's helped fill 2014 with inspiring creativity and magical moments, and in particular to the artists who've delivered this year's work with huge skill and care - the name-checks come nowhere close to giving you the credit you're due.

January: Arts skills training with staff at Kirkheaton Primary. Back
in class teachers applied their newly acquired techniques and ideas
to the term's Outer Space topic, supported by Fiona Goodwin.



February: Mill Lane Primary's Families project gets into its stride.
For six months, every Wednesday, James Allott and Christina
Holdsworth created a space that hummed with conversations,
laughter, pride, and kids and parents enjoying learning together.

March: The launch of Cornerstones on Poppy Road in St Mary's,
Oldham. Thanks Impossible Theatre for getting things off to an
attention-grabbing and memorable start with LightWeight.

April: East Island detail - part of the 'archipelago' created by Year 4
at Pinders Primary during a project focused on developing team-
work and social skills. North, South, East & West groups designed
their imaginary islands under the expert guidance of Mary Robson.



 



May: Cornerstones workshops on a Maps and Symbols theme got
into full swing. Lucy Bergman's sculptural bookmaking was just one
of many activities with St Mary's residents over the summer.

June: A proud moment for these parents, showing children and staff
their ideas for artworks for the Early Years Unit entrance at Christ
Church Academy. Bronwyn Morris and Jan Yates later turned the
designs into permanent pieces for fencing, walls and windows.



July: Luggage for Life transition projects wrapped up in three
Wakefield primaries.  Supporting 'vulnerable' Year 6 children to
cope well with change is the focus of our Risk and Resilience work
for the Council's Public Health team, led by Mary Robson. 










August: A privilege once again to co-ordinate the Change Project
in Batley, on behalf of Mosaic Community Arts and the Batley &
Birstall Schools Partnership. This year's exhibition definitely the
best yet - as we say every year!

September: A project to support secondary school students who
had recently experienced close bereavement created a safe space
for conversations, ably facilitated by Incy Wood and Sarah Jackson.

October: The Cornerstones finale. Fantastic to bring nine months'
hard work by Adam Strickson, Dan Jones and Lucy Bergman to a
close with an evening of celebration, procession and performance,
and to see the five newly installed carved boulders - beautifully lit
by Impossible Theatre - being appreciated and enjoyed.

 

November: New Social & Emotional Health projects underway in
Wakefield, focused on confidence-building and preparing for
transition. Conversations about Friendship, and other activities to
develop a shared emotional vocabulary, are an important part of 
the ground-laying work in the early sessions.

December: Such concentration and focus! Starting with mark-
making experiments, Year 8 and 9 students at Salendine Nook High
got totally engrossed in developing their self-portraits and achieved
great results in a few short sessions, thanks to careful, caring work
on self-identity and self-esteem done by Incy W and Sarah J.