This October Half-term the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, will be celebrating The Big Draw and A History of the World. There will be artist-led workshops for children and young people on Wednesday 27 October, Thursday 28 October (fully booked) and Friday 29 October. There will also be free family drop-in activities as part of the Centre’s Object of the Holiday series from Tuesday 26 – Sunday 31 October, 11am – 4pm each day. This holiday the Sainsbury Centre will be focussing on a dramatic royal dance mask, which will form the starting point for talking about the Centre’s work with refugees from the Congo who are building a new life in Norwich.

“We are delighted to be celebrating both The Big Draw and A History of the World this October with three superb pre-bookable artist-led workshops and free drop-in activities. This season’s object is a dance mask made by the Kuba peoples from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the objects from our permanent collection which we are using as a way of talking to refugees from this troubled region who have come to Norwich as part of the United Nations Gateway programme ” – Veronica Sekules, Head of Education and Research.

There will be lots of free things to enjoy as part of Object of the Holiday. This autumn, the dramatic royal dance mask from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the focus of activities which will celebrate A History of the World. Families will be able to spend the day at the Centre and enjoy a host of things on offer. These will include an activity table (kindly sponsored by The Hewett School) where children can make their own headdress or mask and decorate them with patterns they find on objects in the collections (Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm) and a fun-packed activity booklet. The booklet, designed by artist Sarah Florence-Nash with support from the Centre’s guides, includes facts about the dance mask, lots of drawing activities and things to do at home.

A History of the World, is a BBC and British Museum partnership project with museums across the country, which uses museum objects to tell local and global stories in new ways with internet, television and radio. BBC Radio Norfolk will be broadcasting live from the Centre on Tuesday 26 October from 11am.

The dance mask and Alaskan antler comb (the focus of the February Half-term holiday 2010) from the Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection have been selected to tell the history of Norfolk and its place in the world. The mask is one of the objects from the permanent collection that the Centre is using as a way of talking to the refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who have come to Norwich as part of the United Nations Gateway programme. The Centre has been working with the refugees as part of a Museums Libraries Archive (MLA) project for two years, helping them adjust to life in the UK and involving them in the wider community at public events and in school workshops.

The dance mask is made from wood, raffia cloth and beads obtained through trading. Its geometric designs were used by the Kuba in their weaving. The mask represents the Royal female ancestor of the Kuba, yet her dances could only be performed by men at ceremonies and festivals.

In addition to the free drop-in activities, the Sainsbury Centre will also be offering three pre-bookable artist-led workshops for different age groups to celebrate The Big Draw (note Draw, Morph Animate! on Thursday 28 October is fully booked).

There are still tickets for available for this autumn’s ArtXTra, Surreal Worlds, for young people aged 13 – 15 years on Wednesday 27 October. The workshop links to the autumn exhibition, Surreal Friends. Youngsters will spend the day with artist Many Roberts and will transform the studio into their own utopian world. They will develop their drawing skills and creative ideas, and design their own large-scale surreal dream space or cityscape that will fill the walls. They will also be able to experiment with surreal drawing techniques such as drawing while laying on their back and even taking a line for a walk! The work produced will later be displayed in a shop window in Norwich city centre as part of Norwich City Council’s ShopArt! project, which is managed by Norwich Arts Centre.

For children aged 7 years and under there is a Children’s Holiday Studio, Magical Flying Carpets, on Friday 29 October (tickets still available). At the workshop, which is led by artist Jo Chapman, children will explore the galleries and make drawings and rubbings from around the building to create a magical flying carpet.

The Big Draw is a national month-long season of participatory activities for people of all ages and abilities. Over 1000 events will use drawing, painting and other creative media to engage participants with museum and gallery collections and historic sites in new and enjoyable ways. Big Draw events encourage everyone to expand the boundaries of drawing by experimenting with pencils, paint, charcoal, sand, clay, digital imagery, choreographed movement, vapour trails and much more.

Visitors to the Sainsbury Centre during the October Half-term holiday can also see the autumn exhibition. Surreal Friends celebrates the artistic achievements, extraordinary lives and enduring friendship of three leading women surrealists: British painter Leonora Carrington, Spanish painter Remedios Varo and Hungarian photographer Kati Horna. The exhibition runs from Tuesday 28 September until Sunday 12 December.

Children’s Holiday Studio 
Times: 10.30am – 3pm
Price: £18, £12 concessions; includes materials (children 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult – accompanying adults free)
Booking: essential – telephone 01603 593199
Please bring a packed lunch 

Draw, Morph and Animate! – FULLY BOOKED
Thursday 28 October
For children aged 8 – 13 years 

Magical Flying Carpets
Friday 29 October
Form children aged 7 and under


ArtXTra 
Times: 10.30am – 3pm
Price: £18, £12 concessions
Booking: essential – telephone 01603 593199
Please bring a packed lunch 

Surreal Worlds
Wednesday 27 October
For young people aged 13 – 15 years 

Exhibition dates, times and information 
Surreal Friends runs from Tuesday 28 September to Sunday 12 December. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays), 10am to 5pm. Tel 01603 593199 www.scva.ac.uk.

Admission £4, concessions £2
Family admission (up to 2 adults and 3 children) £8, concessions £6