As part of COAST 2011, the Cromer and Sheringham Arts Festival, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts will be running a free workshop entitled ‘Starting with the Elephant…’.

Beginning with the West Runton mammoth fossil bones (found in the glacial steppe and which date back 500,000+ years), the workshops will explore the deep history of the area. 

Artists, scientists and local experts will be on hand to guide visitors through the geology, biodiversity and artistic potential of the beautiful landscape around The Old Brickworks, West Runton. 

Free activities take place on the hour (changing every hour) from 27 – 29 October 2011, 10am – 4pm.

“It’s amazing how many different activities it is possible to do when starting from just one fossil. With all the different directions, there really is something for everyone at this event.” – Bee Farrell, Outreach Manager.

Photos by Bee Farrell

‘Starting with the Elephant…’ are a series of workshops run by the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts outreach and education team at The Old Brickworks, West Runton, which all share the common element of ‘The West Runton Elephant’ – a mammoth fossil found locally. On the hour, every hour (between 10am and 4pm) a new activity will take place, alternating between an art and science.

Art sessions will take place throughout the three days, at which visitors will be invited to contribute to the creation of a human sundial. The ‘fossil’ tablets that will make up its design will show the connections between the past, the present, and the future. There will also be University of East Anglia scientists and local experts running a variety of activities including a chance to watch a short film about the discovery of ‘The West Runton Elephant’ and the opportunity to use microscopes to examine fossils in detail. Visitors will also be able to discover how DNA from the fossil could be used to bring the mammoth back to life!

On all three days there will be an exhibition of related work, produced in workshops with Sidestrand Hall School, Cromer Junior School, and Cromer High School. The works, which were all created by local young people, look at identity, place and journeys.

A trail will run from The Old Brickworks to allow visitors to explore the local ecosystem, and people can tweet any questions they may have about the local environment to the #scvaScientists tag for an answer from an expert. During the afternoon on Saturday 29 October everybody is invited to drop in for a tea party to celebrate the end of the project and see the results of all the workshops. All activities are free of charge.

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