In the past month we have had the first two interns at Suffolk One reaching the end of their placements in the Creative Employment Programme which they have found allowed them “to gain confidence and gain experience working in a different environment”.
We have also just finished this term’s Phonic which will be returning in the summer term so the young people involved can continue to make music at Colville House Youth Centre in Lowestoft.
Exchanges 2 have held their exhibition at UCS’s Waterfront Building in Ipswich. You can hear Ilona and Nonnie’s description of the Exchanges 2 project and exhibition at https://audioboo.fm/boos/2046727-young-carers-in-suffolk-create-a-selphee-sculpture
Suffolk at Play have just concluded their sessions in Bury St Edmunds and are planning a celebration event after Easter. We also had our Dance Project film shown at the Reminiscence Network East event in Duxford. I you have not seen the film it can be found at https://vimeo.com/71736006
Along with our fully booked somatic resourcing training last week we also had Clown Round training on the 27th March. This training gave other artists the chance to join the Clown Doctors when they meet to practise their bubble blowing, being silly, brush up on their jokes, circus skills and ability to make people smile and feel happier or as we, here in the office, call it Professional Development Play Days. This time Doctor Christobell Misschief (Chris Draude), Doctor Fillie Fidge (Filomena Cristallino) and Doctor Hyacinth Haystack (Vicki Weitz) opened up their play to artists interested in learning a little more about the role if the Clown Doctor and what to expect in a clinical setting.
Artbase has just finished and the parents are now planning what to do with the skills, experience and confidence. Here are some of the parents’ feedback from Poplars Primary School.
“It’s been great to have time to do things with my son. We’ve done some of the activities at home already and we’re planning to do more over the Easter holidays – we’ve already started collecting things – we’re going to make a huge spaceship.”
“It was really nice meeting new people and spending time with my son – and I got some good ideas for things we can do at home – my son has already shown my husband how to make towns out of masking tape. I’m not an arty person at all, so I was really surprised at what I did and I feel a whole lot more confident now.”
Looking at what is coming up in April we have Jumpstart Bury St Edmunds continuing their 15 week course in Dance at the St John’s Centre. There are 12 students that are taking part – working with dance tutor Kayla St Clair. Jai Hutchinson from Act One worked with us on 1st April, and Amici Dance Company will be running a one day workshop in the next month. We’ll be working with the film maker Jean Hogg to create a dance film along the theme of inside / outside, with site specific work done in the ruins of the Abbey in BSE. The final screening will be at the St Johns Centre on 24th June.
For the Creative Employment Programme we have 15 opportunities for young unemployed people with closing dates in April across Suffolk. This includes 6 apprenticeship opportunities added in the last week at Ipswich Borough Council, which are a marketing assistant, a technical backstage assistant, an events assistant and 3 venue management assistants.
Culture Club is still going strong with sessions for older people taking place in Bury St Edmunds, Carlton Colville, Chelmondiston, Felixstowe, Ipswich and Stanton including weaving. painting and other arts and crafts.We have also been asked to let people know that KO-AN Arts are running full day (for £20) and half day (for £10) creative arts activities for 9-24 year olds with additional needs and their siblings in Ipswich on 27th May, Bury St Edmunds on 15th April and 28th May and Stowmarket on 17th April and 29th May .
For more information contact Mike McManus at KO-AN Arts on 01379 668464 or email him on
[email protected]
Suffolk Artlink
13 & 14 Malt Store Annex, The Cut
8 New Cut, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19 8BY
