Earlyarts E-Bulletin No 3 - Autumn 2003
Welcome to the third e-bulletin from the earlyarts network in the North West of England. Please feel free to circulate to any interested colleagues. Feel free to use this e-bulletin to promote your work and request artists / advice / support from other readers across the region.
Earlyarts network update:
• The earlyarts Web Site has been completed in both design and content and is currently under its final evaluation before the launch in December. Please feel free to send us any comments during the evaluation period which ends on 26 th November, or to complete the official evaluation form (enclosed) with any specific suggestions to help make the site more accessible to users in the future. Go to www.earlyarts.org.uk.
• The Discussion Forum is up and running on the site and we would welcome anyone to add their own thoughts, discussion threads, or promote their own work using the forum. Click on Resources - Discussion Forum - Let Me In - Earlyarts, or click here www.earlyarts.org.uk/resources/forum/www/forums/ .
• The Artists database is also up and running, now containing artists' profiles which feature the methodologies and practices used in their work with children and teachers / practitioners. Adverts are soon to go out for artists across the country who have a track record of work in early years settings and would like to apply to be on the database. If any of your artists might be interested, please ask them to contact Mark Smith at Visual Associations on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text34895 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 0870 443 0701.
• We are currently looking for Case Studies of your work to feature on the web site. Each case study gets a month's airing under the Artist or Setting of the Month section, then is archived under the Case Studies section which is freely accessible for browsing at any time. If you have any creative projects of interest, please click here www.earlyarts.org.uk/submit/?sec=38and fill in the online form for us to promote them as widely as possible. Up to 20 images can be submitted, the guidance for the format of text and electronic images is here www.earlyarts.org.uk/submit/?sec=30 . Please don't hesitate to contact us if you don't have a digital camera, we will advise!
Emerging Issues and articles of note:
• The government launches its Green Paper Every Child Matters for consultation. Click here to download the document http://www.dfes.gov.uk/everychildmatters/.
• Despite its attempts to integrate and connect services, some feel that the launch of the above document adds yet more initiatives on top of the already crowded agenda for early years. Click here to read a review in Nursery World of the impact on the early years sector : http://www.nursery-world.com/search/search_display.asp?section=News&sub_section=Special%20Report&id=2830
• Booking is now open for the National Literacy Trust's early years conference . The conference for early years teachers is led by Sue Palmer and Ros Bayley. It is entitled 'Literacy in the early years: what's the best foundation?' and takes place in 2004 in London, Birmingham and York. Details http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/about/pri2004.html.
• Language is the key to learning. Children with adequate speech and language skills in the first years of life are far less likely to experience learning and relationship problems at school compared to those who do not grow up in a language-rich environment. All parents wish to do their best for their children, but often lack the confidence or knowledge to implement powerful parenting practices, such as attentive listening, singing songs, playing rhyming games and sharing books. NLT's initiative Talk To Your baby attempts to address some of these issues. Click here for more details.
• A new pack from the Coram Family, Listening to Young Children , has been designed to encourage professionals to listen to children. Aimed at people working with under eights, it shows how to develop good listening skills and how to encourage children to express their ideas and feelings, especially through the arts. A related project is working to overcome entrenched attitudes in which children are seen as the property of their parents, unable to speak for themselves.
The pack, for use in any setting for young children, includes a guide, a reader and a handbook, 11 case study booklets and a CE-Rom and costs £125 from OUP http://www.open.co.uk/listening.
• The Basic Skills Agency has launched a great new online resource aimed at teachers and practitioners, the Observatory of Basic Skills , http://www.basic-skills-observatory.co.uk/is an easy to use website featuring information on policy, effective practice and research on literacy, numeracy and language across all phases and sectors from early years to post-16.
Regional Partners Bulletin Board:
• Cheshire County Council Early Years team have just produced a new creative learning pack called Creative steps to early learning through dance, drama, music and the visual arts . The pack contains a book of case studies from a range of settings across the county and also includes 20 laminated cards for practitioners to use to support children's growth and development. The pack will be launched at Sandiway Primary School, Norley Road, Sandiway on Wednesday, November 19th at 4.30 until 6pm where the guest speaker will be Pauline Harrison, Senior Adviser for Art and Design.
To book a place or order your copy of the pack at £25 inc P&P, contact Carol Longoni at Merchants House, Chester on 01244 602625 (details attached).
• Learning to Listen - The Core Principles of involving children & young people Seminar 2003 . A free event for the cultural and sport sectors on November12th , 10.30am - 3.45pm, at the Sadler's Wells Theatre, London. "Learning to Listen" is a unique opportunity to come together and talk about how to engage children & young people in decision-making about the services that affect them. Contact Wini Kirby on 020 7211 6185 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text98431 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to book a place (details attached).
• Arts Council England is running a Safeguarding Advisers - Training Course for up to 30 experienced consultants who are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults in the arts. They will attend a three-day subsidised training course which will equip them to act as Safeguarding Advisers. This is in anticipation of an expected sector need for awareness raising training and policy development support by arts organisations following the publication of Keeping Arts Safe ( http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/documents/publications/285.pdf). Although the deadline for applications has just passed, there may still be some places available. Contact Hassina Khan on 020 7973 6551 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text20944 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (details attached).
• Welfare State International are researching the creativity and environmental perception of children, and seeking to understand the innate creativity of young people aged 9-10years. Cabin Fever and Cabin Fever: Den Deluxe are child led projects leading towards the invention of a stunning installation - a children's village - in the summer 2004. The aim is to encourage young people to develop their ideas and imagination and demonstrate their ability to invent and create stunning installations in the landscape.
Based at Welfare State International's warehouse the children work with a variety of artists, looking at dens, huts, magical spaces, how to create them and taking their own decisions on building their own space and structure.
This major pilot project which, over the following year, will be part of a series of workshops to equip young people with the necessary skills to carry their ideas forward and enable them to experience an open-ended exploration than they may otherwise encounter. For further information/ images contact Anthea Rathlin-Jones, on 01229 581127 or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text78162 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• Early Years Events at Darwen Library Theatre. Wed 10th December to Christmas Eve, Darwen Library Theatre with PMA Productions presents ALICE IN WONDERLAND . Producer, George Critchley has adapted this timeless classic for this year's Christmas show suitable for all ages at Darwen Library Theatre from the 10th to 24th December . Tickets £4.50 - £22.00 family ticket. Tel 01254 706006, http://www.darwenlibrarytheatre.com/
• Running arts activities with Young People young people aged 5 - 25 ? Take advantage of FREE publicity on the Manchester Youth Arts website . As a registered user of http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/use your password and login and update your activities information now. MYA will be marketing the website to Young People extensively across Manchester. Go straight to the login page here:
http://www.manchesteryoutharts.org/providers_admin/login.asp. Once logged on simply click on Update Activities or Update News and add the details. If you have forgotten your login or password you can e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text3563 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Early arts e-bulletin is prepared by Ruth Churchill Dower, earlyarts network director. For further information or enquiries, please contact Ruth on 01484 688407.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|