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Earlyarts E-bulletin No 8 - Spring 2005

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Welcome to the eighth 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.


All email addresses are hidden to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act, however, members are free to reveal their email addresses to the group within the body of their information if they wish to do so. The Summer e-bulletin is due in August; please forward any activities, events, or news articles about your work to the email above by  Friday 29th July.


Earlyarts network update:

  • Renewed Vision for earlyarts' Artists Database: as reported in previous e-bulletins the earlyarts web site is currently being revamped and part of this has involved an overhaul of the Artists Database.  AXIS (the company running the database section) are working with our regional Arts Education Agencies to set up training and professional development sessions for artists and teachers on successful methods of working together. We will publish the training events here and through the early years and educational press, or come to the next Champions Group meeting on June 9th in Manchester to find out more - see the very last item for details.

Emerging Issues and national events:

  • Beverley Hughes takes on the role of Children's Minister replacing Margaret Hodge in the Cabinet reshuffle. Ms Hodge, who was appointed to the new post of children's minister in June 2003, has moved to a new ministerial position at the Department for Work and Pensions. Mary Marsh, NSPCC director and chief executive welcomed her appointment. She said, ‘She has the opportunity to ensure that ending cruelty to children is a priority issue for the Government. For this to happen, the new minister needs to put child protection at the very top of her agenda. Above all she needs to provide children and young people with someone to turn to via helplines, schools' counselling and therapeutic services; make the internet safer for children, and give children the same legal protection from assault as adults already enjoy.' Rita Sutton, regional executive officer, Pre-school Learning Alliance, said that she looks forward to establishing a good working relationship with Ms Hughes as a strategic partner.
  • Other key movements in the cabinet include the controversial appointment of Andrew Adonis, one of Tony Blair's key aides, to education minister in the Lords. Backbenchers have widely opposed the move.
    Speaking on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Phil Willis, the Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, said, ‘This is a man who has consistently undermined successive ministers and successive secretaries of state.' Ruth Kelly remains in her post of education secretary and her new deputy will be Jacqui Smith, who was promoted to schools minister from the Department of Health. Maria Eagle, MP for Liverpool Garston, becomes the junior education minister.
  • When Parliament was dissolved on April 11 2005, a number of Bills were dropped, including the Charities Bill, Equality Bill, School Transport Bill, Road Safety Bill. Bills that received the Royal Assent and became Acts included: Child Benefit Act; Disability Discrimination Act,  Education Act. For more details visit www.childpolicy.org.uk/enghome/index.cfm
  • A consultation on early years regulations was launched by the DfES on 1 April 2005. The DfES is planning to introduce, in October 2005, six sets of regulations relating to the provision of nursery education and under 8s day care and childminding:
  • Ø         two of these sets of regulations deal with Ofsted inspection arrangements, replacing existing regulations;
  • Ø         a further set of regulations will amend the existing national standards regulations, including new requirements on complaints handling, and enabling the publication of an addendum to the current national standards documents. A draft of this addendum is also available for comment.
  • Ø         finally, three sets of regulations are about the suitability of people who wish to be involved in registered childcare, including who should be automatically disqualified from registration. The disqualification regulations will replace existing regulations. The closing date for the consultation is 24 June 2005. All 13 documents may be downloaded from  www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/conDetails.cfm?consultationId=1305
  • The Dept for Culture, Media and Sport has announced an additional £2 million of funding for an innovative new scheme designed to encourage primary school children to get more active at break-time. The funding, part of the Sporting Playgrounds programme, will be used to create an extra 40 Zoneparcs, in addition to 320 which have already been set up since the scheme was first launched. Zoneparcs are a radical new approach designed to encourage more activity during school breaks - with playgrounds separated (or zoned) into red areas for traditional games. More details here:   www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notices/archive_2005/dcms056_05.htm?month=April&properties=archive%5F2005%2C%2Fglobal%2Fpress%5Fnotices%2F%2C
  • The new-look Every Child Matters website provides a dynamic service and a variety of new features to help practitioners, managers and policy-makers. The improvements include easier navigation to specific topics, clear notification of what's new, and links to related subjects, both on the site and other websites. Soon to follow, in summer 2005, will be an advanced publications system to allow easy searching, downloading and ordering of key documents, a case studies database, discussion forums, and an "ask the expert" service. The revised site has been developed in consultation with members of the children's workforce, working across various sectors, both on the front line and in strategic roles: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.
  • Creative Environments - Nurturing Potential in the Early Years on 3 June in Edinburgh. This one day conference will examine creative practice inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to informing early years' experience.  This is an innovative approach that reflects upon the desire to promote opportunities and environments where young children are supported to explore and communicate their ideas in a creative way.  The day will provide an opportunity to reconsider old ideas and assumptions and encounter new ideas and experiences - and have fun!  Organised by Children in Scotland, click here for details: www.childreninscotland.org.uk/html/tra_tshow.php?ref=673
  • Literature Matters Creative Conference, Sunday 5 June 10am - 3pm, Huddersfield Central Library, Princess Alexandra Walk, Huddersfield. This FREE event is aimed at all initial trainees in the Yorkshire and Humberside area. Attendance can count toward achievement of the Qualifying to Teach Standards. During the day a circus of activities for trainees will be facilitated by regional creative artists, writers, poets, actors and musicians. A free buffet lunch will be provided. By experiencing workshops first hand trainees will see the importance of enjoyment of books and reading in the development of children's learning. If you are unable to attend the whole day please drop in for either the morning (10-12pm) or afternoon (1-3pm) session. The aim is to provide the opportunity to take inspiration from and exploit the library networks of artists, authors, publishers and the wider cultural sector. The focus will be on cross curricular activity for Early Years and Primary trainees although all activities are adaptable for other Key Stages. Organised by Yorkshire Museums Libraries Council, T: 0113 2638909, E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • NESTA's Illuminate scheme - NESTA's Learning Programme has allocated a total of £1 million until spring 2006 for this open-application scheme which aims to encourage galleries, museums and science/discovery centres to develop new ways of unlocking and breathing life into existing collections and exhibitions, thus maximising their full potential in promoting learning, engagement and dialogue with visitors. The deadline for Round 2 of NESTA's new Illuminate scheme is 13 June 2005. Full details of the scheme, and the application form, are available on the NESTA website: www.nesta.org.uk/illuminate .
  • ResCen Seminar Event ‘Outside Looking In' on the 15 June in London is a series of daytime workshops, discussions and presentations that are led by each of the Research Associate Artists. These sessions reflect the broad range of practices and research of the six ResCen artists including: Errollyn Wallen's hands-on workshop ‘Instant Composing' in which participants explore issues of intuition in composing; Richard Layzell's ‘Engaging with Absence' which includes a discussion and demonstration with Research Fellow Joshua Sofaer on the role of other selves and other voices in the creative process. Other sessions will include choreographic workshop demonstrations as well as presentations and discussions on telepresence and remote connection in artistic practice. Tel 020 8411 6288 or click here for more details: http://www.rescen.net/
  • Crying Out Loud returns with their new show Oogly Boogly including bespoke inflatables from Architects of Air during the Sure Start Strategic Programme, Peterborough, 14 - 16 June, which takes place at the Ravenscroft Primary School. Contact Jo Crowley for more details + 44 (0) 20 7223 0086. Oogly Boogly is created by Tom Morris, Associate Director of the National Theatre, and Guy Dartnell, Time Out Award winning artist.  It is for 12 - 18 month old babies and their parents and carers, with three 45 minutes sessions a day. If you want to catch it at another time then there are several other dates later in the summer, both here and abroad (Belfast, Sweden etc), so if you would like to be kept in touch then let COL know - or you can come to Melbourne Festival in October, or email them for a DVD. More details about Oogly Boogly here: www.cryingoutloud.org

  • Big Arts Week, the successful initiative promoting art in schools, is issuing a call to artists to volunteer their time during 20-24 June 2005. This year, Big Arts Week aims to establish 1,000 partnerships with schools across the country and needs 1,000 artists and creatives from a range of backgrounds and areas to take part. Writers, designers, musicians and actors are all welcome and anything between one hour and one week can make a huge difference. Tel: 0207 785 6393, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or more details here: www.bigartsweek.com
  • RSA New Curriculum Network seminar on Friday 24 June, at the RSA. London, 11am-1pm. Professor Sonia Blandford (Dean of Education, Canterbury Christ Church University) will be discussing Initial Teacher Training, with particular relevance to Opening minds. Followed by a presentation by a group of primary school children from Knighton Fields School in Leicester. They have been using competences as part of their learning and will share with us, what the benefits have been. The seminar will be at the RSA, 11 - 1pm. The cost is £50 per person. Booking form here: www.thersa.org/newcurriculum/seminars.asp or Tel: 020 7451 6862. A booklet based on the April conference but also including additional material will be available towards the end of May. Conference delegates will be sent a copy. If you would like a copy please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Art in Early Childhood Conference on July 7th - 9th at Froebel College, Roehampton University, London, aims to bring together early childhood educators, arts workers and educators into an expanding and increasingly interdisciplinary discussion about early childhood and art. The main themes to be explored include: Extending the creative potential of young children and ways in which art contributes to this; Strategies for engaging young children in collaborative learning with artists and art educators; Understanding how young children represent and communicate their real and imagined worlds; where does art begin? Understanding the under-threes. Speakers include Professor Angela Anning - Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Education, University of Leeds, UK; Professor Tina Bruce - Visiting Professor in Early Childhood, Roehampton University, UK; Bernadette Duffy - Head of Thomas Coram Early Excellence Centre, UK; Professor John Matthews - Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice at National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Giovanni Piazza - former Atelierista at Villetta School, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Details and Booking form here: www.roehampton.ac.uk/ses/conferences/artandearlychildhood.asp
  • Releasing children's creativity through hands on learning - Creativity & Imagination Conference, 14-15 July Robinson College, Cambridge. Bookings are starting to roll in for this exciting two-day conference, featuring keynote speeches from Marilyn Fryer, founder of the Creativity Centre and Mary Jane Drummond, lately of the Institute of Education, Cambridge. There will also be a series of practical hands-on workshops on a wide range of topics, plus a number of 'snapshots' in which members give quick updates of their latest projects and activities. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop skills and understanding in the area of children's hands-on learning! In addition to the regular programme, there will be excellent opportunities to network with colleagues during the conference, including during the drinks reception on the first evening. The conference is excellent value at £120.00 (inc VAT) per single day with no accommodation or £295.00 (inc VAT) for the full conference, including drinks reception and full board. Bursaries to cover 50% of the cost are available. Bookings must be received by 30 June (1 June if you are applying for a bursary). Book now to ensure you receive your choice of workshops! For a booking form, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Details at www.curiosityandimagination.org.uk/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=44
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  • The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) have announced a £155m play programme for England. The fund will invest £155 million in England over three years in the establishment of a strategic fund to create and improve local children's play spaces in areas of greatest need. Grants will be awarded to projects to develop, create, improve and design innovative children's play facilities with the aim of providing free local play provision for youngsters. More details at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/newsroom/release.aspx?prId=1078

  • QCA have now published a new Creativity: find it, promote it video pack for 2005. This new video pack features examples of creative teaching and learning from five schools around the country. The video is accompanied by a teacher's guide to help you understand and spot different types of creative thinking and behaviour, explore ways of promoting creativity in the classroom, and consider whole-school approaches to nurturing children's creativity. The cost of the 2005 pack is £12.50* however QCA are currently offering a special £10 discount to customers who purchase the 2004 and 2005 creativity packs together. For more information and to place your order, please visit the QCA Orderline website at www.qca.org.uk/orderline or telephone 08700 60 60 15 and quote order reference QCA/05/1596. *Prices are inclusive of the 50% discount for educational establishment.
  • SEASON OF YOUTH! An autumn of colors from around the world! From September 20th to 30th, ASSITEJ International has entrusted the Montréal 2005 Team (ASSITEJ Canada and International Festival Les Coups de Théâtre) the honour of hosting its 15th World Congress and Performing Arts Festival. This celebration of theatre for young audiences takes place every three years, in a different city each time, and brings together thousands of participants from the association's more than 76 member countries located across the continents. It is the most significant cultural event for young audiences in the world! More than 2,000 artists, producers, programmers, presenters and observers of the international arts for young audiences milieu will meet in Montreal! More details here: http://www.montreal-2005.com/uk/evenement/presentation.html
  • Music One2One is an action research project focused on families with children under two years. It's based at the University of Exeter School of Education and Life Long Learning. Funded for 12 months from Nov 1004 to Oct 2005 jointly by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and Youth Music, they are consulting parents and practitioners who work with parents and carers and their babies and toddlers, to identify WHAT works well and WHY in terms of musical activities. They are keen to hear from music practitioners and from people who work creatively in the community with families with children under two, as well as from parents themselves to find out what you think works well and why - why do music with children at such an early age? Contact Alison Street on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and mark your email 'MusicOne2One'

Regional Partners Bulletin Board:

  • Dynamic New Animations have an exciting new touring children theatre show, Baba Yaga - Boney Legs! Touring through the North West, together with a range of professional development workshops as follows (click here for more details: www.dynamicnewanimation.co.uk ):
  • 22.05.05   Chicken Licken at Cuerden Country Park, Leyland
  • 26.05.05   Baba Yaga at Thornton Little Theatre, Thornton near Blackpool
  • 12.06.05   Enormous Turnip, Green Room, Manchester
  • 18.06.05   Enormous Turnip at the Guild Hall Theatre, Preston
    19.06.05   Baba Yaga, Horse & Bamboo Theatre, Rossendale
  • 26.06.05   Shadow Play, Professional Development Workshop, Watermark in Preston
  • 20.07.05   Mask making, Professional Development Workshop, Watermark, Preston
  • 31.07.05   Puppets A Go Go!, Preston Flag Market, Preston
  • 14.08.05   Chicken Licken, Harris Museum, Preston
  • 16.08.05   Chicken Licken, Darwen Library Theatre, Darwen, East Lancashire
  • 04.09.05   Thurtinkle Telling Tales, Harris Museum, Preston
  • 25.09.05   Baba Yaga, Lowry, Salford
  • Horse and Bamboo Theatre has a few places left on its highly successful courses for 2005. Please contact Natasha Kent, Horse+Bamboo's Office Manager, 01706 220241 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information:
  • 1. ‘Masks Inside and Out'..... Monday 20th to Friday 24th June 2005 - an intensive week long course on the making and the performance of helmet masks. With Horse and Bamboo Artistic Director, Alison Duddle, participants will design and create a full helmet mask, using some of the same stimulus and limitations we use in creating masks for our touring shows. With practitioner Victoria Lee, participants will firstly explore some of the techniques and skills used in mask performance using Horse + Bamboo masks, and then by the end of the week, create a performed sequence using their own mask. Course Cost Per Person: £220.00
  • 2. ‘Singing the Seasons'.... Monday 1st to Friday 5th August 2005 - a choir singing workshop with musical drector, Loz Kaye. Five days - and twelve songs, one for each month of the year. A fascinating journey through the world's traditional vocal music for seasonal festivals. Course Cost Per Person: £200
  • Step Up - The longest schools arts festival in the world 1-10 July 2005 -
    Venues around the north west, including The Bridgewater Hall, Urbis, Cornerhouse, School of Sound Recording, Great Northern Warehouse, Blue Box Theatre at Chorlton High School, Manchester Cathedral, Royal Exchange, Big Screens in Manchester and Liverpool, Dobcross Band Club. Evelyn Glennie is the new Step Up patron. DO you have an unusual instrument? Can you help our world record attempt? Would you like to break dance with us in Cumbria? BOOK your free place on DJ or sound engineering 2 hour workshops - no experience necessary; FREE places still available on gospel workshops; BOOK for Step Up & Dance Monday 4 July 2005, 7.30pm; Write here, Write now Tuesday 5 July  2005, 7.30pm; Step Up on Stage Wednesday 6 July 2005, 7.30pm; or Chetham's Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Friday 8 July 2005, 7.30pm all at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester: http://www.stepuponline.org.uk / Take part in the world's largest photo exhibition; ten Guinness World Record attempts calendar; or see the full events calendar 1-10 July 2005 here: http://www.stepuponline.org.uk/calendar.php
  • Garden of Delights by Manchester International Arts at Platt Fields Park on Friday 03 June 2005 -  Sunday 05 June 2005. Manchester's most magical festival returns with three days of music, circus, street theatre, dance, stalls and activities and installations. Platt Fields will be transformed into an enchanted garden, with colourful tents, sculptures and decorations in the trees, on the water and tucked into secret glades. A 200-strong carnival parade kicks off the celebrations (Friday 7pm), followed by three hours of energy with shows, some created and performed by Black and Asian artists, presented jointly with decibel x.trax. For information call 0161 224 2652 or visit www.streetsahead.org.uk
  • The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame, Adapted by Alan Bennett, Directed by Kevin Shaw at the Oldham Coliseum Theatre on Friday 20 May 2005 -  Saturday 11 June 2005. A Coliseum Spring treat for all ages! Wind in the Willows is a rousing adventure story. Ratty, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad battle with the scheming stoats and wheedling weasels who attempt to take over Toad Hall. Tickets from: £6.00 - £16.00. Booking Tel 0161 624 2829.
  • Transform! With Damien Cruikshank at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery on Sunday 29 May 2005. Join artist Damien Cruikshank in the gallery and learn how to make the three-dimensional sculptures he creates for his exhibition. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Times: 1pm - 2.30pm and 3pm - 5pm. No need to book, just drop in (it's free!), for children up to age 11.
  • Family Fun Area at Whitworth Art Gallery from Saturday 23 July 2005 -  Sunday 11 September 2005. Don't miss the new family fun area in Gallery 3 over the summer holidays. It's packed full of drawing materials, great reading books for all ages and loads of hands-on activities to keep the kids amused. There is also a brand new café to round off your visit, and a shop where kids can buy affordable souvenirs to take home. Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm (including all Bank Holidays except Christmas period and Good Friday) Sundays 2pm - 5pm, and it's all FREE!
  • Teddy Bears Picnic at the People's History Museum on Wednesday 03 August. Come to the picnic with your teddy and have fun with mask making, story telling and games. Light refreshments provided. 1.30pm - 3.00pm, prices: £2.00 per child. Booking advised. Please contact the museum on 0161 839 6061. Suitable for under 7s. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • The CABE library is now available and has been updated to include guidance for early years teachers on how it might be used as a learning resource. Although the site has been developed for design professionals there is much here for teachers and arts education practitioners especially in terms of the large quantity of high quality images, information on designing an early years environment and provides useful background information from Key Stage 3 onwards. Click here for details: www.cabe.org.uk/publications
  • The next meeting for the North West Earlyarts Champions Group is on Thursday 9th June at 10am in Manchester at Arts Council England offices (click here for a map). Membership is open and all are welcome whether artist, educator, sure start worker, policy maker, practitioner, or simply interested.

Earlyarts e-bulletin is prepared by Ruth Churchill Dower, Director, Isaacs UK on behalf of the North West earlyarts network. For further information, please contact Ruth on 01484 688407 . To submit articles and events for the next e-bulletin, please contact Susan Hirst, Isaacs UK Administrator on 01484 685869.
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