After three and a half years of collaborating with children so they could commission artists, co-create brand-new pop-up performances, explore children’s rights and realise them through cultural experiences, design awards, attend the Children’s Festival as VIPS, lots of amazing and insightful conversations, bucket loads of pizza and cheese toasties and our very first Children’s Summit, Creative Encounters is coming to a close.
It’s been a truly fun, inspiring and thought-provoking time and I know myself and all of the Imaginate team are feeling hugely grateful for the impact that it has had on us as a company.
We have treasured getting to know the children and young people of North Edinburgh. Creative Encounters has marked a shift from children participating in our work, to children acting as collaborators, decision-makers and influencers. They have held us to account in ways we couldn’t have imagined. We are excited to see what new collaborations we will have with them in the future and what other ways they will challenge us to raise our game.
Creative Encounters has also given us an opportunity to celebrate our relationship with North Edinburgh Arts and work in their brilliant new building. We’ve established new relationships with Pilton Youth and Children Project and Spartans Community Foundation whose support has been vital in fully realising the project. And we cannot talk about Creative Encounters without mentioning Forthview Primary School who have championed us from the word go!
Of course, we are not bowing out quietly from Creative Encounters. We are launching the Creative Encounters Manifestation. Available as a pdf so you can download or as a short-animated film. Please share widely!
The Manifestation is for artists and adults who are looking to collaborate with children. It includes a series of invitations from children for you to consider before you embark on collaborative projects with young people. The Manifestation is authored by various Creative Encounters alumni children using quotes and tips from across the years of the project with editing support from the Imaginate team. Page design is by Ala, Jenny, Mehuli, Reel and Willow with support and additional design by Valerie Reid.
Greer Pester has collaborated with the North Edinburgh Arts Youth Arts Collective to put together an animated version of the invitation’s pages with voiceover and animation contribution from Aiden, CJ, Dean, Ellie, Elliot, Frankie, Jasper, Jaxson, Jessica, Junior, Thomas and Willow.
Check out the Manifestation HERE and please do get in touch if you use it. We’d love to let the children know.