Just over a year ago I started with the Imaginate team leading on our Creative Encounters project. The first year has been a brilliant rollercoaster of learning, working with amazing young people and expanding what a children’s rights led approach means to us.
Year Two of Creative Encounters has been kicking off over the last two months and, as an artist friend said the other day, there is some great back to school energy around.
Our second year of Creative Encounters means growing the project, working with a host of new children and --excitingly-- more commission opportunities for artists. We are currently looking for artists who would like to co-create a performance with children - the deadline to apply is Sunday 22 October.
For Year Two we are back at the wonderful Forthview Primary School working with a newly selected group of students. Despite feeling a bit sad to say goodbye to the project, our Year One group did a fantastic job leading the process of selecting who would get to be part of the project this year. 16 students along with 4 from the original group came together to form Forthview’s Creative Encounters Committee.
Want to know what Forthview is like? Check out this video by the students.
Our second group of young people come from the brilliant Pilton Youth and Children Project (PY). PY have been working in Northwest Edinburgh since the 1990’s from their base in Pilton. Their building is a Tardis of activity: from the messy art room to the kitchen, and the soft play to the hall, it is such a joyful, warm and welcoming space to hang out in. We’re so excited to be working with some of their Primary 5 to 7 group and their awesome staff team.
You can find out more about PY and the work they do by checking out their website: pycp.co.uk
If you'd like to apply to collaborate with these brilliant young people, check out the commission callout and feel free to get in touch with me at lou@imaginate.org.uk or 0131 225 8050.