BIG IDEAS
After getting great deal on a massive screen when the tour visited Bradford last year we decided to do it again.
But we couldn’t get any sponsorship or schools to book it so we had a whip round or three.
We assembled a cast of a thousand artists on an estate in Birmingham to send a big message to our new government, a message of #ARTforALL, a message of hope, of community.
BIG SCREEN
We didn’t quite hit our target but were very grateful for the screen on the side of a van that Elonex sorted for us with an hour or so’s notice.
BIGGER SCREEN
So we issued another appeal for an even bigger screen for the Twelfth Day of (Creative) Christmas in Bradford on Saturday 21st December.
We fell a little short but did it anyway as you can see in the film above
If you meant to chip in, just click here now and enter your pledge amount and your email address.
LESSONS OF LIFE
We were keen to teach our children to aim high, not be afraid if failing hence our #EPICFAIl19 and #NOEPICFAIL19 tags.
THE THREE GREATEST GIFTS?
They might have made scents then (geddit?), but to us Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh are a bit too old testament so we’re updating them to meet the needs of our times.
Our kids need our time, some stories and to find their art.
We’re unleashing another 12 Days of (Creative) Christmas UK Tour - The 3 Greatest Gifts.
See the film here of what it looked like last time and how last year’s Christmas telly ad from John Lewis with Sir Elton John, a train-set and a lad in Leeds helped inspire it.
We kicked it off at Eden Project in Cornwall on Monday November 25th and will go to schools anywhere up though the UK hopefully to Scotland, John O’Groats even, and back to London.
We’ve had big Community days in Leeds (Sat Nov 30th) and London (Sat Dec 7th) as part of the National Lottery’s 25th Birthday Celebration, where we had freebies and discounts to thank Lottery players for their support of ours and others’ art work.
Whether you’re a teacher or parent, would you like this in your school?
Or you’re just a Creative Carer, who cares about Creativity, Children and All Our Futures and would like to sponsor one of these sessions, or the whole tour.
Either way sign up here now
And check out the video below.
BE PART OF IT
There are three ways you can help us to find:
Schools - we’re looking for all sorts of schools that would value these sessions, from the most challenged to more affluent, maybe an independent school would sponsor a session in a local state school? Some schools will give us a donation, we’ll offer free slots to others, if sponsors step up.
Sponsors - as we couldn’t get a grant in time, we need a little bit of money, some sponsors to fund the individual sessions for just £300 or be one of three sponsors for the whole tour?
Presents - you might be able to tell us about some cool Creative Christmas Present ideas, you’ve seen or sell that we can tell everyone about.
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES WANTED
We’re looking for school communities who would like us to bring this session to them along the provisional route below. Ideally it will be something that your children might not usually get the chance to experience. We’d want you to invite some of your school community in too (subject to your safeguarding policies of course).
The session consists of:
All School Assembly - a roller coast ride of a talk about how important creativity, literacy and community are. It will help connect kids with their art and to help them realise it’s not just about painting, but as much to do with photography, cooking or coding, fashion or football, robots or rockets. An inspiring session for kids, teachers , parents and all creative carers.
Creative Workshops - we will provide resources for a creative activity for every class - from the #ARTofCODING to the #ARTofINVENTING and the #ARTofIMAGINATION to the #ARTofROCKETS
Community Rocket launch - before we say goodbye and hit the road we will launch a real dynamite powered rocket with parachute recovery system to leave the whole community buzzing like a fridge.
SPONSORS WANTED
We need your help to help make it happen as the National Lottery and Arts Council England are adding marketing support but no money this time.
We are a non-profit community enterprise and it’s a pretty hand to mouth existence, believe us. We usually request a £300 donation to stage these half day sessions and are reaching out to creative people, organisations and businesses to cover these for schools that really can’t afford it (you’ve probably read about the funding crisis in our schools).
So here’s the ask.
Will you sponsor us to deliver these half days sessions in school on thsi tour for £300.
Would you even consider sending a few of your team along to help on the creative activities - we promise you it’ll be one of their best days ever working with you.
If you need convincing, listen to what the Barclay employee had to say in the film above on an #ARTofCODING day on which we collaborated with Google, BT, CPC and Nesta, but more importunity what a mum and her daughter had say about the day their community came into the school.
We need session sponsors on the dates shown below and three tour sponsors, and ideally someone who can loan us a car with a tow bar like Havas and Peugeot did last year.
So sign up to sponsor this now and we’ll get your name up on the table below.
TOUR TIMETABLE
For once in our lives we tried planning and planned a UK tour and then the car broke down twice so we ripped it up and started again. Got the train down to Eden Project and a wonderful first session at Bugle School in the next village to Eden.
We’re open to invitations to go anywhere so do get sign up now if you’d like us to visit you, or you’d like to sponsor a visit at a school near you.
HERE’S ONE WE DID EARLIER
Take a look at this 2 minute film from last year and see how it involved Elton John, a train set or two and a little lad from Leeds.
Check out these short films of days we’ve already run as part of the National lottery and Arts Council England support for the #ARTCONNECTS19 Festival of Creative Schools, Work and Lives
