School children take an artistic, Venetian journey thanks to UON academics and students

Some of Northamptonshire’s youngest ‘creatives-in-waiting’ came to University of Northampton (UON) last week for a showcase of their first artworks.

A collaboration has been led by the University’s Schools Engagement team, who have worked with UON Art academics and students and 13 Northamptonshire Primary Arts Trust (NPAT) schools and the National Gallery.

Take One Picture is a National Gallery initiative. It helps primary schools inspire their students to develop a lifelong love of art and learning.

School students take an old master painting – in this case, ‘A Regatta on the Grand Canal’ by Canaletto – and, with their teachers and support from UON Art academics and students as ‘artists in residence’, investigate the painting, discuss it and then use that inspiration to create artworks of their own.

The children created Venetian masks, model gondolas, masked ball-inspired gowns and chronicled their work in mini-essays and letters.

To celebrate the final products, the University hosted an exhibition last week (Thursday 10 – Friday 11 July) with some of the children* who took part in attendance, their families and invited stakeholders.

The Schools Engagement (Widening Participation) team offer a range of opportunities for children and students from the age of 5 to 18 (and adult learners) to help schools raise aspirations, boost attainment, and inspire young people to explore various future options.

Widening Access Manager Natasha Mycawka says: “We are so proud of our Art students who have been working as Artists in Residence, led by Andrew Hewitt, Professor of Art and the Public Sphere. This week saw the culmination of six weeks of hard work with this brilliant exhibition, supported by the National Gallery.

“This has been a huge opportunity for everyone, a cross-curriculum collaboration that everyone has thrown themselves into, enjoyed hugely and left with new learning, whether student, academic or teacher.”

Darren Smith, Headteacher at Headlands School and the art lead for NPAT adds: “It’s great to see the children – about 550 in total – taking inspiration and many varied creative responses to this classic painting.

“This is the second time we’ve exhibited at UON but Take One Picture has been embedded in our curriculum for some years now. Take One Picture enables children and young people who might not ordinarily appreciate art to access it, think about it and take ownership of it.

“Seeing their enthusiasm for what they’ve achieved and knowing their creative and social skills ‘toolbox’, setting them up for a more confident future, is a picture-perfect moment for all of us.”

*Main picture: Raygan Marais and Headteacher Joanna Fennelly, from Simon de Senlis Primary School.

Find out more about the Schools Engagement (Widening Access) team.

Find out more about Take One Picture.