Workshops

LIVEARTS ANNUAL WORKSHOPS

Since 2004, LiveArts has been committed to supporting younger and older people through its outreach programme of workshops. In the past five years, LiveArts has received funding for the workshops from the Local Network Fund (administered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation) and Cherwell District Council. In 2009, we received funding for our first intergenerational project from the Grassroots Fund administered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation, as well as CharterPlus, Cherwell District Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

The annual workshop programme is the most important work that LiveArts carries out in the wider community. LiveArts would like to be seen as an ‘enabler’ and act as a springboard from which new ideas can develop and help young and old to benefit from taking part. Every child and adult that has taken part in our workshops has developed new skills and grown in confidence. We want participants to feel they can express themselves in a creative and non-threatening environment that allows them to build their confidence and self-esteem.

PAST PROJECTS

LiveArts has worked with a range of professional artists who have helped to deliver workshops in the schools. In 2004, Circus Berzercus brought circus skills to Banbury and taught over 190 young people to juggle, balance and walk the tight rope on stage at St Mary’s. In 2005, Lava Band taught drumming and singing to both primary and secondary schools. In 2006, the internationally renowned singing group, Black Voices, was invited to teach African/Caribbean, Gospel and Jazz songs to over 150 primary school children. In March 2007, 90 young people from six Banbury Primary Schools were taught street-fusion jazz dance by Jazzcotech dance company who are one of the most versatile jazz dance groups in the UK. The students on this project also created their own backing track called ‘We All Belong’ which was used as the finale to the performance. Due to Jazzcotech’s popularity, they returned again in 2008 to teach 100 secondary school students who worked on a project called ‘Right Here, Right Now!’

In June 2009, LiveArts worked on its first intergenerational workshop programme with 120 year six students from Banbury primary schools and 33 adults from the community. The project was called ‘Bridging the Gap’ and involved salsa dancing (led by SalsaEngland) and creative writing/photography & poetry taught over a four-week period leading to a celebratory event in St Mary’s in front of friends and family. ‘Bridging the Gap’ was one of the most exciting projects we have organised due in part to the enthusiasm and willingness of the children and adults to help each other succeed and find a common ground.

INTERGENERATIONAL SINGING PROJECT ‘VOCAL MIX’ 2010

Following the huge success of the intergenerational dance project, ‘Bridging the Gap’ in 2009, LiveArts organised its second intergenerational project, ‘Vocal Mix’ with four primary schools and adults in the community covering an age range from 9 to 86 years of age! The workshops were based upon singing songs relating to a special memory of a particular time and/or place. The songs were selected by the adults and the children.

Who took part…

LiveArts worked with a company called ‘Sense of Sound’ that has got 16 years of experience delivering workshops in the community. Its model of training has been featured on BBC 2’s BAFTA award winning series The Choir; Boys Don’t Sing and was awarded a Pioneer for the Nation award from Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of the quality of its services to music and the community. Sense of Sound also shares a similar ethos and vision to LiveArts that singing is for everyone without exclusion. “If you can speak, you can sing!” Adults were recruited from WRVS Cornhill Centre, Age Concern Banbury, Banbury Rotary, the primary schools and the congregations at St Mary’s Church. In all, 136 young people took part from the primary schools and they were joined by up to 50 adults from the wider community.

The workshops were held at the primary schools, Hardwick, St Leonard’s, Dashwood and Hanwell Fields over a period of four weeks in June leading to a celebratory performance in St Mary’s Church on 1st July 2010.

The workshops…

Each workshop group was tasked with learning three songs ‘a capella’ style (i.e. without music backing tracks!), that were chosen by the adults and children. To sing in this way requires the use of listening skills and enormous concentration. It also involves counting to time and keeping in rhythm. Movement also played a part in some of the songs that added another dimension. The whole process of learning created a ‘brain gym’ effect and required everyone to work closely together as a team to achieve the end result. The groups also spent some time doing vocal warm-ups and sharing their memories about the songs they had chosen for the project that helped to break down barriers.

The Feedback…

In all, the project was an amazing experience for everyone who took part. Some adults and children had never sung or performed on stage before and were surprised by their achievements in just four weeks. For some it was a very emotional experience singing in a large choir, particularly when walking into church singing ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ in two-part harmony without the aid of music! They also sang popular songs including ‘I’ve Got A Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas and a wonderful Indian song called “Ek Din Bik Jayega’ that was introduced to the project by Kartik, one of the workshop leaders.

“It is a great way to meet older people from the community.”

“I am not afraid to sing anymore.”

“I learnt that people are different inside than they are outside.”

“I have better confidence about singing in a public space and an improved view of schools and school children – it was lovely and so much fun.”

“I feel very privileged at being able to take part.”

“It made me feel that I’m not too old!”

“A sense of being more involved in the community… the results were spectacular!”

This project has created the opportunity for young and old to share experiences and memories for a brief time and helped them to understand a little about each other’s lives. The project has taught everyone new skills in listening, sharing and singing by being part of a large choir and has helped to raise confidence in performing in front of other people.

The Funders…

This project was generously funded by CharterPlus (the Charter Housing Community Fund Initiative); Grassroots fund administered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation; and Cherwell District Council without which this project could not have taken place.