Youngsters in Milton Keynes are being invited to take part in a fabulous creative skills development programme starting in September.
Funded by Artworks and the Arts Council, the scheme aims to give 16-18 year olds the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild and create a piece or pieces of art. They will receive help and advice from professional artists and have the chance to make something lasting for Milton Keynes.
The project is being run by Michelle Lockwood from Milton Keynes College who says the people who take part will learn many skills which will help them when they enter the world of work.
“The young people are in charge. They will sit down together to come up with ideas and work collaboratively to achieve them," she said.
"They will find out about project planning and management, exploring new ways of thinking, working in teams – so many of the skills businesses are crying out for so it will be great fun but really useful too.”
This is the second year the project’s been run after a successful pilot last year produced a wonderful mural entitled, The Narwhal, which was developed from children’s drawings and featured at MKIAC’s (Milton Keynes Islamic Arts, Heritage & Culture) Art at the Lake alongside a graffiti wall on which children and young people at the festival were invited to share their thoughts on “the world we want to see.”
The team also joined twenty-four children at Willen Primary School to paint walls around the premises including decorating the girls’ bathroom where they created a unicorn with a rainbow milkshake and a number of free swimming sea turtles boys’ bathroom next door.
James Smith was one of the young people involved, taking the role of creative director for the project.
“I learnt so much during the project. I learnt about leadership and how to come together to make a plan and carry it out," he said.
"We had a great time and I met some lovely people who are now my friends. I would strongly recommend it to people who have the chance to take part this year. It’s very freeing. It’s not like school – the ideas and the decisions are all yours and there’s a marvellous sense of achievement when it all comes together.”
If you would like to know more or to join in with the project email michelle.lockwood@mkcollege.ac.uk
Never miss news or leisure info in Milton Keynes - Follow us on www.twitter.com/thisistotalmk
And on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thisistotalmk
