Each year we give a community grant of £250.00 to support a local art project. This year it went to Corsham Regis Primary for a clay workshop with Jenny Gilks and Karen Duffield, the art coordinator at the school. The pupils spent the day learning about The Arts in the 1920s. They studied key design features from the era: geometric shapes, straight lines, sunburst shapes and used this to create a paper pattern for a clay tile. Using new sketching pencils they explored the different ways they could make marks and create shade.They were then able to roll out and flatten their clay and re-create their designs with the pattern and a blunt pencil. They eventually plan to paint the tiles .

Supporting the Bicentennial celebrations of Lacock primary school was undoubtedly the highlight of the year for our Arts Volunteers, particularly so for those fortunate enough to meet the Queen.

The fun started in February with a Fox Talbot birthday party with the pupils taking part in a variety of “Victorian children’s tasks” including a mock chimney sweep, a real pony grooming session and serving high tea to the parents and staff.

As a lasting memorial of the celebrations we worked with every pupil in the school to produce a large wall mounted photographic display board. Digital photos from each child were mixed with a display of original Fox Talbot images to illustrate the revolution in photography over the period. On July 11th Her Majesty Queen Camilla visited the school and unveiled a plaque alongside their artwork. An amazing finale to a very successful year.

As part of the Lacock Bicentennial our Young Arts team set out to inspire the next generation of budding authors.

In May we organised two events led by well -known local authors . John Dougherty, an accomplished Stroud based author, poet and songwriter proved a true showman. Having played his guitar and led the singing at assembly for the whole school, he then read his new picture book “The Hare Shaped Hole” which tells a beautiful and moving story of bereavement. He then worked with Oak and Beech pupils (KS2) in a poetry workshop. A short collection of the children’s work will be published as a commemorative issue for the whole community. Before leaving, John even found time to sign books for the pupils, staff and parents.

Eileen Browne, who lives in Pewsey, worked with Willow class on her books about Handa. The children were fascinated to learn how a book was made and illustrated. After school, Eileen spoke to parents, staff and the older pupils about her research into gender imbalance in picture books. All were amazed that picture books still leaned heavily towards white male central characters in this multi-cultural age.

Thanks to funding from our Society, students of photography at Corsham School benefitted from one-to-one advice on their portfolios from Bristol born, professional photographer, Chris Hoare. Chris also ran a session with Year 10 photography students, where he talked about his most recent photobook, “Seven Hills” in which he explores some of the big social issues facing the City of Bristol.

Our Society has also funded a pilot project to develop the existing dark room facilities at the school, into what, we hope, will become a centre of excellence, benefitting schools from across the county.