Staffs Poetry Visual Arts Anthology goes LIVE!
Ambitious Poetry and Visual Arts project showcasing the Creative talent of young people in Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire is ready for you to download.
Staffordshire University through the PGCE course which leads the initial teacher training programme has co-delivered an exciting #staffspoetryart project in partnership with Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire’s Cultural Education Partnership (CEP). Working with local secondary schools to ensure that all children and young people have access to arts and culture and enjoy the benefits that creative development brings. 129 students took part in the Staffs Poetry Art project, secondary schools include Ormiston Horizon, Blythe Bridge, Co-op Academy, St Josephs and ST Thomas More. The students responded to three themes, Growing Up, Change and Lost Things in response to the challenges of the last 16 months due to the Covid 19 pandemic. By creating in a visual form or written word it was hoped that young people were able to express themselves creatively about the way they are feeling right now during this challenge time.
Three winners for each category responding to the theme as a visual artwork or poem have been selected by the Staffordshire Poet Laureate, Mel Wardle Woodend and Local Artist Kate Windsor and will be announced on twitter on the 13th July.
Mel Wardle Woodend
Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2019 – 2022
‘I am always impressed when I read a poem because it means that someone has taken the time and effort to write and craft a message, or to communicate their thoughts and feelings, or simply tried to engage and entertain the reader.
For me, it does not matter what the theme or the content of the poem is. The act of writing – of setting time aside to think and to transfer those thoughts out onto the page is the important part, and I think there is something incredibly special about writing down our words – our thoughts and ideas – to share with others.’
Kate Windsor
‘Creativity is such a wonderful and integral part of all of us and it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of this project and to see your thoughts & process on paper.
To be human is to create and not only is it essential to critical thinking and problem solving it is also utterly brilliant for the soul. These wonderful artworks have allowed us to resonate an identity with your thoughts and at other times given a whole new perspective on the world as we know it. Creativity brings us together in so many ways and the best bit is – there are endless possibilities!
So, thank you again. Keep creating. Keep being fantastic. ‘
“In times of uncertainty and during a period where many of our children have faced adversity, opportunities which provide a platform and access for expression and creativity are vital. At Staffordshire University we have been keen to demonstrate the impact of allowing young individuals the space and freedom to express themselves and share their reflective thoughts through poetry and arts. Building such projects into our teacher training courses has provided our trainee teachers of tomorrow an insight into how the creative arts can achieve so much.”
Dr Jim Pugh, Head of Education at Staffordshire University and Chair of the Stoke Reads Senior Steering Group.
Natalie Armitage, Chair of the Stoke and North Staffordshire CEP ‘We are proud to partner with Staffordshire University and the PGCE course with local teachers to enable artists and arts organizations to showcase their amazing skills that have then inspired children and young people to engage in creative activities such as poetry and visual arts.”
The Stoke and North Staffordshire CEP is grateful to the founding funders, Arts Connect, who has funded the initiative as part of its commitment to the Cultural Education Challenge.
