{"id":3705,"date":"2018-02-10T10:09:58","date_gmt":"2018-02-10T10:09:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theartssocietyoxford.org.uk\/?page_id=3705"},"modified":"2025-10-31T19:28:50","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T19:28:50","slug":"young-arts-archive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/theartssocietyoxford.org.uk\/?page_id=3705","title":{"rendered":"Community Arts Projects Archive"},"content":{"rendered":"

We keep a photographic record of each project for our website and publicity purposes, taking care to ensure that we abide by regulations and host requirements concerning distribution of photographs of young and\/or vulnerable people.\u00a0 Below are photos with more details of some of the projects<\/em><\/p>\n

2022 to 2024<\/h4>\n

Barton Wall Project<\/h4>\n

TASO jointly funded the Barton Wall Project with local councillors, Thames Valley Police, Youth Ambition and community groups.\u00a0 This followed the building by the estate community of an eight-foot square wall in a prominent position on the green to be decorated \u2018in an eye catching way\u2019. \u00a0Our contribution was to fund street-art workshops led by a professional artist for children from 6-11 and 12-16 in interactive sessions (the Barton Bash), working on designing street art, and gaining the essential graffiti skills of taping and spray painting. \u00a0The aim of the project was to build self-esteem of the participants, to encourage self-development and to increase the feeling of community for the whole estate. \u00a0 There were also sessions open to everyone, including parents and carers of participants and members of the police, which greatly increased the opportunities for community interaction on the currently troubled estate, and proving very popular with everybody. \u00a0 On the strength of the success of this project, the organisers are applying to the Arts Council for further grants.<\/p>\n

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Cutteslowe Community Centre<\/h4>\n

TASO funded a holiday programme of professionally led workshops focusing on arts and crafts for 17 children over the age of 7, which formed part of a community summer programme for 339 children from over 200 families. \u00a0There had been little youth activity on the Cutteslowe estate during Covid, and anxiety about the rise of consequent anti-social behaviour. \u00a0The projects gave children opportunities to learn new skills and socialise with their friends. \u00a0 Our part of the project produced some good screenprinting, modelling and other artwork. Unexpectedly Ukrainian children also joined the group, helping their integration into the community and helping them work through their trauma by making dens in the woods from found objects and clay modelling.<\/p>\n

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Pegasus Theatre<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>TASO helped to fund the \u2018Play in a Week\u2019 project for 8-12 year old children with a wide range of difficulties, including mental and physical health problems, learning needs and anger management issues. They were helped to devise a play about solving difficulties on a desert island, which, at the end of a week in the summer, they performed for family and friends. They gained producing, directing and performance skills, and behavioural challenges were helped by the professional team and the whole group. Participants learned strategies to build their social skills and confidence and to diminish their social anxieties, whilst enjoying the experience so much that they hoped to continue working with Pegasus in the future.<\/p>\n

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Horspath Primary School<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>TASO funded a whole school project, including all the children from the Nursery to Year 6, led by Francesca Shakespeare as part of the Magic Lantern \u2018Feeling Safe\u2019 scheme, working with each class for a whole day. The theme of the project is based on the school motto \u2018Let your light shine\u2019 and aimed to build confidence and positive mental health by creating something beautiful in a safe place. The children\u2019s artwork will become a long lasting part of the school, culminating in a number of permanent artworks both in the school building and in the playground. The children had, to quote the school feedback, \u2018an amazing time\u2019.<\/p>\n

 
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SS Philip & James Primary School<\/h4>\n

TASO funded the involvement of six children aged 9-10 years old from this school for art therapy at \u2018At the Bus\u2019 \u2013 a quirky converted, colourful vehicle away from their school, which provides exciting, imaginative art therapy for children who are finding it difficult to navigate relationships both at home and at school and who have challenging home circumstances. The interruption of school attendance during the pandemic meant many children were withdrawn, suffered bereavement, trauma and loss, and some had newly arrived in this country. Children identified by the school were provided with a safe, comfortable environment with carefully planned sessions for ten weeks and have made good progress and are fully involved in a range of activities to create calm and wellbeing, with encouraging results. There is significant progress in their willingness to attend school and are newly enthusiastic about changing schools at 11, and the school intends to repeat the exercise next year.<\/p>\n

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Fabula Arts with Wytham Woods<\/h4>\n

TASO funded, in partnership with Oxford University, a week of exploration of the environment of Wytham Woods, using interactive theatre trails led by actors and creative workshops using drama, art, writing and music. The aim was to encourage the arts, raise awareness of environmental issues and the beauty of nature and learn about the history of the wood and its role as a centre of climate change research. Taking part were five Oxford schools (including one special school and home-educated children) each day for a week in June. Parents and families were invited to join the children (aged 8-11) during the following weekend to share and learn from the children’s experiences.<\/p>\n

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Gosford Hill School<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>TASO supported the school to re-establish opportunities for ceramics by funding the purchase of a kiln to replace outdated and unsafe equipment. The project was seriously disrupted by Covid, but gained momentum in 2022. Pottery was included in the curriculum for Year 9 students, aiming to encourage the personal, imaginative design capability of each student. This has built confidence in their own creativity, first by looking at artist Kate Malone\u2019s use of natural forms, then thinking about coral reefs with their features, colours and textures.<\/p>\n

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Wolvercote Young People’s Club<\/h4>\n

The Wolvercote Young People’s Club Arts Caf\u00e9 re-opened after a difficult time during the pandemic. \u00a0TASO funded four sessions with the young people, upcycling old, used furniture in the club, learning new skills like decoupage and mosaic work, and making something old and tired into something beautiful and useful. \u00a0 This work enhanced discussions about our \u2018throw away\u2019 society and the value of recycling.<\/p>\n

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Restore – “The Power of Paint”<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>TASO provided materials for an adult mental health project run by Restore. The project involved ten participants who benefitted from art therapy to aid their recovery from mental health problems, helped them express themselves through painting and enhanced their wellbeing and confidence. Many members had not painted for years due to their declining mental health, but were excited to remember and build on old skills. Their paintings were both abstract, expressing their feelings, and representational, featuring flowers, birds and wildlife, and are displayed by the Beehive Recovery group, to the pleasure of the artists.<\/p>\n

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Headway<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>Headway provides support for adults with brain injuries caused by a sudden, traumatic life change. \u00a0 Using art as therapy and rehabilitation improves co-ordination and fine motor skills but also relieves stress, anxiety and depression, symptoms of brain injury. \u00a0 The project took place during the national Action for Brain Injury Week and included local media coverage. \u00a0 TASO funded the art tutor, who worked with 45 adults, using art in a variety of media, encouraging the participants to interpret and portray their own personal experience and the impact trauma has had on their lives and that of their families, friends and the interruption to their work and careers. \u00a0 The project was in collaboration with Sunningwell School of Art, and culminated in a display of painting and ceramics at the Headway Rehabilitation Centre.<\/p>\n

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Daybreak Dementia Day Clubs<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/a>Daybreak runs several dementia friendly clubs which help people with dementia to continue to live at home and be supported by meeting together in a stimulating environment. TASO funded music sessions at the Limes club. Music is a core tool used in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, using specialist musicians. It greatly reduces depression and boosts the confidence of individuals to increase social engagement. The programme was constantly interrupted and curtailed by covid difficulties, but clearly revived happy memories and gave great pleasure to participants, who sang and danced and clearly had moments of joy.<\/p>\n

2020 to 2022<\/h4>\n

St Swithun’s CE Primary School – 2021<\/h4>\n

TASO, with match funding from The Arts Society Community Grants 2021 ‘covid’ programme, sponsored an art history week at St Swithun’s CE Primary School. The project was led by Francesca Shakespeare. Children from
\nReception to Year 6 were introduced to and explored the meaning of artworks from cave paintings to modern installations. Using a wide range of unusual materials and inspired by these explorations and the support of the facilitators, the children enjoyed creating their own artworks, and in the words of the Head, ‘the results of the week have been amazing’.<\/p>\n\n\t\t