WELCOME TO THE ARTS SOCIETY WIRRAL
The Art Society have been delighted to sponsor the children from Gayton Primary School to make Christmas decorations for the Heswall library tree this year. Please do call in to see what a wonderfully festive job the children have done.
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Gayton Primary School
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Art at the Hive - Autumn competition
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We are happy to present the winners of this years annual Autumn Competition sponsored by the Wirral Art Society, as well as prizes for the winners we were pleased to award a further 20 children with vouchers for art materials.
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The Little Actors Theatre - Neston
In the summer term of 2023, the children of Little Actors Theatre began working on songs, dances and drama to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. Many of our children are low income and benefit form 50% discounts so they can equally access the workshops. The funding from the Wirral Arts Society contributed to supporting these youngsters. The children did their dance routines at Neston Village Fair as well as at the end of term show. The drama created by the children gave us a potted history of the Kings and Queens right up to the current monarch with a dash of humour thrown in. It also recreated on Neston Town Hall Stage the ceremonial event at Westminster Abbey. Thank you to Wirral Arts Society for their support.
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Koestler Arts
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We are delighted to support this excellent organisation with contributions towards art materials.
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“Being creative has given me a new lease of life. I can share my thoughts and feelings through colour. I no longer feel suppressed or confined. Art has shaped a stronger version of me.”
-2023 Koestler Awards entrant
Neston Little Actors
In February, Young Arts were able to donate £500 to Neston Little Actors.
This fund is going to help with some of the fees paid by youngsters enabling them to participate in their Summer school.
The Hive
In February we also gave The Hive youth club £500.
They have bought items to be used for their video recording activities, which is part of their Drama club.
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Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital
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During Covid The Arts Society Wirral were unable to sponsor the Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital but this year we are able to do this again. We are proud to exhibit the works from the pupils at Calday Grange School.
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On 1st December we were joined by the Mayor, the Choir and Brass Band from Calday Grange School for the opening of the Exhibition and the turning on of the Christmas lights. The Art Exhibition will run for a year.
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St Peter's SchooL Lower Heswall
Before Christmas the pupils of St Peter's School, Lower Heswall were busy making Christmas decorations for Heswall Hall, these were proudly exhibited on the tree in Hurton Room. These decorations were sponsored by the The Arts Society Heswall, Young Arts.
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The Wirral Speech, Drama and Music Festival, held at Birkenhead High School and Academy
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After a 2 year break due to Covid once again we were able to sponsor this event. This year April Pointon, who played her guitar and sang a beautiful song she had written, was a worthy and talented winner the singer/songwriter competition. We were delighted to present her with a cup and cheque.
The Cup and Cheque were presented to April Pointon by Gerald Martin QC on behalf the Arts Society Wirral, seen here with Joanne Dennis the Adjudicator
Amy Cave, the teacher from Peter's School, with the decorated tree in Heswall Hall
Wirral Hospitals’ School, equipment from Young Arts
Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital
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For the fifth consecutive year running the Arts Society Wirral have sponsored an Exhibition of Art at
St Catherine’s Hospital by pupils from local schools. This year we are proud to exhibit the works from pupils at Woodchurch High School
Below is a selection of the art exhibited
The Exhibition continues until November 2020
Dylan McDonnell a former pupil of Birkenhead 6th Form College is now a student at the prestigious Central Saint Martins. We are proud to sponsor him with a small grant. The pictures below are from his latest Cutting Project, the students were given 3 designs from other students in the class and had to make each look exactly as they appeared in the illustration, also all had to be done in beige fabric. Dylan said that this was definitely the hardest project yet.
Students of the Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, Wirral at their Summer Show, entertaining all their audiences as Pirates, Circus performers and one very scary lion. The Young Arts Committee support this great production with a contribution towards costumes and props
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Deeside Art Group Annual Art Show - Student Section.
Once again the Young Arts were delighted to present an award each of the winners in this category
Amir Ayas - West Kirby Grammar School
Zoe Heimann - Calday Grange Grammar School
Birkenhead 6th Form College - Art and Design
Luke Dawson with Fenella Billington, Chairman of the Art Society Wirral with committee members Barbara Farmer and Judith Wheat
Luke Dawson who is a student at Birkenhead 6th Form College - Art and Design, has been award a place at Central St Martin’s for the next academic year. This is a huge achievement for the school as it is the second year in succession that a student has won a place at this prestigious Art College.
Designs by Luke Dawson
Wirral Festival of Music, Speech and Drama
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As part of the Wirral Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, held at Birkenhead High School Academy, Prenton, Birkenhead, on Saturday 23rd March 2019, the winner of the SINGER/SONGWRITER category was 13 year old Sophia Criddle, a student from Wirral Grammar School. This is the second year that The Arts Society Wirral (Young Arts) has sponsored this event.
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Sophie with Committee Members of the Arts Society Wirral.
Left to Right: Yvonne Woodhead, Julia Leary, Rabia Thorneloe and The Society's Chairman, Fenella Billington
First prize winner, Sophia Criddle, with the judge, Joanne Dennis, and Sophia’s sister Lily
Fenella Billington with the First prize winner Sophie Criddle
The Hive, Wirral Youth Zone
In January the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Wirral and to our delight they popped in to The Hive, Wirral Youth Zone. We have supported this important Charity for 2 years and have seen it grow in strength and numbers. In October 2017 Young Arts gave a donation to The Hive to buy materials for the “Like Clockwork” project, one of these clocks was presented to the Duchess. For more information on the Hive scroll down this page where you can see more beautiful clocks from this project
The Duchess of Sussex being presented with a clock
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex talking to the Children at the Hive, Youth Zone
The unveiled plaque commemorating the visit of Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Hive, Youth Zone in January 2019
Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital
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For the fourth consecutive year running the Arts Society Wirral have sponsored an Exhibition of Art at St Catherine’s hospital by pupils from local schools. This year we are proud to exhibit the works from pupils at Pensby School
Photographs taken at the official opening on Wednesday 28th November 2018
The Mayor and Mayoress with the Chief Executive Karen Howell and Members of The Arts Society
Mr K Flanagan headmaster of Pensby School
Karen Howell Chief Executive of St Catherine's Hospital
The Exhibition Poster
by Lucy Jo Young
by Victoria Crozier
Below by Mathew Roberts
The Mayor and Mayoress with the Chief Executive Karen Howell and a pupil from Pensby School
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Above by Lucy Richards
By Georgia Crinyion
By Lucy Young.
The images above
Grace Evans, West Kirby Grammar School
Deeside Art Group annual show
Student Section
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Young Arts were happy to step in when a previous sponsor who had agreed to donate £50.00 to each of the winners in this category had to pull out. We were invited to the preview on 6th July at Westbourne Hall West Kirby and the awards went to
Grace Evans, West Kirby Grammar School and
Patrick Garvey, Calday Grange Grammar School
The images above
Partick Garvey, Calday Grange Grammar School,
Wirral Festival of Music, Speech and Drama
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As part of the Wirral Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, held at Birkenhead High School Academy, Prenton, Birkenhead, on Saturday 17th March 2018, the winner of the first ever SINGER/SONGWRITER category was Molly Madigan, singing her own creation "Torn in Half", whilst accompanying herself on the guitar.
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This new category was sponsored by the Arts Society Wirral (Young Arts).
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Below: Molly is shown holding the Trophy and prize money of £25, presented to her by Fenella Billington, Chairman of the Arts Society Wirral.
New Brighton Primary School
production of Grease
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producer Mr Simon Brock
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Young Arts have provided help and sponsorship in the past with their production of Annie, and were happy to be able to do so again.
The First Night on 27th June was a hugely enjoyable experience, for cast, their families and two of us from Young Arts.
From left to right: Barbara Farmer (Young Arts committee member), Yvonne Woodhead (Young Arts co-ordinator), Joanne Dennis (Adjudicator), Molly Madigan (Winner), Fenella Billington (Chairman Arts Society Wirral) and Julia Leary (Arts Society Wirral committee member).
Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital
For the third year running the Arts Society Wirral have sponsored an Exhibition of Art at St Catherine’s hospital by pupils from local schools. This year we are proud to exhibit the works from pupils at St. Mary's Catholic College, Wallasey. Next year it will be the turn of Pensby School to take over the Exhibition.
Yvonne Woodhead, Rabia Thorneloe and Barbara Farmer from the Arts Society Wirral with Jane Loughlan from St Catherine's Hospital
The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum
In October 2017 The Young Arts gave a donation to a workshop project at The Williamson.
This takesplace twice monthly, on a drop-in basis on Saturdays between 11am and 4pm.
They were developed in response to their work with Young Carers and Looked after Children Groups. Our grant enabled a bulk purchase of art materials, paints etc at a substantially reduced rate. Numbers have been growing but the constant worry is that funding, including help from Friends of the Williamson may not continue after September. A sad quote from the artist running the workshops is
“Sadly, these groups are so used to people coming to help and support them, then losing them when the funding runs out…”
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THE HIVE, WIRRAL YOUTH ZONE
In October 2017 Young Arts gave a donation to The Hive to buy materials for the “Like Clockwork” project, which is currently being exhibited till the end of May.
The idea arose from the problems a number of young people experience in being unable to tell analogue time. They have made a number of working, clockwork clocks and decorated them splendidly.
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The Hive is a hugely impressive project which has recently celebrated its first anniversary and already has a membership of thousands.
As an aside, I was told that a number of the seniors at the Hive have also benefited from this very vibrant exhibition and can now also read analogue time.
Following are some of the project we have supported in the past
Shaftesbury Youth Hub
The Arts Society Wirral has supported The Shaftesbury Youth Hub by providing them with art materials for the club
The Shaftesbury Youth Hub currently provides a safe, fun environment where all local children aged 6-12 are welcome. The art club offers these children a quiet place to take part in a hidden curriculum of education through art, giving the children a chance to be creative and to achieve something meaningful to have pride in. Some of these children choose to make greetings cards for family members when they wouldn’t otherwise have the materials to do this at home. The club also allows these children to forge strong friendships despite attending different schools. This year we have made Day of the Dead masks, Earrings, Necklaces, Chocolate Stacked Christmas Decorations, Santa Sleigh Gifts, Jeweled Boxes, Halloween piñatas, Bonfire night sweet rockets, origami Catharine wheels, and we have made a start on our reusable advent calendars.
Our weekly sessions have become very important to those involved. One parent said “Taking part in the Art Club means that my daughter has had a chance to make friends. She is sometimes bullied at school, and finds it hard to socialise. The art club has made her happier and this means that her confidence has received a boost. She is now even enjoying school more and enjoys taking in the items she has made to show her class."
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Connor Francome, who is now 18, left Mosslands School in Wallasey in July 2017 and is now studying at the Wirral Metropolitan College doing an Art & Design Pre Degree Foundation Course.
We gave him a small grant which will help him “to gather the materials needed to progress with exploring layering of unorthodox materials including computer packages”
We felt he was a talented young man and were delighted to be able to help him. We wish him every success for the future.
Mosslands School Art Exhibition at St Catherine's Hospital
in 2016 The Arts Society Wirral sponsored an Exhibition of Art by the pupils of Mosslands School. These works and many others by the pupils will be displayed at St Catherine's Hospital for the next the next six months. This was the second year running that the Arts Society Wirral has been a sponsor of this exhibition
Wirral Schools Concert Band
In the Spring of 2017 The Arts Society Wirral funded a wide range of sheet music for this enthusiatic Schools Band
The Lady Lever Art Group
At the Young Arts Museum Group at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, Juliet Staines leads a group of about fifteen young people of mixed ages and ability. They meet once a month to create artwork based on items in the museum and are partly funded by The Arts Society Wirral. In a recent meeting they worked on flat felt-making based on sea or landscapes from the Lady Lever Art Gallery collections.