News
Tuesday, 01 March 2011
Art’s Kool launches with 33 Ambassadors on board
Art’s Kool, a brand new arts festival for West Oxfordshire, was launched on 5 February in Shipton-under-Wychwood. Thirty three specially invited guests heard a moving speech from the organiser, Jan Harvey, who disclosed that the idea of the festival followed the death of her best friend, Nancy McCulloch two years ago.
‘Nancy loved art and, in particular, work that demonstrated that the artist had put a great deal of thought into it. When she passed away and her husband moved back to America I suddenly realised there was nothing here to remember her by. I came up with an idea for the Nancy McCulloch Award and then the concept of the Art’s Festival developed from there.’
Jan was also concerned that the arts were being side-lined by the announcement of government spending cuts. ‘I began to hear about redundancies in the arts at local level and realised that, over the next few years, the community is going to have to play a bigger role in giving people access to the arts. It is essential that we encourage young people to explore their creativity and be rewarded for their innovation.’
Art’s Kool invites young people aged 8-18 to take part in competitions and workshops and to see their work displayed at the festival in a unique ‘instant exhibition’ which is open to the public in the afternoon.
Jan has involved local companies in the project, her aim is clearly to create a partnership between business and the arts at local level. The headline sponsor is the Rooflight Company also in Shipton-under-Wychwood who freely donated marketing support and their full backing to the project.
Jan has organised the festival single handedly including the research, contact with various agencies and the design of all promotional literature. She says the idea of an arts festival for young people has been on the back burner for her until now but, this year seemed the right time to make it happen.
‘I am amazed at the strength of the response to the Art’s Kool idea. For example, thirty three guests attending the launch have agreed to be Ambassors and spread the word for me. I started to see responses immediately with workshop bookings being made within days.’
Any young person (aged 8-18) may enter the competitions and take part in the workshops on the morning of 11 June. Competition entries which include 2D, 3D and digital work will be on display in an exhibition starting at 2pm.
For all further details please visit artskool.net or call Jan Harvey on 01993 832357 alternatively email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
