News
Monday, 25 July 2011
Young people lead the charge to uncover ‘Hidden’ mysteries of Oxfordshire
Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership Trust a grant of £24,900 to work with young people aged 18- 25 in Witney, Woodstock and Wantage and explore the secrets and treasures of their local towns. The project, a partnership between OYAP Trust, the Vale and Downland Museum, The Oxfordshire Museum and Cogges is a fresh approach to outreach that will inspire young people to explore the county’s unique heritage.
Through a series of workshops in the Autumn participants will seek out and explore the hidden gems from Oxfordshire’s past in their own unique way by working with artists and heritage guides. Participants will lead their own journey through this creative project to culminate in a special exhibition later in the year. Their exhibitions will celebrate a new perspective of heritage through the art works they have created for their local communities.
This project aims to break down the ‘heritage is boring’ myth by bringing local heritage alive through creativity. As the young participants lead the project they will also develop skills and gain valuable experience including team working, marketing and problem solving.
“Cogges is undergoing a complete transformation at the moment and we are really excited to be involved in this project. It will be very useful for us to understand how we can bring the history of Cogges to life for a younger generation. We hope that the benefits will extend far beyond the young people taking part but also to future visitors who will better understand the importance of the site.”
Cogges Heritage Trust
The idea for ‘Hidden’ came from Rebecca Ritchie-Timms (23) who took part in OYAP Trust’s Young Creative Leaders Pilot Programme in 2010. She was inspired by a short film project with the Heritage Lottery Fund and wanted to get more young people excited about heritage in Oxfordshire.
“We’re really proud of Rebecca, she saw an opportunity to develop a project and inspire her peers, she wrote the funding application and is now managing the project with our support. This is a fantastic legacy for OYAP Trust’s Young Creative Leaders Programme and a fantastic start to Rebecca’s freelance career”
Helen Le Brocq – OYAP Trust Director
The project is supported by the museums and Oxfordshire County Council who will provide heritage experts and is funded by Heritage Lottery Fund as a Young Roots project.
