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You, Me, Together. Arts initiative gets pupils in MK Schools talking about mental health and wellbeing

“The way I know mental health, is when people have big barriers in front of them and they can’t get through it”

In a survey of 338 Schools in 2016, 55% had experience a large increase in cases of stress and anxiety amongst young people. In an evolving initiative to understand and support young people’s mental health and wellbeing, Milton Keynes Council Public Health and NHS Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) created an innovative project called You, Me, Together, supported with investment from Artswork, the South East Bridge, and delivered in partnership with the MK Cultural Education Partnership (led by Arts & Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes).

The creative learning charity, Artis, worked with 150 young people and children in four Milton Keynes schools. The aim of this project was to gain a better understanding of how children and young people in MK perceived mental health, to get them to understand and identify mental health and wellbeing in others (you), in themselves (me), and to support each other (together).

Jill Wilkinson, Director of Health and Social Care Integration at NHS Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group and Chair of the Children and Young Peoples Mental Health and Wellbeing Transformation Programme said: “Our commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of the children and young people in Milton Keynes is one of the key aims of the CCG. We commissioned the You, Me, Together film as we were keen to hear from the voices of children on whose behalf we commission mental health services. We have continued to invest in child and adolescent mental health services and to work across the whole system to improve their overall experience.”
Muriel Scott, Director of Public Health at MK Council said: “To learn more about how young people and children understand mental health and wellbeing, we needed to ask the experts –the young people themselves. This project not only helped schools engage with what mental health and wellbeing is and why it’s so important to talk about it, but it also gave us a great insight into how young people perceive it and express it. I’m incredibly proud of how well the project worked and I’m confident it’ll help us to help the young people and children in MK.”

A film about the project was created to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing in young people, what it means to them and to open up a conversation. What is mental health and wellbeing and what can we all do to improve things?

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Children in ten of our primary schools benefit from an exciting cultural programme working with artists

The Arts and Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes (AHA-MK), with its 39 member organisations, has formed a Cultural Education Partnership (MKCEP) for Milton Keynes. MK Council departments, cultural organisations, artists, schools and MK College are working together to enrich the lives of our children and young people in Milton Keynes, with increased opportunities for innovative, high quality creative learning.

We are delighted to launch a new exciting programme for MK primary schools exploring Place-making – what does this mean for children?  This is funded by Artswork, the South East Bridge, a regional charity who believe in empowering young people through arts and culture, and by Milton Keynes Community Foundation, who support transformational projects.

Chair of AHA-MK Francesca Skelton:

We are delighted that our funders Artswork and MK Community Foundation are investing in the future of our Milton Keynes children and that schools have embraced this opportunity to work with arts organisations to build the children’s understanding of their home town in such a creative way as they gain important skills.

Three hundred Key Stage 1 & 2 pupils from across the ten chosen schools will take part in inspiring creative sessions, developing creative and social skills, increased confidence, wellbeing and motivation.  Sessions will explore a range of art forms, from contemporary dance to visual art. All participating children have the chance to achieve their Arts Award Discover or Explore, a scheme accredited by Trinity College London.  An embedded teacher development programme, facilitated by action research organisation 5x5x5=creativity, will inspire and support schools to develop cross curricular links and nurture children’s creativity throughout the project and beyond.

Each school’s participation in the project will support their achievement of Artsmark, Arts Council England’s creative quality standard for schools, ensuring that hundreds more pupils continue to benefit from access to high quality creative learning in school.

AHA-MK member, MK Gallery’s Learning Manager, Tara Page is managing this project:

Access to the arts can support learning in all subject areas; pave the way for exciting and worthwhile career paths; and engage and bring joy to the most vulnerable of learners. MK Gallery is thrilled to support the development of partnerships between schools and arts organisations in Milton Keynes. During times of increasing adversity, it becomes more and more important to utilise the power of partnership working to ensure sustainable access to high quality creative learning for children and young people.

From an open-call advertising the opportunity to all Milton Keynes primary schools, we have selected the following ten schools to participate in the project: Bishop Parker Catholic Primary; Caroline Haslett Primary; Holne Chase Primary; Long Meadow Primary; Middleton Primary; Romans Field Primary; St. Monica’s Catholic Primary; St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary; Summerfield Primary and Willen Primary.  Each school has been partnered with one of five MK-based arts and cultural organisations: Inter-Action MK; MÓTUS; Milton Keynes Arts Centre; Pagrav Dance; and Will We Be.

 

 

 

 

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On the Verge – Underpasses Project unveils new artwork

Unveiling of the ‘New Griffin’ design in the Conniburrow/Downs Barn underpass with “Act of Gold”; a community performance celebrating Milton Keynes’ urban heritage as part of Milton Keynes 50th Anniversary.

As part of the “Underpasses: connecting people connecting places” project, On The Verge unveiled the first of two new underpass artworks and hosted a community performance by 100+ residents and children on Friday 10th February at the Conniburrow/Downs Barn underpass off Conniburrow Boulevard, under Marlborough Street. The performance lasted approximately 15 minutes, followed by refreshments and celebratory activities in the Southwood School Assembly Hall.

The New Griffin artwork design, is inspired by conversations with the community and the accompanying performance featured the children of Southwood and Germander Park schools and the Conniburrow Community Choir.

This celebration featured a brief outdoor performance and the unveiling of two interpretation panels within the underpass itself. Afterward there was an opportunity to view OTV’s two children publications: ‘Travelling in Time’ and ‘MY MK’ .

On The Verge are working in close partnership with local residents, artists and project partners: MK Council, The Parks Trust and the MK City Discovery Centre, to enhance two underpasses that link the original CMK estates, with an aim to collectively create a more positive identity and instil greater pride and ownership.  The Heritage Lottery Funded project has commissioned the artists’ collective RARA to work with local residents on the transformation of the Conniburrow/Downs Barn underpass, and later this month, the Fishermead/Oldbrook underpass.

On the Verge is delivering the year long ‘Underpasses: connecting people, connecting places’ project since 2016. The ‘Underpasses’ project aims to connect residents with the unique heritage of the ‘New Town’ of Milton Keynes, tying into MK50 anniversary celebrations in 2017.

Project outputs include:

  • Community engagement programme lead by RARA an artist cooperative.
  • Heritage inspired artwork and interpretation panels for two underpasses in four estates around Central Milton Keynes
  • Interpretation panels for Secklow Mound and for Boyd & Evans painting ‘Underpass’ at the CMK/Campbell park underpass
  • Two children’s publications on MK’s ‘New Town’ history: ‘Travelling in Time’ and ‘MY MK’ 
  • ‘Underpasses’ an exhibition tracing the development of Milton Keynes at the Discover Milton Keynes at CMK Library
  • A heritage trail leaflet: ‘The Story of Housing in Milton Keynes’  (in four estates around CMK) and a version of it for children.
  • An App connected to the MY MK publication.
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Audience Development Consultant Brief

The Arts & Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes (AHA-MK) is looking for a consultant(s) that can work with a collective of arts and heritage organisations to inform and support development of strategies that diversify, broaden and/or deepen their audiences.

AHA-MK is a strategic forum of arts and heritage organisations in Milton Keynes.  We are a membership organisation that aims to represent, develop and promote the arts and heritage sectors of Milton Keynes.  A key area of our work is audience development.

A group of organisations from our membership have come together to form a collective interested in practical audience development activity.  The collective have attempted some work using surveys and the Audience Finder approach, but are in need of greater support to develop their knowledge and understanding and to make a meaningful difference to their audience development practice.

AHA-MK is looking for a consultant(s) who can work with six cultural organisations to develop audience research techniques, create bespoke solutions to meet challenges and opportunities, and support organisations through implementation and evaluation.  This contract requires a hands-on approach embedding best practice and developing understanding of audience development theory through mentoring and practical experience.

The deadline for applications is: 18th December 2015.

For more information and details of how to apply please download the full brief: MK Audiences Consultant brief final.

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For the Fallen Comes to Campbell Park

Westbury arts centre dance

Experience a large-scale commemorative dance at Campbell Park against the backdrop of 500 hand-made banners all inspired by WW1.

Sunday 5th July – FREE Event – two performances at 3pm and 5pm.

Westbury Arts Centre have been working with talented textile artist Vinny Stapley, schools, community groups and residents of Milton Keynes, between then they have produced over 500 commemorative banners. These banners will form part of a large-scale dance piece, choreographed by Helen Parlor, Effie McGuire-Ward and Chris Bradley, that involves over 100 dancers and will move around Campbell Park. Inspired by stories from the Great War and addressing themes of conflict, this will be a beautiful act of commemoration.

The banners will also be displayed at Westbury Arts Centre from 11th – 31st July.

For more information about the Great War MK project please visit our blog.

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MK Gallery Joins Plus Tate Network

Sixteen more visual arts organisations across the UK, from Derry to Milton Keynes to Southampton, join Plus Tate

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Tate is pleased to announce that Plus Tate, the contemporary visual arts network, is to expand by sixteen institutions. They join the original cohort of eighteen partners, plus the four Tate galleries, to virtually double the size of the group. In 2010, Plus Tate was launched to share collections and expertise and build a network which would use Tate’s resources to strengthen the contemporary visual arts ecology in the UK. The expansion comes in the wake of the Warwick Commission Report which highlighted the importance of building strong arts organisations outside London.

The decision to extend the Plus Tate network was announced in September 2014 and applications were received through an open process in which premium was placed on a strong artistic vision, a focus on contemporary art, outstanding public programming and a commitment to local community engagement through art.

The network will now have greater geographic spread across the UK with three new venues being added in Northern Ireland, The Fruitmarket Gallery joining in Scotland and Artes Mundi in Wales. Three London venues have also been added.

Nicholas Serota said: ‘Expanding the network will significantly change Plus Tate’s texture. These are all organisations that contribute to their local community but which have a national profile. The larger network will bring different kinds of experience into the pool and facilitate greater cooperation between partners.’

Alex Farquharson, Director of Nottingham Contemporary said: ‘The Plus Tate network has made for closer relationships between a large number of leading visual arts institutions across Britain. Many of us are unique in our local environments; it is therefore invaluable to be able to share strategy, knowledge and experience with peers across the country, particularly at a time of considerable economic and political challenge. Instead of isolation and competition, Plus Tate has given rise to a collegial, mutually supportive network, committed to success in our sector, for our publics.’

Hugh Mulholland, Curator MAC in Belfast said: ‘Being included in Plus Tate …affords us the opportunity to become an active contributor to the well-established network of other galleries who already make up Plus Tate and who share our desire to be part of the national and international discourse around contemporary visual art practice.’

The new partners are:

Artes Mundi in Cardiff, Camden Arts Centre, Centre for Contemporary Art Derry-Londonderry, Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art in Manchester, Chisenhale Gallery in London, The Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh, Golden Thread in Belfast, Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston, John Hansard Gallery in Southampton, Liverpool Biennial, The MAC Belfast, MK Gallery in Milton Keynes, Modern Art Oxford, The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland, the South London Gallery and Spike Island in Bristol.

They join the original eighteen partners which are:

Arnolfini, BALTIC, Cornerhouse/HOME, firstsite, Glynn Vivian, Grizedale Arts, The Hepworth Wakefield, Ikon, Kettle’s Yard, mima, MOSTYN, Newlyn Art Gallery and the Exchange, Nottingham Contemporary, The Pier Arts Centre, Towner, Turner Contemporary, Whitworth Art Gallery, Wysing, plus the four Tate galleries.

The original cohort of eighteen Plus Tate partners is visited by over 3.5 million people every year, employs over 500 full time staff and has an annual turnover of £34 million. Research published in January, Plus Tate: Connecting Art to People and Places, revealed the significant regenerative and economic benefits of these organisations. Plus Tate has attracted collaborative funding in recent years such as that from JP Morgan for a national Plus Tate Learning Programme and £5 million from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to create Circuit, a peer-led programme for young people.

The enlarged Plus Tate group will meet together for the first time in July 2015 to set the agenda for the next phase of development to 2020.

MK Gallery
MK Gallery
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Sew, Stick or Knit a Poppy for the Great War MK Project

Poppies The Arts and Heritage Alliance MK is looking for groups and individuals to create and donate poppies, to be added to a WW1 centenary banner. Part of Westbury Arts Centre’s Banner Project, these banners will be included in an act of commemoration on 5th July at Campbell Park. This event will explore themes of conflict, involving over 100 dancers at Campbell Park – everyone is welcome.

To get involved: Find some fabric and cut out a poppy using the template provided on our website (or alternatively crochet or knit a poppy). Embroidery or sparkle can be added, as well as the name of a relative or local person that was involved in WW1. Photos of the poppies can be shared at www.Facebook.com/GreatWarMK or on Twitter using #GreatWarMK). Finally attach the slip from the Poppy Brief to the poppy and put them in a poppy collection box at your local MK Library. The deadline is 12 June 2015.

AHA would also love to hear any stories about relatives or local people that served in WW1.

The Poppy Brief and Poppy Template can be found here: www.greatwarmk.wordpress.com/poppies-call-out

Great War MK is a project exploring the impact of the First World War on the communities of Milton Keynes through research, commemorative events, activities and community workshops: www.GreatWarMK.wordpress.com

Please contact Lallie for more information: aha-mk@milton-keynes.gov.uk

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Replica tanks, street theatre and commemorative dance for Great War MK

For the Fallen
For the Fallen

How about seeing a bit of theatre in a full-size replica 1st World War tank? Or watching a commemorative dance with hand-made banners? Or perhaps participating as an Old Time Music Hall audience – letting the performers know what you think of their acts! New music from young musicians, new film shows of the Great War era, extraordinary installations and exhibitions – all these are part of the Great War MK project about to explode on the Milton Keynes community.

Great War MK is a collaborative project led by the Arts & Heritage Alliance Milton Keynes (AHA-MK). It explores the impact of the First World War on the communities of Milton Keynes – an area now covering six towns, 41 villages and 1/4 million people – through research, commemorative events, participatory learning activity and community workshops. During 2015 Great War MK will be presenting events and opportunities for people to explore and commemorate the lives and the stories of the Great War.

With funding from Heritage Lottery Fund and seed-funding from MK Council, this project brings together various arts and heritage organisations, which are all exploring WW1 themes and using different methods to tell stories. The partner organisations are: Cowper and Newton Museum, Deanshanger Village Heritage Society, Festive Road, Independent Cinema Milton Keynes, Living Archive, MK Gallery, Pepper’s Ghost Theatre Company, Westbury Arts Centre through support from MK Heritage Association: Bucks Constabulary Museum, North Crawley Historical Society and Simpson History Group.

Great War MK aims to work with people of all ages and abilities, providing opportunities to take part in workshops, and activities are now developing. To find out more see our events page and Facebook or follow @AHA_MK #GreatWarMK on Twitter. You can also hear more about the projects on our Vimeo page.

Alongside these events, Great War MK is also putting a call out to any community groups or individuals that want to be part of this large-scale project: we want you to create and donate your very own hand-made poppy to be added to a WW1 banner. Using the sewing template found here (or by knitting or crocheting), we are asking for as many people as possible to create a poppy that will be included in banners used as part of an act of commemoration in July at Campbell Park. To find out more please see the blog.

Marion Hill, author and Chair of the Great War MK Steering Group says: ‘Even after a hundred years, the Great War continues to move and inspire – and with the wealth of talented people that we have here in Milton Keynes, we look forward to so much more to reflect upon – because Milton Keynes does it differently!’

The stories of Milton Keynes in WW1, of those that went off to fight, those that stayed behind and of those that did not return will be commemorated through this project and we invite all residents of Milton Keynes to remember them with us by attending a workshop or event, making a poppy or by volunteering with us – get in contact via: aha-mk@milton-kenyes.gov.uk .