Animating the CanalGoldfish Lanterns and Paper Boats

Workshops have been running in Edinbarnet, St Stephen’s, St. Mary’s and Carleith PrimarySchools throughout September and October in preparation for the 2nd of the LightFestivals to be held at the canal. Rose Harvey and Jenny Renfrew have been workingwith classes to create giant willow Goldfish Lanterns which will be lit up for the festival.Gillian Steel has been working with classes to create Paper Boats which will be floatedon the canal and also lit. The Light Festival will take place in early January 2008 tocoincide with the installation of the new canopy at Clydebank Shopping Centre. We hopethat the event will be bigger and more spectacular than last year in celebration of thecanal.

“This was a valuableopportunity for the class to beinvolved in a communityproject.”

“These children find it hard towork together and in thisproject they worked effectivelyin pairs.”

“This year group finds itdifficult to co-operate with oneanother so the project madethem realise that they had tohelp one another for it to besuccessful.”

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Message from the DirectorThis is the last newsletter for the Arts and Education Links Programme that I will introduce before Iretire as Executive Director of Educational Services.

I have always been amazed by the energy and passion of the team to work with, and find the best inour young people.

There are significant achievements to note:  our creation of and investment in industry standard musicand dance studios, we host the longest serving Cultural Co-ordinator team in Scotland and as a resultare cited as an example of excellence in this field, the Music Motivator scheme too remains one ofthe most dynamic in Scotland and the new Right Track project is the first of its kind in the country. This level of vision and dynamism is great for our pupils and teachers and surpasses targets forinclusion, cultural entitlement and will contribute massively to the success of A Curriculum forExcellence.

I am sure that the team will continue to go from strength to strength in terms of supporting the newcurriculum and finding alternative and creative ways to look at and support teaching and learning inWest Dunbartonshire.

Liz McGinlayExecutive Director of Educational Services

www.creativelinks-wdc.org.ukwww.thepulse-wd.com

TitanExploring the history of theTitan Crane

TITAN is now working at full steam with four St.Columba’s cluster primary schools enrolled in theproject.

Overcoming their fear of heights, teachers and HeadTeachers alike joined the Cultural Co-ordinators for atrip to the top of the newly re-developed 150 foot crane.They now plan to take nearly 180 Primary 7 pupils tothe crane before embarking on a lengthy creative processwith artists Rose Harvey and Inigo Garrido.

Pupils will research crane structures with a structuralengineer and develop canvases and sculptural objectsbased upon all they learn about the crane and the shipsbuilt at John Brown’s shipyard.

The project will culminate in March with an experientialshipbuilding day, giving pupils the chance to don theiroveralls and discover what it might have been like towork in and around the crane on ships like the QueenElizabeth II and the Queen Mary.

The crane closes for the winter but re-opens in spring2008 and looks set to be an important resource foreducational exploration of our local history. The ScottishArts Council has funded the TITAN project based uponits promise to engage with A Curriculum for Excellence,professional arts practices and local heritage.

For further information contact the CulturalCo-ordinators on 0141 952 7292.

You can find the Titan Crane online atwww.titanclydebank.com and via our projectpartners at Clydebank rebuilt.

Urban CulturesThis is a new project which will involve study visits to both Spainand Bristol with pupils from St. Andrew’s High School. Theproject looks at urban regeneration in these two places andhow this can inform their development of Clydebank. Inparticular the project focuses on the canal and waterwaysrelevant to both Bristol, the Alhambra in Granada and Malagain Spain.

This research outcome might influence a more strategicapproach to involving young people in the urban regenerationbeing undertaken by Clydebank rebuilt and through theRegeneration of the Schools Estate in the town. The researchwill focus on Granada and the Alhambra: a palace built on anetwork of canals, as well as local seasonal festivals whichcreate a strong cultural link between the citizens of Granadaand the architectural layout of the city and its waterways.

The aim of this approach will be to bring back a body of researchwhich will support urban regeneration concepts with youngpeople and the work of Clydebank rebuilt who focus on creatinga sense of community and belonging in the urban landscape.Pivotal to the study undertaken will be both the historical andcurrent role of Clydebank’s waterways and the schoolsprogramme that runs alongside.

The rationale for this study visit has evolved over the last sixmonths in partnership with Clydebank rebuilt, who are co-ordinating a colourful festival called Animating the Canal alongthe Forth and Clyde Canal. The Arts and Education LinksProgramme is working in a number of schools in Clydebankon this project.

Plotting a Futurefor RossheadRosshead shop has been in the process of refurbishment aspart of the regeneration of the Rosshead area. The projectbrief for area was to work in collaboration with young peoplewho live in Rosshead and prepare design ideas on how the sitecould be improved. The brief was set by West DunbartonshireEnvironment Trust and the project proceeded in closecollaboration between the Rosshead Tenants and ResidentsAssociation, the shop proprietor, the Environment Trust, Artsand Education Links Team and the young people themselves.

The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Designand the City worked with the young people on the final designproposal. Throughout the project the young people examinedwhat they felt made Rosshead special; used lots of differentmedia to investigate and record their findings; researched andexplored design ideas; worked as a team and in partnershipwith the Community Council to brief leading Scottish designer,Sam Booth and review his designs.

West Dunbartonshire Environmental Trust is now hoping toturn these plans into a reality in the ongoing regeneration ofthe area.

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Right TrackRight Track is a pilot project in Clydebank South(Urban II) specifically designed to help young peopleunderstand the potentials of a career in music ordance. By offering opportunities to gain accreditation,awards, skills development support and links to thecreative industries the project hopes to encourageyoung people to look at the arts as a career optionwith the continued support and advice from theproject Dance and Music Mentors.

As the project continues to gain momentum throughthe high schools in the area, community groups andlocal agencies have also shown a keen interest in theoverall aims of the project. By participating in varioustaster workshops, raising awareness of the manydance styles available and providing opportunities forbudding young musicians to record their written andmusical talents we have helped young people to utilizeour fantastic facilities at The STAND dance studio andin the Cre8 music studio.

Both studios are now registered centres for thepresentation of candidates through ASDAN ExpressiveArts Award and the Dance Leadership Award.

Right Track recently celebrated with an awardsceremony for successful candidates with seniormanagement presenting thirty one young peoplewith awards in Dance Leadership, an awardaccredited from Sports Leaders UK.

As the project continues to build capacity within thelocal community, specific workshop based careersevents are planned for October 07 - ‘Jobs in Theatre,Film, TV and Radio’, with future events scheduled inJanuary focusing on ‘Careers in Music’ and then inMarch reflecting on ‘Careers in Dance’.

Progress is also being made with the Youth/SocialEnterprise companies. Projector Youth Dance heldauditions in September 07 and is now workingtowards performances locally and nationally.Development of a Music Enterprise company isimminent.

With three full time members of staff workingfuriously to engage young people in this creative andcultural project, the target outcomes of the projectare expected to be comfortably achieved.

Further information pertaining to the project canbe found on the Right Track website www.right-trackproject.co.uk or by contacting Joy McCaughran,Project Co-ordinator on 0141 952 9409.

The Cre8 StudioThe Cre8 studio was officially launched on26 April 2007 giving the Facilitator a fantastic newhigh tech studio as a space to encourage young musicians todevelop and record their musical talents as well as providing anopportunity to learn first hand the work involved in music andsound production.

Relationships have beenestablished with highschools WestDunbartonshire-wide. Aclose working relationshipwith staff at Clydebank HighSchool, home of the studio,has resulted in a steadyincrease of the use of thestudio. Local youngmusicians have primarily used the facility for setting up, rehearsing,recording, editing and mixing to produce their own original work.

In addition to young people using the studio of their own volition,it has also been used by The Pulse, The Pulse Plus, CareersScotland, Activ8 and the Tullochan Trust as a facility to engageyoung people in an alternative method of learning andself-development.

Accreditation in DanceTo celebrate the first successful courses in the Dance LeadershipAward offered by West Dunbartonshire Council’s Arts andEducation Links Programme, a special event was organised atThe STAND dance studio.

Thirty-one successfulcandidates, their family,friends and teachers joinedtogether for an awardpresentation at TheSTAND. As well as beinghanded their certificates,there were guest speakersand a fabulous performance from The Flyin’ Jalapeno B Boy Crew.

Mary Docherty, Quality Manager congratulated the young peoplein their achievement. “Our young people had demonstrated greatleadership skills through their commitment, tenacity and couragein embarking on this programme which was a first for WestDunbartonshire Council. I believe passionatelythat education is about helping to buildconfidence and provide opportunities for ouryoung people to experience success throughachievement and we have been able torealize these goals through thedelivery of this programme.”

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It is really exciting workingwith fresh talent and is particularlygreat to have their efforts recorded

and produced on CD in such aprofessional manner. The youngpeople I worked with really rose

to the challenges weset them.

Carol LaulaSongwriter and Workshop Facilitator

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Projector

West Dunbartonshire’s has recently launched a fresh newPROjECTOR youth dance company.

By supporting the growing talents of young people, thecompany will act as a training ground to engage and discoverthe possibilities of movement and creativity in a safe andfriendly environment. By providing a platform to showcasework, PROjECTOR youth dance will help to generate positiveimages of young people, change attitudes and promoteinvolvement in the creative and cultural industries.

The company will offer challenging opportunities for youngpeople aged 16-21 and develop skills in contemporary andurban dance styles. The programme will include weeklyclasses, masterclasses and intensive training opportunities.The first public performance will be at the Go Dance festival,Glasgow during January 2008.

For more information about PROjECTOR youth dance pleasecontact Rowan Gillespie, Dance mentor on 0141 952 9409.

GeometrixThis crafts residency Geomatrix finished at the end of Marchwith an exhibition in Lomond Galleries, Alexandria. Textileartist Anne Ferguson worked with Christie Park Primary andVale of Leven Academy for six months creating work withthe young people. The exhibition comprised of a range ofwork including initial sketches and colour studies, collagepieces and development work, and finally textile piecesfinished using heatpresses. The work looked fantastic andaudiences responded favourably to the work produced.

Artist, Anne Ferguson extended the crafts residency into thesummer term thanks to enterprise funding from Determinedto Succeed.

With extra funding from the Scottish Arts Council Anne isnow embarking on two further mini residencies. She iscurrently working in Levenvale Primary School where theschool is using the Health Promoting Schools theme tocreate large banners for their foyer area.

Project Feedback:

“It was really fun and Miss Ferguson is a good teacher. MissFerguson gives us the subject and lets us do what we want. In art normally we have to copy the teacher. We reallylooked forward to the project each week.”

“I’ve never had work in an exhibition before. My mum wentto see it and she said it was fabulous.”

“It’s been an invaluable opportunity for the children to workwith a resident artist and produce work with a professionalfinish. It’s not something we would have tackled on ourown and it’s given us the confidence to do this again. Thechildren have been very motivated throughout the project.”

Laura Penny, HT Christie Park Primary

“The children enjoyed the whole process from startto finish.”

Learning Assistant, Christie Park Primary

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“The programme provided a goodrange of activities ensuring that everyyoung person involved took part andlearned new skills and opportunitiesotherwise unavailable to them.” Senior Youth Worker

Participant Feedback:“The music making was very good. Ifelt I could speak up and say what Ifelt not what everyone else wantedme to do.”

“It gave me more skills to do thingsthat I couldn’t do before. It was a greatexperience.”

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Summer DigitalArts SchoolThis summer Lorne Cowieson, CulturalCo-ordinator again organised an artsschool for young people who are involvedwith the Clydebank and DumbartonSocial Work department’s Group Workprogramme, the Youth Justice Servicementoring scheme or the TullochanTrust.

This year the project was part fundedby the Arts and Education LinksProgramme, Social Work Services andby Clydebank College. The school, whichinvolved electronic and digital arts, ranover three weeks of the summerholidays.

“The day comprised of three elements;music, art and dance. The young peoplewere introduced to cutting edgesoftware that allowed them to createtheir own music, develop a digitalphotograph into an artwork piece andto create a dance slideshow throughpiecing together stills images. The daywas a great success with many of theyoung people expressing an interestto learn more about new technologies.This was a great way to introduce theyoung people to modern software andtechnology in a fun and innovative way.”

The Tullochan Trust - report toClydebank College

The project aimed to introduceparticipants to digital arts activities ina comfortable and supportiveenvironment and to build confidence intaking part in creative and artisticactivities whilst also fostering the desireto participate in future activities.

Western LimitsWestern Limits gave many of our most at risk andvulnerable young people the opportunity to write,perform and record their own songs. Supported atevery stage by professional musicians, the resultsare remarkably creative and inspiring.

Lorne Cowieson, Cultural Co-ordinator and a teamof facilitators worked with young people from theChoices Programme, Youth Justice Service, Activ8,Group Work and Family Support and The TullochanTrust.

If you would like a copy of any of the CDs in theWest series please contact: Lorne Cowieson,Cultural Co-ordinator -mrcowieson@ea.w-dunbarton.sch.uk

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Music Motivators’ UpdateYouth Music Initiative in WestDunbartonshire

The Music Motivators Scheme, funded by the ScottishArts Council’s Youth Music Initiative, comprises threeseparate arms of music education; singing, rhythmand digital music. The current Music Motivatorprogramme sees the team working in their secondyear of a two year plan with all 34 primary schools inWest Dunbartonshire.

Each Motivator works with a separate year group orclass within all schools. Both the Singing and RhythmMotivators workcontinuously ineach school oncea week for the firstthree academicterms, and theDigital Motivatorworks for twoconsecutive daysin each term. Each Motivator works on their owndiscipline individually whilst preparing the children withthe relevant skills to showcase their work at an end ofyear concert, one for each school taking part. Eachdiscipline gets a chance to shine as part of thisshowcase but also all three classes come together toperform a series of musical compositions together.

Throughout the year the Motivators develop all themusical skills required in their relevant fields to achievethe highest level of attainment alongside the 5-14guidelines; individuality, performance skills and aboveall the ability to apply these new-found attributes toteam work and performing with others. In addition theDigital Music class will create a CD and design its ownartwork and text.

As with last year, the showcases will be full professionalperformances with sound, lighting, special effects,smoke machines, live video projection and professionallyproduced backing tracks with the children taking onthe role of narrator and explaining the skills andtechniques they are using - in this way reflecting ontheir learning.

Introducing Neil...

The Music Motivators would like to welcome NeilMcCorrisken as a full time member of their team. Neilis employed as a Digital Music Motivator to visit the 17schools that the other three Motivators visited lastacademic year. The schools have been eager to enlistNeil’s help following the success of last years excitingperformances. The children are buzzing with excitementat the thought of reviewing with Neil all the Noodle andGarageband programmes they loved so much.

The team wishes Neil all the best in his new role asDigital Music Motivator.

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6Sexual Bullyingin SchoolsThis successful pilot project in Dumbarton Academy,which tackled the issue of sexual bullying will featurein the Scottish Executive's Annual Report on ‘Respectand Responsibility’ as an example of good practice.

Shona Bruce from the Reduce Abuse Projectdelivered workshops across the S3 year group. Thesessions covered people’s attitudes, gender relatedinsults, sexual harassment, homophobia and forcedrules within society.

The project aimed to bring sexual bullying in schoolto light and address the powerful effects that suchbehaviour inflicts on young people.

As part of the programme, the Dance Mentor workedalongside a music specialist and film-maker todevelop a short dance for the camera piece withinterested pupils. The film will be used as apromotional tool to engage other young people andstaff from other schools.

The project had great support from all involved, andteaching staff from Dumbarton Academy stated thatit was a much needed project within the school.

Shona Bruce said “I felt the workshops worked well,involving young people in the whole process ofperforming and using sound and filming equipment.The young people had opportunities to learnanimation techniques and use computer softwarein filming and editing. The group of young peopleincreased in confidence and will hopefully be leadingon the launch of the DVD later in the year.”

Sailor’s SurgeonThere is a final stage of the Ship Sail project with Whitecrook Primaryand Cunard School from October 07 to March 08 where groups willbe based in Clydebank Museum and create animations and ceramicsinspired by the Victorians exhibition ‘Bustles, Britannia and BigIdeas - Living in the Victorian era’ currently on in Clydebank Museum.The groups will also visit the Tall Ship in Glasgow as part of theproject.

For more information on the HLF Schools and Museums Projectplease visit: www.glasgowmuseums.com

The HLF Schools and Museums Project is funded by the HeritageLottery Fund, the Scottish Executive, Glasgow City Council and theScottish Museums Council.

Feedback:“I saw the kids develop in confidence, team building skills andself-esteem as the project went on. The improvements were seenin the classroom as well as just in the project.”

“They got a lotof praise fromtheir peers.Some of themhad never hadthat before.”

Space InvadersSummer Transition Projects

Now in its fifth year Space Invaders took place in St. Andrew’s HighSchool, St. Colmuba’s High School, Dumbarton Academy and Valeof Leven Academy this year and was better attended than ever.

Introducing Primary 7 pupils to their new high school, the projectallows pupils to work alongside actors, artists, sculptors, filmmakers, musicians and dancers to create their own guided tour ofthe school, transforming whole areas into fantastical worlds.

Supported by SMTs and Pupil and Family Support Teams each weekwas a fantastic opportunity for pupils to become comfortable intheir new school, whilst marking the start of their secondary careerwith a sense of achievement.

This year included an invasion of babies that the audience had torepel by dressing as clowns, a gangster themed dance, ‘The Vale’sGot No Talent’ show, an alien rocket ship that crashed into the stageand time travelling space monkeys.

St Andrew’s High School first year parents’ nights were marked byfavourable mentions of the project by mums and dads whose childrenhad taken part and found the whole process of transition far lessfearful as a result of Space Invaders participation.

Creativity, confidence, motivation, enthusiasm, teamwork and self-reliance are all developed through the programme. Schools canbook their weeks for next summer by contacting Stephen Bullockon 0141 952 7292. mrbullock@ea.w-dunbarton.sch.uk.

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7Ship SailYear Two of the Heritage Lottery Fund Museums and Heritage projectculminated with an exhibition in the Museum of Transport from 15 Juneto 10 August 2007. The exhibition opened on 15 June with presentationsto all of the groups. The exhibition contained work created in responseto objects and interpretations at museum venues across Glasgow CityCouncil, South Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council byyoung people across these three authorities. The schools that have beeninvolved during 2006/7 from West Dunbartonshire Council are St. Peter’sPrimary, St. Eunanís Primary and Vale of Leven Academy.

We are delighted to report that the project won an award for ‘EducationalInitiative’ from Awards for Excellence in London. Congratulations to JennyRenfrew, Cultural Co-ordinator for her all her hard work and dedicationto this ambitious project.

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Drama Clubs Raise Profile of West DunbartonshireThe After School Drama Clubs are becoming a regular fixture at community events around West Dunbartonshire, and theirreputation led to an invitation to present their good practice nationally at the Community Scotland Arts Conference inGlasgow. Pupils from the After School Drama Clubs gave a presentation at the event as well as welcoming delegates inrole as comedy security guards. Delegates were encouraged to literally jump through hoops and give secret passwordsto gain entry to the conference, startingthe day in a light hearted way.

Pupils from Vale of Leven Academy andClydebank High School did their schoolsproud by not only contributing streettheatre to West Dunbartonshire’sauthority-wide Community Day but alsocompering the whole event. Pupils fromClydebank High made announcementsthroughout the day, marking each onewith a short comedy sketch based on thePC versus Mac adverts - an Online Gamerversus an Athlete, each trying to out-dothe other with their ‘active’ lifestyles.

As if this was not enough the Drama Clubswere very busy last term, creatingbespoke performances for the Cre8Launch, Scottish Out of School HoursLearning Network Conference, WestDunbartonshire Parenting Event and aGangs of Clydebank film project linkedwith Social Work Services. Satellite group Clydebank Youth Theatre, led by ex-members of the Drama Clubs, spent thesummer filming Skatespeare (Romeo and Juliet on skateboards) and hope to use the finished DVD to seek further fundingfor a community-wide arts project based at the Unit 23 Skatepark in Dumbarton. The participants trained in stage fighting,skateboarding and performing Shakespeare as part of this short project.

Helicoptors and HeliumIn the coming months schools in the authority will take part ina project that will focus on the potential of creative play andstorytelling to enliven the learning process for a group in theP4/P5 pupils.

Using some of the education principals of Vivian Gussin Paley asa departure point, artist and teacher Jean Hutchison and DramaWorker Clare Collins will lead the pupils through a process ofdeveloping their own stories and then realising these as aperformance alongside a visual arts form.

Teaching staff will also be given an opportunity to take part in aparallel CPD programme.

This project will be an ideal opportunity for teaching staff, pupilsand artists to play an equal part in shaping the learning process.

For further information on Helicopters and Helium pleasecontact: Gillian Steel, Cultural Coordinator, email:mssteel@ea.w-dunbarton.sch.uk, Tel - 0141 952 7292

Drama ToolboxCPD for primary staff

The Drama Toolbox CPD opportunity last session was fully bookedonce more.

Back by popular demand, the set of four workshops took teachersthrough the essential tools of the trade needed to run a flexible,relevant and fun drama workshop in their school.

Future CPD opportunities are planned to cater specifically forthe P1-3 age range and teaching staff should keep an eye on theCPD catalogue for this and further runs of the Drama Toolboxworkshops.

“These were the best drama workshops ‘ I would recommendthem to anyone who wants to develop their drama lessons.Enjoyed them immensely and learned loads!”

Drama Toolbox Participant