“My creative journey started 13 years ago when I decided to leave my job and do a degree in art and design. I have always been creative and wanted to put my skills to good use.

My degree was the beginning of an amazing journey and whilst at college it allowed me to explore and develop a range of ideas, exploring materials, equipment and spaces. Mid way through the degree, I had started collaborating with artists and the public on several projects.  We made several sculptures using basic materials and I suddenly realised the act of creating something together was more special than the end result. I also discovered that people would often make dens rather than sculptures.

By the end of my third year, I had researched den building and how doing such things are fundamental to  child development. I also realised that building structures was a great activity to engage all ages.

I explored lots of materials and worked in various locations with different groups to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible. Once I left college I wanted to continue to develop my own practice, but  I could see the massive potential in working in schools to use den building to help children be creative, build confidence, increase motivation and resilliance and work as a team. In order to this, it was important for me to gain experience of working in education. So I got a job working at David Young Community Academy as a teaching assistant. The year proved to be very beneficial.

…………..And after that year I decided to buy a van, advertise and start working freelance in schools , building dens! The last 7 years have been amazing!!!   I have worked in over 600 primary schools, as well as many other educational settings, and I feel very lucky. The job is incredibly rewarding, watching others be creative, building and smiling. The den building continues to evolve by adding new materials and challenges.

My own artistic practice continues to develop around the theme of action, rather than object as art, as well as through exploring materials and spaces and working with many groups of people. Over the last seven years, I have been lucky enough to work with many organisations who have supported my work including Leeds Art Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Hepworth Wakfield, English Heritage, The Tetley, Leeds College of Art and Artforms.”

For further information about Chris and den building, please visit www.chris-harman.com     www.denbuilding.co.uk

Details about the Creative Project delivered by Chris, can be found here.

Today we are launching three exciting projects for schools – the Leeds Super Singing Challenge, Leeds Samba Too and Build a Band.

Does your school have what it takes to be the best singing school in Leeds?  If so, join in our Singing Challenge and win up to £100 worth of Singing resources.  This is open to all Leeds Primary Schools and runs throughout the Spring term.

Leeds Super Singing Challenge Flyer

If Samba is more your thing, then sign up for Leeds Samba Too! which culminates in a celebration performance on Tuesday 11^th July.  Priority booking is available for those schools who took part in Big Samba last year although we anticipate a high demand for places.  We’re also expanding the Secondary element of Leeds Samba Too – we’re looking to work with 4 schools this year, please contact Paula Brookes (paula.brookes@leeds.gov.uk) for further information.

Leeds Samba Too BOOKING FORM

Our final offer this term is the Build a Band project for Secondary schools who wish to develop their KS3 provision.  We’ve got instruments, we’ve got resources, we’ve got CPD – we just need you!

Build A Band BOOKING FORM

Don’t forget Music Connect offers a variety of CPD courses for teachers and practitioners, find out more here: Music Connect Offer 201617

Writing and performing poetry took Andy from open mic nights, to booked gigs, to festival slots, and slam wins, to bookings abroad, British Council trips and commissions to write new work. The largest part of Andy’s creative training is now reading both fiction and creative writing theory.

Andy has been delivering workshops in schools since 2008 and thoroughly enjoys it!

“Part of the joy of working in schools is that every day, even after having taught 20,000 young people, somebody writes something that surprises me. Young people are generally better lateral thinkers than adults, so it can be because the idea or image is unexpected or surprising, but it can also be because the writing is honest and brave, or because it is beautifully phrased.”

More than technical expertise, Andy’s job is about enabling young people to take risks in their writing and performance by diminishing self consciousness and embarrassment. Andy encourages young people grow in confidence and own their creativity. Nothing comes out right first time, and Andy is happy to show how his first drafts of work prove this. But through discussion and facing difficulties, powerful poetry can emerge even from the most reluctant of learners.

Andy believes art and creativity is vital to human well-being. Countless studies show it, and Andy himself feels happiest when he has been making something. “It’s a chance for people to play, to question, to put forward a personal point of view. With seemingly less and less freedom in teaching and with less focus on the arts and more on business and enterprise, it’s imperative that artists go into schools.”  In Andy’s eyes, young people get to see that, whether it is poetry, painting or music, an art can be learnt and practiced; it is not some form of magic performed by art-creatures, but a learnable craft done by people like them.

To see more about Andy’s work, please visit his website: andypoetry.com