Children's Art Club (Autumn)

Children’s Art Club is our artist-led creative programme for 5–12-year-olds that runs during school holidays. With a different Lead Artist each week, participants are introduced to different art forms and creative thinking that encourages them to fully express themselves in a joyful space. Art activities often connect to our outdoor spaces as well as inside and think about our themes of art, ecology and sustainability. Activity planned by the lead artist encourages thinking, playfulness and creativity by exploring different art forms and responding to the children’s interests.

Details

Week one of Children’s Art Club will be delivered by Jeanne Hamilton.

Theme: The Garden as a Visual Story – seeing details and hidden lives of nature elements as inspiration – building “creature” characters, sets and stories for film.

Day 1: The Filmmaker’s Eye

We will explore the garden as ‘cinematographers’, using simple framing prompts.

Then working in small groups and choosing a natural element to become the main character of a short film. Through guided questions they build a story: What does this character want? What gets in the way? Who/what can help them? Character development will be inspired by the nature and how we can relate to the “characters” we find in the garden.

Day 2: Creature Character Design

We will explore what makes up a “creature character” puppet for animation – the way they look, the shapes they are made from, the way they might move. We will gather inspiration for making these stop motion characters from the garden and combine this with some improvisation activities to strengthen characterisation. We will also have the option to create collage backdrops to overlay with green screen.

Day 3: Animation Stations

We will create and animate with very simple puppets of all shapes and sizes, firstly to practice animating skills and then, we will then go on to create short scenes with our pre-made creature puppets and green screen backdrops from Day 2.

Day 4: Setting, Lighting & Sound

We will imagine what a setting might look and sound like for various of our creature characters through experimenting with lighting and sound: playing with light, shadow, percussion instruments, voices and field recordings to create otherworldly environments.

About Jeanne

Jeanne Hamilton is a filmmaker, screen educator and participatory theatre artist based in Scotland, facilitating hands-on filmmaking workshops rooted in storytelling, place and visual imagination.

She has worked in schools and arts settings across Scotland, including a year-long school residency in Shetland, and on projects with the BFI Film Academy, Scottish Youth Theatre, Citizens Theatre, University of Glasgow and is currently a participant dancer with Barrowland Ballet’s Intergenerational company, Wolfpack.

Jeannie’s sessions blend filmmaking with theatre, dance and expressive arts, using collaborative, multidisciplinary methods that support participants to explore screen skills and crafts in ways that feel accessible and empowering.

What: Art, play, nature and learning for 5-12 year olds. Each day, the visiting Lead Artist for the week will spark the children’s creativity, supported by a Creative Play Worker.

When: The club runs Monday-Thursday. Drop off is from 9am-9.30am. Pick up is at 3.30pm sharp.

Cost: The club costs £38.50 per day, this includes the provision of a wide range of art materials, refreshments and snack. A limited number of free low income places are available.

What do we need to bring?

Children will need to bring their own packed lunch, as well as and an outdoor coat and sunscreen. We hope to get outside into our beautiful grounds to explore as often as possible, so please pack raincoats, as well as dressing in suitable clothing and footwear. We might get a little messy indoors too so no favourite clothes!

Suitability

The club is for all children with a love of art and crafts. Whilst Art Club is a fun, safe, supportive environment, it can be busy and noisy. We’re not a registered childcare provider and as such don’t have additional support beyond our artists and play workers. If you would like to discuss accessibility and/or attend as a carer for your child please give us a call.

Low Income Places

If you receive benefits such as income-based Council Tax, are unemployed or unable to work, these tickets are for you. There are two free places available for each session. We ask that you select one session per week, per child, so that we can share these places amongst low income families.

Please note, our Universal credit ticket no longer exists. As Universal Credit has recently restructured, our free ticket criteria has been updated to make sure that these are reaching the families who cannot afford them otherwise.