Colour In The Big Draw
Award:
Drawing Inspiration Awards 2009 - Trailblazer
Location:
Goldsmiths University, London At the start of each September’s course, Goldsmiths’ PGCE Art & Design students are given five weeks to meet the challenge of organising a Big Draw day: informal creative activities for local families, many from deprived neighbourhoods.
The tutors believe this experience is invaluable for their students, and extends the expertise they take to their school placements.
Participation in the day’s planning and delivery became mandatory in 2009 and three student groups were each assigned a primary colour for their activities.
The Yellow Group focused on Building A City, using recycled cardboard boxes, felt tips and collage. They set their construction site against the backdrop of a city skyline projected from Macbook laptops.
The Blue Group explored Birds and Flight with shadow puppets, decorated birds either on a sky wall, or designed them to fly down a zip wire from the balcony.
The Red Group chose a fairground theme, complete with mini hot-air balloons and baskets made by young visitors. They created a virtual hall of mirrors with Macbook laptops, and photo booths, which allow users to be photographed by an inbuilt camera before manipulating the portrait into a warped image.
717 local people joined in the fun, enjoyably engaging with trainee teachers, student ambassadors and a range of new and old technologies.
Former students claim that the skills and experience gained through this annual event helped them to secure jobs.
Trailblazers
This award recognises inspirational organisers and institutions that have committed to The Big Draw in the long term, and use it as an experimental platform. They invest energy and imagination into ensuring that the process and results reveal the power of drawing put to excellent use.
