Enlightenment: Life Drawings From The Cabinets Of Wonder

Brighton is known for being a creative hub, but this sensational event really showed locals what they were capable of. On a typical Saturday night, few would expect to forgo the pub for a night of life drawing and theatrical entertainment. 22 year old artist Jake Spicer created this event, managed by illustrator Helen Cann, as a creative alternative to drinking culture. It highlighted the merits of drawing from life, using both nude and theatrically dressed models, using custom built, portable 'cabinets' as stages. These travelled around town throughout the evening, stopping at key locations in the city to get more and more people involved. With the help of tutors and volunteers on board, and the provision of sketchbooks and materials to the public, leaps were made in the artistic attitudes of residents who'd picked up a pencil instead of a pint.

Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust Awards

The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust aims to increase public appreciation of the arts and music. Their awards recognise educators, artists, teachers and others who use The Big Draw to extend their audience’s perception of drawing and to engage them in innovative activities. They reward organisers whose events relate to their setting, local environment or community, show a clear purpose and good results. Individual drawings may have been used to create a collective artwork, or a public display to celebrate participants’ achievements.