Fellowship Art Challenge Exhibition

Thursday 10 - Sunday 27 July

Free entry
Thurs – Sunday 12noon - 7pm
Sat – Sun 2pm - 7pm
Waltham Forest Theatre Lloyd Park E17

An annual arts festival to widen opportunities for the exhibition of visual arts, crafts and multi media practices for young people in Waltham Forest. This year primary and secondary schools, community groups, disability groups and overseas young people are all participating.

This year’s theme ”Inspired by Nature” provides a great opportunity to “visit” the world again. The natural landscapes, flora and fauna, seas and rivers provide not only the inspiration for great art but also the opportunity to explore in the classroom:

  • The natural history of rock formations and landscapes
  • The different climates and associated flowers, plants and animals
  • The different plants and animals supported by the natural environment
  • The sustainable management of nature
  • Nature as represented in the art of peoples from across the globe

The exhibition will take place in Waltham Forest Theatre in Lloyds Park, E17 with over 1,000 exhibitors taking part.

Background

Fellowship 2012 - Young Peoples Art Exhibition

In 2005 the London Borough of Waltham Forest staged “Imagine 2012” an exhibition of young peoples art on the theme of the Olympic Games. The event was staged as part of the borough’s support for the London Olympic bid. Following the success of the London bid and the event itself Waltham Forest Council has committed to staging an annual young peoples art exhibition under the title of “Fellowship 2012, Young Peoples Arts Challenge”.

A central element to winning the Olympic bid was London’s presentation as a global city. Waltham Forest is a community intimately connected to a global community of friends and relatives. As we approach the Olympics we want to fashion our Young People’s Caribbean Carnival and Fellowship Art Exhibition to provide a platform for promoting the creative energy of our young people with a global audience. The theme for each years art exhibition is carried through to the theme for Young Peoples Caribbean Carnival.

The Fellowship exhibition, now in its third year, was delivered in July 2007 with over 55 exhibitors from early year settings, primary and secondary schools, colleges and community groups.

Funding secured from the Arts Council England has enabled the inclusion of eight schools and groups from the boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Enfield.

The exhibition themed on global patterns showed an enormous diversity of works including:

  • Textile and clothing designs featuring design in Turkish, African, Latin American and Aboriginal art
  • Multi-coloured polystyrene animals including a life size hippo
  • Totem poles decorated in patterns from the native peoples of the Americas
  • Ceramics inspired by William Morris and Islamic art
  • Sculptures interpreting Vikings
  • Jewellery interpreting Egyptian, African and Latin designs

The process of extending the project to secure global participation is a major challenge, but early indications suggest that this may be more readily achievable than at first considered.

Already informal discussions with schools, artists and staff have produced firm contacts in Cambodia, Italy, Pakistan, India, Cyprus, Canada, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, Jamaica, Cuba, and France. Waltham Forest, as with the rest of London, exhibits communities from all around the world who are connected with often-strong associations through family and friends.