Exe-Arts community creativity workshops

Exe-Arts, the community arts initiative set up by Superact's Patsy Lang, has reached the halfway milestone after a busy two months of fun creative workshops for all ages in art forms ranging from environmental sculpture and photography to graffiti art and experimental drawing.

As a culmination of the project, many of the pieces will be exhibited at the community festival on 12th December, which will also include a lantern parade and live performances. There are pictures and reflections of the sessions so far on the Exe-Arts facebook page.

The Exe-Arts initiative also includes some bespoke projects with agencies located in St. David’s.

These projects consist of 3 or 4 sessions working with young people in the area that are leading challenging lives. We have completed a film project with the Esther Community Hostel and have started a pottery project with the YMCA around the theme of home. An animation project will also be running with the Youth Offending team located just down the street, working with the YISP (Youth Inclusion Support Panel) group of younger participants as one of the preventative activities the YISP offer.

Kerry Deacon, the film maker working with residents of Esther Community, says:  “Young people at Esther Community have been making a short film examining homelessness and supported living. In their own words they explain the difficulties facing young people and by using a documentary/ campaign film style, share the ‘cycle’ of choices offered to them and challenge the audience to hear their reality.”

The YMCA group were the first to use the newly opened pottery studio at the St. David's Community Centre. This studio has not been used for many years but used to offer a variety of classes for the community. We are very pleased to have been able to reopen it for the use of our Exe-Arts sessions.

Tim from the YMCA said: "We had the first of three pottery sessions today. Four YMCA residents, with three staff members who were also keen to get their hands dirty,  trooped down to the Community Centre to meet Patsy who is running these exciting sessions.

"We had an introduction to clay and the types of things that could be made. We were all then given a lump of clay each, which we were let loose on to shape and mould into whatever we would like - creations ranging from ash trays to the Mad Hatter’s hat, from bowls to penguins were designed and put aside to develop further next week.

"Patsy  introduced us to the slab method of shaping clay, which will come in handy for those making jewellery boxes."

Locals can be amongst the first to use the new studio at the Exe-Arts Pottery course, starting next week on Wednesday 4 November, with the second session on 25 November to allow time for firing in between.

There will also be two sessions on Fabric Art on 11 and 18 November.

All sessions cost only £2 to cover materials and include drinks and refreshments. You can find out more and book for any sessions coming up at www.superact.org.uk/events, by visiting www.facebook.com/exearts or contacting Patsy on patsy@superact.org.uk / 01392 927040. Or feel free to just turn up on the day!

Exe-Arts has been supported by Arts Council England, BBC Children in Need and Exeter City Council, and as a result of the project Superact have been named BBC Get Creative Champions. Cllr Rosie Denham, Lead Councillor for Economy & Culture at ECC said:

“The City Council firmly supports the idea that arts and culture can help make a difference in people’s lives and so we are delighted that Exeter’s small arts grants can help deliver a range of creative workshops for all ages from the local community of St David’s.”