McManus Galleries & Museum : What's on : Education and outreach

what's on > education and outreach

Our Approach
Learning is at the heart of The McManus Galleries and we are committed to providing wide reaching cultural experiences through the development of Creative Learning programmes that encourage a specific focus for children, young people and lifelong learners. We apply a creative and tailored approach that accepts that different styles of learning exist and believe that engagement with a creative process can help develop new perspectives, stimulate imagination and extend ideas.

What We Do
Our active and innovative programmes explore the city's Art and Heritage, providing access to a diverse and fascinating collection of objects, artworks and buildings. Activities include artist led workshops, community and schools projects and events and are developed to appeal to participants of all ages and abilities. To ensure that our programmes meet the needs of communities in Dundee, much of our work is developed in partnership with other Council Departments, Learning Teams and cultural agencies.

Creative Learning Team
Our enthusiastic and experienced team includes professional educators, artists and creative specialists. Support is also given from The McManus curatorial, technical and visitor assistant teams, enabling the full potential of the museum's collections to be utilised throughout the programme.

McManus Redevelopment Project – Creative Connections
The museum is currently closed and undergoing an extensive redevelopment of both building and service, funded by Dundee City Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and the European Regional Development Fund.

During this exciting period, the museum continues to provide access to its collections through Creative Connections, an ambitious city-wide outreach project which commenced in January 2006.

What Is A Museum?
Creative Connections delivered its first project at Sidlaw View Primary School, in partnership with Dundee City Council Education Department and was designed to serve as an introduction to what Galleries and Museums are about and what visitors can expect to do and see there. Focusing on the theme of collecting, pupils, parents and staff explored the role that museums play in securing our art and heritage.

The project began with classes from P1 to P7 being asked to select a theme and corresponding artwork or objects from the McManus collection, which were then sited in each class room, allowing children to investigate their chosen theme at close hand. Through a 16-week timetable of tailored workshops and handling sessions, children, parents and teachers worked with artists, drama workers and Arts & Heritage staff, in order to explore their chosen objects and themes.

As part of their project, each class and Family Learning Group participated in research visits to a relevant site, gallery or museum. These included visits to The Museum of Childhood and Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Dundee University, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Stirling Old Town Jail, Central Library and Monikie Park.

In April 2006, an exhibition was held to mark the end of the project, bringing together the objects from the McManus collection and artwork created by the children. The exhibition was launched with a special open day, offering visitors opportunities to take part in art and museum activities, new and traditional games and listen to live Scottish music performances featuring Dundee’s own traditional singer, Sheena Wellington.

The Dragon Project
Following on from the success of the programme’s first project in January last year, the Creative Connections Team returned to Sidlaw View Primary School with a brand new project.

The Dragon Project investigated the legend of the Dragon & Nine Maidens of Strathmartine and children from Sidlaw Primary School worked with Arts & Heritage staff and Storyteller, Stuart McHardie to find out more about this fascinating local story.

As part of the project, an active learning resource on the theme was developed by the School and the Creative Connections Team and includes a ‘talking book’, ideas for things to do and make, dressing up costumes and even a jar of dragon’s breath and a tooth from the slain beast!

These will all be kept in a special Dragon’s Kist, which was beautifully crafted by one of the Creative Connections team, and McManus Front of House staff member, Andy Fenwick. The Kist has also a strong connection to McManus, in that the wood used has been recycled from the old building's stained glass window frames and from shelves from the library.

Landscapes & Lives
From September to December 2006, Creative Connections was based at Douglas Community Centre. Over a four month period, children, young people and local community groups worked with artists and Heritage staff to investigate Dundee’s changing landscapes and lives through a programme of workshops, talks and activities. To mark the end of the project, an exhibition bringing together selected objects and artwork from McManus Galleries & Museum collection and work created by participants was held at the Centre.

The exhibition opened on Saturday 20^th January 2007, from 1.00 – 4.00pm with a special Community celebration, involving arts & heritage activities, music, live performance, games and much, much more! The Exhibition and Community Event were free.

Designs for Life
Designs for Life is a collaboration between Visual Research Artist, Paul Harrison and Bio-medical Research Scientists from the University of Dundee. The project is based on the potential of the arts to communicate often complex issues and how this can be used to mediate between the scientific specialist and a wider community.

From September 2006 to February 2008, Dundee City Council’s Creative Learning Team have worked in partnership with the Visual Research Centre and local community to deliver an ambitious programme of access and learning activities to accompany the Designs for Life Project. Activities were designed to encourage children, young people and adult learners to explore and be inspired by Designs for Life; and to develop understanding and awareness of the broader relationship that exists between science and the arts.

As a result, participants from Claypotts Castle Primary School, the 16 – 24 Literacies Project, Dundee Healthy Living Initiative and the Mackinnon Centre worked with scientists, artists and performers to create their own unique response to Designs for Life, using an eclectic mix of printmaking, creative writing, textiles, digital media and physical theatre. The programme took place at Community venues across the city and at the Visual Research Centre.

The access & learning programme has also supported the development of new work from choreographer and dance artist Rachel Smith, specifically commissioned by Dundee City Council Leisure & Communities Department to respond to the ideas and methodologies of Designs for Life.

In February 2008, an exhibition was held at Centrespace, the Visual Research Centre’s gallery. Presenting the project’s activity to date, the exhibition included a selection of print collaborations between artist and scientists and some of the amazing work created by participants during the project.

www.designsforlifeproject.co.uk

Local Hero! Admiral Duncan
Local Hero! was a new creative learning programme for children and young people in Dundee, which ran from August – September 2007. Developed and delivered in partnership by Dundee City Council Leisure & Communities and Education Departments, its aim was to encourage exploration and awareness of Dundee’s stories, buildings and collections and the role they play in shaping how the city sees and defines itself today.

The project centred on the life of Dundee born Admiral Adam Duncan, the events that led to his status as both local and national hero, and the origins of Camperdown House and Park.

As part of this project, over 90 Primary 5 pupils from Brackens, St. Fergus and Ardler Primary’s Schools and young people from Random Theatre Company took part in a 6-week programme of heritage, sculpture, costume and performance workshops, working with the project’s Creative Learning Team.

Utilising resources from The McManus Galleries collections and taking inspiration from the ‘Glorious Victory’ exhibition held at the museum in 1997, children and young people were able to learn more about the Admiral’s life and the importance of his achievements at the Battle of Camperdown. This fascinating period in Dundee’s history really caught the attention and imagination of all involved – resulting in the creation of amazing artworks that include large scale boat sculptures, Camperdown Waistcoats and Hats and a special musical tribute in celebration of this special Dundonian!

On the evening of Thursday 27^th September, children and young people presented their own unique interpretation of Local Hero! in a dynamic live performance event, set against the spectacular backdrop of Camperdown House.

New for 2008 – 2009!
An exciting programme of activities for this year is currently under development and will include a brand new Local Hero!, youth arts and family learning projects. Watch this space!

For further information on Creative Connections contact Christine Millar, Senior Creative Learning Officer on (01382) 432475 or email christine.millar@dundeecity.gov.uk