10 January 2011
Essex County Council’s successful art exhibition “Journey to the Podium” which is currently showing at the Gibberd Gallery, will be brought further to life in January with the bringing together of the athletes and artists involved with the project and local secondary school pupils.
Inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and celebrating Essex athletes who have been identified as having the potential to compete in the 2012 Games, tPage Contenthe ‘Journey to the Podium’ exhibition is a group show of 14 artists from a variety of disciplines who have been paired with local athletes to create a piece of work that marks each athlete’s personal journey to London 2012.
Organised by Harlow Council’s Leisure Services team, and supported by Harlow Renaissance as part of the “Harlow – see something different campaign”, the three workshops will involve the athletes and artists who have a close relationship with Harlow. Each three hour session will involve year 7 and 8 pupils from schools across the town taking part in multi-media arts activities and a sports demonstration:
- The first will take place on January 10th 2011, and will feature the artist Elaine Tribley and Paralympian and author Anne Wafula-Strike, who is a ‘Harlow Star’ herself. Elaine’s workshop will work with prints, by taking photos of Anne training; the students will create a print of a photo or image of their choice.
- The second will take place on January 13th 2011, and will be run by Helen Palmer and James Huckle the Commonwealth Games 2010 four times medal winner for rifle shooting. Helen will base her workshop around her work with shooting from a rifle and how the bullets created art, and show the students just how it was done and give them the opportunity to create their own.
- The third will take place on January 21st 2011, and will feature the artist Rob Smith, and Faith Pitman who was selected for and competed in the British Judo squad for the 2010 World Championships in Tokyo. Rob’s workshop will teach the students about stop start animation. Involving images digitally animated to create a piece of art on a laptop.
Andrew Bramidge, Chief Executive, Harlow Renaissance:
“This collaboration of sports and the arts is a fantastic opportunity to engage with and help raise the aspiration of local young people. The sportspeople involved with the project are an inspiration, with their dedication and achievements in their respective sports having been supported through the remarkable sports clubs which exist in the town. It really is the ideal way to promote the success both of the town’s people and its facilities.”
Councillor Joel Charles, Chairman of Harlow Council’s Community & Citizenship Policy Working Group, said:
“These workshops will give local children the opportunity to get closer to art and sport, and be inspired by local athletes who have the potential to compete in London 2012. Harlow has enjoyed success in both the sporting and arts world and long may this continue. The Journey to the Podium brings both sport and art together and is an ideal way to raise our young people’s future aspirations.”