Category Archives: Creative practitioners

Join the ‘Commonwealth Class’

The BBC, the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat have joined forces to bring you Commonwealth Class, an exciting new opportunity for schools.

Commonwealth Class is a special initiative that provides teaching resources, online debates and interactive activities for schools to mark the run-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It celebrates the values of the Commonwealth and connects schools and young people as they learn about how to be active, responsible global citizens as part of the Commonwealth family.

The Commonwealth Class education pack is an exciting resource designed to teach young people about Commonwealth values such as rights and responsibilities, protection of the environment, respect for others and what people need to lead healthy lives free from poverty.
Produced by the British Council, the resource pack contains cross-curricular activities, short films and discussion guides with learning outcomes that link to key skills, curriculum subjects and Commonwealth values. Activities include what qualities you need to be a successful Commonwealth athlete, and an exploration of the route of the Queen’s Baton Relay which will visit all 71 countries and territories taking part in the 2014 games.

Get set for 2014 and download the British Council Commonwealth Class education pack today.

BBC online debates
Commonwealth Class partner, the BBC, is hosting a series of monthly online debates commencing this summer. The debates are intended to create a platform for schools in the UK and Commonwealth countries to teach and learn together.
The first debate in the series will take place on Thursday 13 June.
Visit Schools Online and sign up to Commonwealth Class for more resources and interactive activities that support lesson planning and teaching across the curriculum
And a week before the first debate you can visit the BBC’s Commonwealth Class website to find out how you can take part!

YMT’s course for writers and composers – submission deadline closing soon

Would you like to be the next Andrew Lloyd Webber or Stephen Sondheim?

YMT have an incredibly exciting opportunity for young people (aged 16-23) who are passionate about writing and/or composing.  Their week-long Young Writers and Composers Course is led by Olivier Award winning script-writer Stephen Clark (Martin Guerre, Zorro, Love Story and The Far Pavilions) and Arts Foundation award winning Conor Mitchell.

This course will take place at the start of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Fettes College, Edinburgh (pic above); thought to be the inspiration for J.K Rowlings’ Hogwarts.

Apply by completing the application form and submitting an example of your writing or music by 1 July 2013 –  course places are limited and a small group of writers and composers will be selected.

Contact richardcross@ymtuk.org to register your interest and for further information.

If you are selected onto the course, save £50 by quoting ‘ZORRO

Design a book cover competition for schools

The Design a Book Cover Competition is an exciting opportunity to showcase your pupils’ creative skills whilst encouraging them to engage with books and reading.  It’s open to all primary schools and it’s easy to take part.  There are two entry categories: P1 – P3 and P4 – P7 and there are prizes to be won for your school and pupils.  The closing date is Monday 3 July 2013.

Full details and the Entry Pack can be found on the competition website or by emailing michelle.mcleod@bailliegifford.com

Glow TV – War Horse – Exclusive Launch 11 June, 11.00 am

Glow TV is delighted to be able to host the Exclusive Launch on Tuesday 11th June at 11am!

War Horse is the theatrical phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. At the heart of this awe-inspiring show are life-sized puppets which bring galloping, charging horses to life on stage. Now you are invited to a unique opportunity to meet one of these truly remarkable puppets up close at an exclusive launch event.

You are invited to see the central character, Joey, in action and discover first-hand how these “living, breathing steeds” are created and brought to life in what has become one of the most anticipated theatrical productions in years.

Joining us will be Finn Caldwell of Handspring Puppet Company and Associate Puppetry Director for War Horse, and Stephen Rebbeck (Managing Director for War Horse around the world)

The exhilarating story of a young man’s journey to find his beloved horse Joey, against the backdrop of World War One, is an incredibly powerful production. It’s a spectacle you need to see to believe!

Click here to sign up for this event.

International Literacy Day – Glow TV Friday 6 September

Remember to mark International Literacy Day and join us on Glow to celebrate literacy for all ages.

We are asking all those working in literacy in Scotland with children, young people and adults to come together through Glow to celebrate with storytelling, film and creativity.  We want to learn from each other and share our literacy practices so we are asking those who are more familiar with Glow to invite other learning groups to celebrate with them.

After the summer we will be showing you on Glow how to make our origami owl, offering some ideas for creative literacy and ways to get involved in the event.

Click here for information and resources.

PRS For Music Foundation – Beyond Borders funding links UK countries

Deadline: Thursday 26 June 2013

Beyond Borders is a co-commissioning and touring programme, offering funding of up to £15,000 for both new commissions and repeat performances of music written in the past five years.

Run in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Colwinston Trust, the scheme was launched in 2010 and has supported 22 projects so far.

The idea behind the fund is to stimulate collaboration between organisations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, enabling them to produce exceptional new music to be performed in at least two UK countries.

Beyond Borders is open to any UK-based not-for-profit organisation, but applications must consist of at least two partners, each from a different UK country. Larger partnerships, incorporating international organisations, are also encouraged.

For more information on how to apply, visit the PRS Foundation website

Funding to help groups celebrate the 2014 Commonwealth Games

A new £4 million fund has opened which will help the people of Scotland celebrate their part in the Commonwealth before, during and after the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Celebrate‘ is a joint scheme developed by the Scottish Lottery Distributor’s Forum which is made up of Big Lottery Fund Scotland, Creative Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund and sportScotland.

Grants of between £500 to £10,000 are available to help communities across Scotland come together to hold arts, heritage, sports and local community celebrations of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The fund will also support communities to celebrate the diversity of the Commonwealth and create a legacy of community and Commonwealth connections.

Celebrate is open to

  • voluntary and community organisations
  • community councils
  • statutory bodies (such as schools, local authorities or health boards)

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until 12 December 2014. For more information, and to apply, visit the Celebrate website.

Authors Live – Tony Robinson, 6 June 11.00 am

Authors Live is stepping back in time with renowned popular historian, actor and author, Tony Robinson, to discover the strange secrets hidden in our Weird World of Wonders. Join us as we march through time with the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians and find out what made us Britons British. It’s history, but not as you know it!

To find out more and sign up for this event click here.
After watching the live webstream in the morning why not join us for an interactive question and answer session with Tony Robinson at 1.30 pm http://bit.ly/13kLxyI