It seems like a while since I updated, so here’s a selection of what we have going on over the next few weeks:

Drama Skills after school club at Junction Farm Primary, Eaglescliffe got off to a great start with 21 children attending.

Cartoon Workshop after school club starts today!

Layfield Primary in Yarm are extended their Drama Club to run until the summer holidays. The Mural design club resumes in June.

Kirklevington Primary are starting African Mask making and Stage Combat after school sessions for parents and children in the next couple of weeks which is really exciting.

There are lots of amazing plans with The MAIN Project to provide creative activity for children with autism. Can’t say much at the moment but watch this space!

We are already planning Summer Schools with schools in Malton and Pickering, Kilton Thorpe Special School, Stockton and Redcar & Cleveland. Many of these activities can be accessed with the ME TOO Voucher scheme available to many families. This new scheme was piloted by Extended Schools in certain areas last year and is being rolled out nationwide from April 2010. They are available to primary and secondary pupils who would normally qualify for free school meals and other benefits.

There will be Whit Week activity in FIley, Eastfield, Scarborough and Redcar and Cleveland schools and hopefully Hartlepool as well.

There’s loads more stuff happening but I’ve run out of time so keep clicking back and remember – if you want creative activity in your school or community, just get in touch.

Loads of Club Creative stuff happening over Easter. Check with your school or Extended Schools team for venues and how to book on.

Eastfields, Scarborough:

T-shirt Tastic!

Date: Thursday 8^th April

10am-3pm 5yrs+

Customise your old t-shirts by cutting, shredding, and printing and turn them into something completely new and funky (and by recycling you are being good to the environment). Or turn it into something completely different like a bag, shorts or skirt! If you haven’t got an old t-shirt you can find cheap plain t-shirts for just £1 if you look carefully. Take your work home with you at the end of the day.

Kung Fu Dance

Date: Fri 9^th April

10am-3pm 7yrs+

Learn how to dance in a martial arts style inspired by films like House of Flying Daggers. Work on cool moves and then put them together in a routine. Share your work at the end of the day in a short performance for family and friends (please arrive at 2.45pm for the performance)

Easter Arts

Date: Tues 6^th April

10am-3pm 5yrs+

A new twist on classic Easter activities. Create your own bags, masks and decorations – an eggstravaganza of fun!

Street Dance

Date: Thursday 15^th April

10am-12pm 5-10yrs

1pm-3pm 11yrs+

So you think you can dance? Learn the funkiest moves around with our fantastic street dance tutor then perform what you have learned at the end of the session (please arrive 10 mins early for the performance). You don’t need any previous experience, just enthusiasm!

Circus Skills

Date: TBC

10am-3pm 7yrs+

All the fun of the circus brought to you! Learn juggling balls and scarves, diablo, spinning plates, balancing balls, unicycle and much more.

Play in a Day

Date: Weds 14^th April

10am-3pm 6yrs+

Put a play on from scratch in just one day! This fun activity will teach acting techniques and stage craft so that you can put on a short performance for family and friends at the end of the day (please arrive 15 mins early for the sharing)

Things are really taking off here at CC HQ. Quick updates on current projects:

Grangetown Youth Centre Commission – After receiving over fifty expressions of interest from all over the UK and Ireland, the young people have chosen David Parkinson to undertake the mural for the newly refurbished centre. David will travel across the the North East to meet the young people and draw up some sketches. then return shortly afterward complete the work. David style is illustrative and completely in tune with the young people’s vision for the artwork. Click here for examples of David’s work at is website. Thanks to all artists who expressed an interest.

Layfield Primary in Yarm are delighted with the drama and Graffiti workshops so have extended the graffiti after school club for another five weeks. Can’t wait to see the finished work!

Conyers School Health Awareness day was a huge success with four Club Creative tutors providing Kung Fu Dance and Stage Combat workshops. We have just started weekly Musical Theatre classes at the school and hope to develop a long term relationship.

Filey and Eastfields (Scarborough) half term activities went very well and we have been asked to provide lots of Easter activity. Expect T-shirt customisation, Easter Arts, Kung Fu Dance and Street dance at venues near you. Contact your extended schools co-ordinator for details or look out for the programmes.

Durham Lane and Junction Primary schools in Eaglescliffe are due to start Drama, Street Dance and Cartoon Workshop after school clubs in a couple of weeks time. These are new schools for Club Creative and we are really excited to be working with them.

Preston Primary drama club continues to be a success and the sharing event is only two weeks away! We have also been asked to provide drama practitioners for two and a half days next week to link in with the whole school Drama Focus week. We will work with each year group over half a day to improve communication skills through drama techniques.

There are loads more proejcts in the pipeline but this is already a rather lengthy post so I’ll update again soon.

Don’t forget, if your school, youth or community centre would like creative activity of any kind please do not hesitate to get in touch

Neil

Junction Farm Primary School in Eaglescliffe have asked for six weeks of after school clubs for the pupils from April 2010. The Key Stage 1 group will take part in Cartoon Workshops, learning to write a script and create their own characters to produc their own comic magazine. The Key Stage 2 group will learn some key drama skills in preparation for their forthcoming play in the summer term.

If your school would like creative after school clubs, weekend, or holiday activity, or even curriculm enrichment during lesson time, please get in touch. The only limit to the type of activity is yout imagination!

We’ve just had confirmation of funding for a series of 2 hr workshops over 20 weeks in four Scarborough Secondary schools. The projects are designed to increase motivation in the classroom and will use drama and performance techniques to increase pupil’s confidence, self esteem, and aspirations. Club Creative is very excited about the projects as they provide the opportinity to work with a group of young people over a prolonged period enabling us to really make a difference to their lives. Thanks to Liz Dent at Scarborough Extended Schools.

More details will follow!

A great actor / voiceover artist and drama coach Martine Dunn is organising a Musical Theatre Workshop in Otley, near Leeds. It is being led by Musical Theatre West End Actor Kim Ismay. I have attached the letter Martine Dunn MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP with full details of how to enroll. Whilst this is not a Club Creative event I am sure it will be very high quality if Martine is involved!

Enjoy.

I have pleasure in confirming 12 weeks of drama workshops for KS2 pupils and 6 weeks of circus skills with the KS1 pupils at Preston Primary in Eaglescliffe. Both after school clubs will start in January and promise to be a big hit. The children will learn about all aspects of live performance and will contribute ideas towards a final sharing in front of family and friends. The younger children will learn about a different circus skill each week including juggling and diablo.

Watch this space for more information and an excellent link with the University of Teesside’s performing arts students.

I urgently require practitioners across all disciplines for workshop delivery in schools across North Yorkshire. If you live, or are able to commute to North Yorkshire and have experience in workshop delivery with children, please get in touch. In particular I need: Drama practitioners, dance (street, musical theatre) visual arts (inc. mask making, mosaics etc), drumming workshops, choir leaders/vocal tuition. If you offer something different please get still get in touch. You must be CRB checked.

As always contact me here

If you are based in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, Darlington, North Yorkshire or Durham then Club Creative can bring a full range of exciting, professionally delivered arts workshops to you. We have a host of Creative Practitioners at our disposal covering every artform from drama, dance and music to visual arts, film making, creative writing and circus skills. We can provide after school clubs, lunch time activity, curriculum enrichment or holiday activities. We can work with Youth Services in local councils to provide activities to engage hard to reach young people or adults. We can provide a full range of participatory arts courses in your venue. We can also provide alternative corporate training packages on subject such as motivation, communication, presentation skills and role play with a fun, creative slant to the delivery that is a world apart from the traditional dry techniques favoured by most training providers.

If any of this sounds of interest, or you would simply like to chat about your requirement, please email neil@club-creative.co.uk

Just got a 10 week Club Creative confirmed to begin on Saturdays from November. The aim is to engage children from the 5 cluster primaries in Guisborough in every aspect of putting on a show – most likely to be a pantomime. The five heads have given the thumbs up, the lead drama practitioner is confirmed and I am really excited about this one! Extended Schools will be part funding the workshops and have been very keen and supportive during my dealings with them.