Creative Learning at Norfolk & Norwich Festival

For the Norfolk & Norwich Festival creative learning is about finding a moment of connection, ignition, meaning for people, through cultural engagement. By being public-focused and participant-led, and by providing the best possible engagement with art and culture, we aim to help others find individual meaning and understanding through experiential creative learning;

2009 has seen the successful delivery of 47 bespoke Creative Learning projects and eight professional development events, working with 45 schools, an early years centre, a further educational college and over 100 teachers, 200 creative practitioners and 13,000 young people.

If you are interested in becoming a Creative Practioner and working on projects with Creative Partnerships schools or initiatives that contribute to the artistic work of Norfolk & Norwich Festival, please register to join our database of Creative Practitioners by visiting www.nnfestival.org.uk/Current-job-opportunities.ice.

For more information on the work of the Creative Learning department, follow the menu links or call 01603 878285
or email info@nnfestival.org.uk

Haircuts by Children

In May 2010 we worked wtih Canadian theatre company Mammalian Diving Reflex to produce a fantastic project with children from one of our Creative Partnerships Schools, Catton Grove Primary in Norwich. Working in partnership wtih City College Norwich and Flint Hair the project conceived and led by Mammalian Diving Reflex explored notions of identity and trust and was for many one of the signature projects of this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival in May.

The project did exactly what it said on the tin. The children were trained up then given the opportunity to run their own hairdressing salon. Haircuts, yes, but this project also raised some fascinating questions about the amount of trust that we as adults can or should place in the hands of young people.

Following a week of intensive training and workshop sessions involving some great partnership work with students and staff at City College Norwich, the children opened up for business at Flint Hair in the city centre. Free haircuts were offered to the passing public as well as to a number of pre-booked VIPs including the leader of the City Council, Steve Morphew and the leader of the County Council, Daniel Cox. The results were both creative and colourful and achieved with an impressive 100% satisfaction rating.

See for yourself how the stylists of tomorrow got on...