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Arts and Culture

Arts Council

Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from government and the National Lottery.

Art Classes for Adults

Kimberley Bevan, an award-winning artist, is working with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council on a successful series of art courses. The course began in the autumn and the students, who started out as nothing more than keen beginners, have been learning about a plethora of artistic movements and techniques including Impressionism, Pop Art, Cubism and Surrealism.

Kim begins each class with an introductory chat and distributes handouts which include suggested further reading. All the materials used in the classes are covered by the cost of the course (£78 for the 12-week course, paid in advance at the start of term), while the council provides rooms at Campus West as well as paying Kim's tuition fees.

"This course really broadens your outlook", said course member Gillian Bonfield. "It has made us all a lot more open-minded about art and everyone tries to come each week because we always learn so much".

Betty Ellis agreed, "Kim's a great inspiration - I've learned so much. In the still life class Kim brought in a skeleton for us to sketch, which was a fascinating and rewarding challenge".

"This is a fabulous course", young mum Sue Conway says. "Kim has freed us all from anxiety that we might not be good enough to do this and engages everyone intelligently about the origins of art. It's safe enough for beginners yet challenging at the same time. It's a pity that more people my age aren't aware of the course - I think a lot of people feel that classes at Campus West are only for the over-50s but that isn't the case at all. This is a really sociable and interesting group of people and I think more people should be made aware of opportunities like this".

The classes takes place every Tuesday from 10am-12pm for intermediates and 2-4pm for beginners (except during school holidays). The course is run three times year, January - March, April - July and October - December. If you are interested in participating in the next course please call the Campus West Box Office on 01707 357117 to book.

Art Classes for Children

Saturday Morning Art Club with ARTSKOOL - Inspire Your Child! Learn about art and artists and the chance to exhibit your work. Clay - Painting - Printing - Drawing - Collage - and lots more. £5.50 per session (including art portfolio, starter kits and refreshments). Free hot drink for accompanying adult from the coffee shop. All tutors are qualified artists, CRB checked and insured.

For more information go to the Artskool website or contact Annette O'Donnell on 01438 718075. To book please contact the Box Office on 01707 357117.

ArtsKool children's art activities are "kool" for kids

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, in partnership with ArtsKool arts club, is offering children the chance to get creative in Welwyn Garden City town centre during the summer holidays. ArtsKool offers drop-in art activities for children over the age of four in a marquee on Howardsgate.

The art workshops will take place every Tuesday and Saturday until the first week of September and children can create their very own masterpieces using a variety of mediums including painting, sculpture, clay, printing, collage and drawing.

The workshops mean parents can browse the shops in peace, whilst their children unleash their artistic side in a safe, fun environment. Activities will be available from 10am to 2.30pm at a cost of £3 per child per half hour or £5 per hour.  All tutors are qualified artists and are fully checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

There will even be the opportunity for children to have their ArtsKool artwork exhibited at the Dame Flora Robson Gallery, Campus West! For more information and to book a place for your child in advance, please contact ArtsKool on 01438 718075.

For information on forthcoming events taking place in Welwyn Garden City town centre or Hatfield town centre, please contact the council's Town Centres Manager on 01707 357460.

Essential Arts

Essential Arts is driven by the Arts Partnership Steering Group which brings together people and organisations involved in promoting arts and culture within the borough.

History of the Welwyn Hatfield Arts Steering Partnership Group

This partnership is the result of work done by the Welwyn Hatfield Cultural Consortium to encourage participation and involvement in the cultural life of the borough. The consortium recognised the role and value of the arts and the need for a way to be found for people already involved in the arts to network, to share resources and to attract young people - in short, to better communicate the ways in which the arts can enrich lives and to encourage people already involved in the arts to work together to promote them.

The partnership also organises Open Arts Meetings to support the development of the arts in the Welwyn Hatfield Borough. It also publishes Arts Snapshot newsletter, the first which appeared in the summer of 2008.

Terms of Reference of the group

The Welwyn Hatfield Arts Forum will work to enhance the provision of all the arts to the people living and working in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It will support the professional development of local arts practitioners and arts organisations. It will look for opportunities to improve the arts infrastructure in the borough and to remove any barriers, which might prevent participation in the cultural life of the borough by everyone living in it. The main purpose of the forum and its steering group can be summarised as:

• To promote local arts through a newsletter (Arts Snapshot) and website and to provide support for individuals and local arts organisations.
• To act as a springboard for the local arts
• To find possibilities for funding

Individuals and local artists are also part of this group. Membership of the steering committee is not closed and from time to time the steering group meets and address such issues in the Arts forum meetings.

Please send your emails to: essentialarts@welhat.gov.uk