In the Forge

Big Dance 2012

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:36:29 +0000

Here at The Forge we are very excited about being involved in the Big Dance 2012 – The Uk’s biggest ever celebration of dance. There are already two opportunities to get involved now! You can read about them below.

Travelcard Wallet Design Competition with Design Museum

Can you capture the rhythm, energy and movement of dance in a design?

To celebrate Big Dance 2012, you are invited to design the cover of a Travelcard Wallet. The design for the wallet should capture the energy of dance as part of the programme’s promotion to the public.Your design should reflect your ideas on the theme of Dancing in the Streets.

Two finalists will be selected from all the entries, years 5 – 11 years and 12 – 16 years. The winning design will printed on to travelcard wallets and displayed in the Design Museum Shop.

Click here to download the competition brief and travel card template for details of how to enter.

Submission Form

Closing date for entries is Thursday 1 March 2012.

Big Dance Schools Pledge – 18 May 2012

The Schools Pledge is all about providing groups with the inspiration and tools to engage with dance and to be one of thousands of schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and any other groups taking part in a global world record attempt.

The Pledge is in two parts:

1. Take part in a world record attempt for the ‘Largest simultaneous dance routine – multi-venue’ on their school sites at 1pm on 18 May 2012

2. Undertake to do 20 minutes of dance a day during Big Dance week

The choreography for the world record attempt will be created by Wayne McGregor, Artistic Director of Wayne McGregor | Random Dance and Resident Choreographer at the Royal Ballet.

The taught sections will be available to download from the Big Dance website in January 2012 – after that it’s all up to you to learn the dance and join in on 18 May.

Over the past two years, 900 schools have signed up to take The Big Dance Schools Pledge. We’re hoping that 2012 will be the best yet. The record is currently held by the Netherlands with 264,188 participants in 1,472 locations.

The Schools Pledge has been awarded the London 2012 Inspire Mark and is a partner programme for Get Set. For more information on Get Set, please visit London 2012.

Visit the Schools Pledge page on the Big Dance website for more information.

Creative Writing in the Classroom

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:35:34 +0000

Poetry Snaps
A workshop for teachers: 8th February 4pm – 5.30pm
Lit & Phil Library, Westgate Road, Newcastle

This is a fun, informal workshop is aimed at primary and secondary teachers who are interested in developing creative approaches to teaching writing. This is not a Forge event, we are just helping to market it to Teachers.

Please click here to download the information flyer.

Arts Award Adviser Training 23/02/2012

admin — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:08:48 +0000

This February is your chance to train as a Bronze and Silver Arts Award Adviser. The Forge is running a 1 day session at The Forge in Stanley, County Durham. Arts Award advisers are key to the success of Arts Award. They support young people working towards their awards, acting as mentors, facilitators and primary assessors. To become an adviser you will need to have prior experience of working with young people. You can then complete your training at a one-day course, which you can book online.

Find out more about Arts Award

Arts Award adviser Specification

Arts Award Bronze & Silver Adviser Training

admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:26:31 +0000

Event Details

The Forge is running Bronze and Silver Arts Award adviser training on the 23 February 2012. To book, please visit: www.artsaward.org.uk/training.

Arts Award is a national qualification which supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders. Young people aged between 11-25 can achieve Arts Awards at Bronze, Silver and Gold, Levels 1, 2 and 3 on the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

Durham Olympic Arts Challenge

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:44:35 +0000

Durham County Education Development Service (EDS) is holding a competition for all primary and secondary schools to embrace art, music and dance activities and support the London 2012 Olympic campaign.

Schools are invited to produce one piece of work which has linked together Art, Music and Dance based on one or more of the following Olympic/Paralympic values:

Friendship
Respect
Determination
Courage
Equality
Inspiration
Excellence

Technology could be: use of projection, recording/manipulating music, use of video gaming and/or creating and using film. The link could be realised through using technology as a stimulus for choreography or as part of the production and final performance.

The winners will receive £500 worth of equipment and all entrants will receive commemorative certificates. All entries need to be submitted by June 1st 2012 to:

Geoff Sheldon, Specialist Inspector for Physical Education or

Jim Bradley, Specialist Inspector for Art or

Adrian Biddulph, Manager of Music Education/Inspector for Music

Please note that the above information has been taken directly from the EDS flyer.

The Forge is not in any partnership with this competition.

Durham and Sunderland Dance Festival

admin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:56:16 +0000

We are currently working with dance groups from across Durham and Sunderland to showcase their work as part of a Dance Festival. The project in partnership with the Youth Dance Network is being co-ordinated by Dance City in the North East. At The Forge we are providing dance groups the opportunity to present their work at a sub-regional performance in February and March. Mentors will then select two pieces from Durham and two from Sunderland to go onto perform at the ARC in Stockton along with groups from the rest of the region. Two successful pieces will be chosen to perform in London later on in the year. So far we have had a great response from interested groups of dancers and with only a few spaces remaining we welcome you to contact us to see if there is any space for yet more talented dancers.

To take part in the project dance groups must be created with young people between 11-19 years outside of the school day (e.g youth club, dance club, after-schools club).

Its going to be an exciting New Year!

Connections reaches more

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:00:24 +0000

The start of 2012 has seen our successful ‘Connections’ programme reach more schools than ever. The Forge is now making the scheme available to schools right across the North-East so if you would like to work with us click here to find out more.

Animation workshop at NGCA nearly sold out!

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:59:06 +0000

We have one final remaining workshop available on Tuesday 29th November at the NGCA. Follow this link for detailed information. If your school is applying for Artsmark, these workshops will present an opportunity to increase your curriculum time available to the arts. If you need another good reason to book we have reduced the November rate to £80. Call us now to book before its too late.

Website celebrating Dorothy Heathcote launched

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:08:17 +0000

We were very sad to hear that Dorothy Heathcote had passed away in early October. She was an inspiration for anyone involved in the drama, theatre and education movement. She was a particularly strong influence to schools and practitioners in the North East of England where she was based for much of her working life. If you want to find out more about this incredible woman the website is http://www.dorothyheathcote.org

Sunderland Schools workshops sold out for November

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:01:51 +0000

We are really pleased to announce that the Sunderland schools workshop programme has completely sold out for November. There are still 2 sessions left in January 2012 so if you are interested book now by emailing fiona@intheforge.com