What Is Creative Learning?

Creative Learning uses the arts to develop creativity, unlock potential, explore diversity and celebrate identity.

Be My Baby, 2018

Latest Information on Corona Virus

Rachel Fitzgerald, Creative Learning Manager: RFitzgerald@wolseytheatre.co.uk

Sian Thomas, Creative Learning Producer: SThomas@wolseytheatre.co.uk

Creative Learning Team

Reconnect: Saturday Workshops

We are back!

Aged 9-16 years? Join us for one of our Reconnect Saturday Workshops…

We are throwing open the doors of our 400 seat auditorium for our Reconnect participation programme! Come and join us to explore technical theatre, digital storytelling, or devised theatre-making & spoken word, and experience the joys of being creative alongside others in a live space once more.

Working alongside our professional technicians and practitioners, young people will learn new skills, meet new people, reflect on their experiences over the past few months and have fun, all in the safety of a Covid-19 secure environment.

You don’t need to have taken part in activity with us before – just come along ready for a fresh experience, to meet new people and explore your creativity.

All activity will be delivered in line with the latest government guidance on Covid-19 secure spaces and participation activities. Please see the FAQ’s for more information.

All sessions will include a lunch break, and we ask please that participants bring a packed lunch with them.

All sessions take place on our main stage at New Wolsey Theatre, Civic Drive, Ipswich IP1 2AS.

Get Technical (9-11yrs) – Saturday 19^th September, 10am – 3pm

Come and play in our auditorium and learn from our professional technicians all about the elements of sound, lights and stage. You’ll be actively taking part in activities to discover how it all works and you’ll get to see how our team make the magic happen.

Get Digital: Model Box Stories (11-13yrs) – Saturday 26^th September, 10am – 3pm

You’ll devise a short story in pairs, and then design and build a model box theatre set to bring it to life! You’ll be creating sound effects, programming LED lights and using motors to create motion – and there’ll be the chance to share your story with each other at the end of the day.

Delivered in partnership with LimboTech.

Photo credit: Vocile Noastre Festival, 2019.

Get Creative: Devised Theatre & Spoken Word (14-16yrs) – Saturday 3^rd October, 10am – 3pm

As a group, we’ll be exploring our experiences over the past few months through a range of physical and spoken theatrical devising techniques. Our practitioners will create a fun and inclusive environment where stories, experiences and ideas for the future can all be shared creatively.

Fees

Standard: £15 per child, per Saturday

Means-tested: £7.50 per child, per Saturday (if you are currently in receipt of Universal Credit).

Bursary places – we have a limited number of free bursary places available. Please contact Sian and Rachel for a conversation to access these: creativelearning@wolseytheatre.co.uk

How To book

Places must be booked in advance.

Bookings can be made via our website. Please visit our What’s On pages: https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/whats-on/upcoming/

If you have any questions, or if a session is sold out and you would like to join the waiting list, please email us at creativelearning@wolseytheatre.co.uk

(Please bear in mind that our team are currently working part time.)

FAQs

What are you doing to make the space Covid-19 secure?

We will update all bookers on our requirements closer to the time of the workshops. At the moment our Covid-19 secure workshop delivery includes:

• Group numbers will be limited to 15 participants plus staff (under current guidelines. If this changes then group size may be increased slightly, with reference to social distancing guidance).
• Activity will be delivered in line with the latest social distancing guidance.
• Additional cleaning will take place.
• Staff and participants will have their temperature checked when entering the building.
• Hand sanitiser available at all times and encouraged regularly.
• Participants and parents/carers will be asked to follow social distancing at drop off and pick up times.
• Our staff are all following policies and procedures for safe working practices.
• Face masks: Participants may be asked to wear face masks for certain or all activities, depending on the latest guidance available. Participants who wish to wear a face mask even if it is not required at the time are welcome to do so.
• We will be finding ways to creatively embed the Covid-19 secure elements into our workshop programme so that we are still able to have fun, create, and participate as fully as possible.

Is the activity inside or outside?

The workshops will be inside on our main stage, which has adequate room for social distancing. We will hopefully be able to offer an outside lunch break, weather permitting.

What will the activity be like?

Activity will be practical and will involve moving around spaces, conversations and safe use of equipment (sanitisation will take place between use). Activity will take place on the New Wolsey Theatre stage and within the auditorium/ backstage areas where possible and relevant for technical work.

Will I have to wear a mask?

We will confirm nearer the time whether the wearing of masks is going to be necessary or not. The safety of participants is our priority and we will take advice from the latest government guidance. Participants may be asked to wear a mask for all or just some of the activity, for example exercises where 1m social distancing is required.

Any participants who wish to wear a mask throughout the activity, even if it is not required, are welcome to do so.

Can I go out to get my lunch?

In order to minimise risk to all participants and staff, we request all participants to bring a packed lunch and reusable water bottle with them.

What happens if the participant cannot attend due to a temperature or Covid-19 symptoms?

We ask you to inform us as soon as possible if the participant shows symptoms of Covid-19 or develops a temperature, as we cannot permit them to participate. We will issue a refund in these circumstances.

Can I attend virtually?

This activity is designed to be delivered in a live space. We may develop different virtual offers for later in the term. Please check our website later in the year for updates.

How can I access a bursary place?

We have a limited amount of free bursary places available for each workshop. These are for young people who would not be able to access the workshop otherwise. If you would like to access a bursary place please contact Sian and Rachel at creativelearning@wolseytheatre.co.uk

We also have a means-tested rate (half price) available for families in receipt of Universal Credit. We operate an honour-based system with this fee, meaning you do not have to provide us with proof.

Schools: Spotlight on Skills

In the autumn of 2020, the New Wolsey Theatre, its staff, resources, auditorium, rehearsal room and participation space will all be available for schools to take part in a new and exciting active learning project with specific curriculum based content.

Working with professionals from the theatre, young people will reconnect with learning and the National Curriculum; discover career pathways in the creative industries; develop essential life skills, and use their creativity to reflect upon their experience of lockdown, all in a safe, fun, supportive environment that is Covid-19 secure.

As one of the arts organisations that has worked with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation on their Teacher Development programme, we have been a part of a wide-ranging project that has successfully evidenced that young people’s learning can be dramatically enhanced by a practical, art-based approach to animating elements of the National Curriculum.

An ‘active learning’ approach has been shown to be especially effective at eroding disadvantage and supporting young people who might not have thrived in a conventional school environment to reach their potential.

Regardless of where your school is in its delivery plan for Science, Computing or Mental Wellbeing, our programme could recap, introduce or support the teaching of these elements of the National Curriculum.

Click here to find out more about this exciting new offer.

We understand this is a period of uncertainty for the education sector, and we’d be happy to have a conversation about how we can be flexible with this work to engage with your school. Please contact either:

Rachel Fitzgerald, Creative Learning Manager: RFitzgerald@wolseytheatre.co.uk

Sian Thomas, Creative Learning Producer: SThomas@wolseytheatre.co.uk