The project built on a previous partnership between Prince Rock school, writer Simon James and Take A Part. The project partners had already tested working together and had started to develop relationships and a model of working that they wanted to interrogate further. The project aimed to develop skills in writing and literacy in groups that might not normally consider themselves writers, or those who had a lack of confidence in relation to literacy.
There was a curiosity to understand why the process of using picture books and drawing as a way into developing writing works so well. The partners wanted to understand which aspects of the collaboration made the programme most successful and what factors were paramount to the model. There was also a desire to come together again from all partners, due to the joy generated by the collaboration in their previous project. This project built on that energy and the legacy of the initial work.
Approach
– Group 1
During the project Take A Part worked with two Crazy Glue family art groups (based at Prince Rock and High View schools) and two writers. Crazy Glue family art groups usually meet monthly, with parents spending the first hour of a session with an artist taking time to be creative, build skills and connections. They are then joined by their children after school, where they have the opportunity to make together.
The first group was a collaboration between Take A Part, writer Simon James and the Crazy Glue family art group from Prince Rock Primary school.
They began the process with a visit to a local green space, Beaumont Park. The green space acted as a point of inspiration to begin the groups’ writing. By connecting their writing to a location in their community, the families felt that they better understood and owned the subject matter and themes of the piece. This also helped them to draw on real life resources.
The workshop included a variety of drawing and writing exercises designed to help the families to look, listen, reflect and consider what they could see in and around the green spaces. Tasks ranged from more directed activities (‘list 10 things you can see that you like around you’/’draw something you can see from here’) to more interpretive tasks (‘choose your favourite place here, how does it make you feel? Write or draw something here’). The range of activities and approaches helped to offer everyone involved different ‘ways in’ to start writing, drawing, and generating ideas.
At the following sessions the group was guided through reflection activities using the content that they had gathered from their visit to the park. They were encouraged to explore this through activities related to the senses (what did they hear, smell, etc). The reflection activities helped to remind them what they had seen; this was observed as being a particularly useful tool for the children. The groups were then supported to produce writing and drawing based on their reflections, including the development of potential characters, locations, images or phrases for the creative outcome. Conversation was seen as being an important part of the process, with many writing ideas being vocalised, particularly by the children in the group.
The Prince Rock group also visited The Box (gallery in Plymouth) to see the exhibition ‘Dutch Flowers’ which prompted group discussion about biodiversity in the park and representation of insects within the story and drawings being created.
– Group 2
The second group involved emergent writer Laura Horton and the Crazy Glue family art group from High View school (Efford). This group was run as a staggered sister project, mirroring the process of the Prince Rock work. This second project was seen as an important addition, as it enabled testing of aspects of the project within a different context, seeing how the same stages might be enacted differently with a different group and a different writer leading the sessions.
Group 2 visited Efford Valley green space to inspire their writing, the project then mirrored the session model of group 1. Simon James provided advice and mentoring for Laura Horton (emerging writer) in relation to delivery of the sessions.
The High View group also visited local arts spaces MIRROR Gallery and Arts Institute at University of Plymouth. The visits informed their thinking and gave further inspiration, connecting with more traditional and contemporary exhibitions and exhibition spaces. Many of the group had not been to either space before. The group were inspired by an exhibition of Ben Sanderson’s work and produced their own nature themed collage work based on what they had seen.
– Creative outcomes
The two writers drew on their own practice and areas of expertise to direct the creative outcomes that the groups produced.
With the Prince Rock group, Simon James used the content developed during the initial sessions to create and illustrate a story. All members of the group were involved in producing and editing the narrative. Members of the group produced drawings to illustrate the text and others used watercolour painting techniques they had learned from Simon James to add colour to the final drawings. Participants also recorded the voiceover for the story; these recordings were put together with images of the drawings to create a short film. The recording was a powerful part of the process as it enabled the group to hear their voices within the work which fostered a sense of ownership.
With the High View group, Laura Horton, who is a playwright, worked with the families to develop a character that they might encounter in the valley and shaped a piece of writing from the perspective of their character. She then led the families through a series of improvisation tasks to encourage further development of these characters and the pieces of text. This task took members out of their comfort zone initially but encouraged creative ideas, fast thinking and fun and led to the development of monologues. The monologues were recorded by the voices of the group and accompanied by a character profile which was designed and drawn.
Learning
– Families
Families involved in the project increased their confidence in creative writing. This was observed as being particularly true for the Prince Rock families who had participated in a previous writing project with writer Simon James. This project further elevated their confidence by positioning them in the space as experts. Skills were also developed around oracy, creative writing, storytelling, improvisation and role play, drawing and painting.
The group at High View had a slightly different experience, as they were not working in the context of an already established relationship with the writer and writing. As a result of this there was initially observed to be some nervousness around tasks and connections with playwrighting. However, this trepidation eased as sessions moved on and trust was built between the writer and group. Consistent numbers and participation from families even if they were ill or had to miss a session showed their commitment to the project and a connectivity to the work and each other.
“It’s nice to come to Crazy Glue because it gives me that slot of time that you would never allow yourself, because we are all so busy, so this is a nice escape from everyday life and having the opportunity to do different creative things, including writing, is really rewarding.” – Parent participant
“It’s a really nice bonding process as a family to do it, so that’s been really lovely actually to be inspired by the group to do those things which you remind yourself to do but you don’t often make that slot of time to ACTUALLY do.” – Parent participant
“It’s been really exciting for me to feel that kind of freedom of expression where you can use these mediums (in art group) and you can have a go and that’s fine, whatever you create is fine, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be for anyone else’s benefit, it’s just a expression in that moment and that’s really liberating actually! I think it’s been mentally kind of liberating, I haven’t physically done anything outside of the group, I wouldn’t yet, but I would have more confidence to do so now…” – Parent participant
– Partners
Lead writer Simon James developed his previous approach and model further in this project, it enabled him to reflect on how to deliver this type of work in collaboration with an arts organisation and it offered the chance to take that learning and be reflective about his practice.
“When I look up and see the whole group working, children and parents together, these are my favourite moments. For me the culmination of all our efforts are for these moments where there is a sense of unity, purpose and focus of minds when working together towards a jointly-held creative goal… The group is not obliged to attend, so it remains important that the project is enjoyable, something to look forward to, and fun to share. At the same time, I hope that the group finds that setting themselves a task bears it’s own rewards. I believe we always achieve this, but it’s something I remain vigilant about.” – Simon James, lead writer
Laura Horton, the emergent writer working with the High View group has grown in confidence over the duration of the project. Through sustained work with the group and relationship building she learned to share and lead tasks that both brought the group into the activity, but also challenged what they knew or had done before.
“Finding the right path to share skills with the group, combining my playwriting with their interests and finding the best routes was initially a challenge but I think the improv exercises we did, they really bound the group together, providing a sense of joy and unity” – Laura Horton, emergent writer
Both writers on the project have learnt and deepened skills around engaging with communities, co-creating pieces and understanding how their practice can inform and support collaborative writing to take place.
For the Take A Part team the investigation of the delivery process has provided a learning opportunity to both observe and hone aspects of the project using reflective practice to inform approaches as the project progressed. The project has offered up challenges, but has also given opportunity for robust testing of how writing can work with families. Take A Part will use the learning from this project to shape a new and exciting model of engagement that others can learn from and that enables families to feel empowered, inspired try new things, gain new skills and develop greater literacy skills.
“Continuing to help the group feel that they can trust in new things, they always do surprise me, but feeling that a new thing might put people off or be a challenge, it’s a very on the edge thing between wanting to push and grow their confidence and skills in sessions and putting them off, so this new approach and working with words has been right on that edge of things both in a good and challenging way at times!” – Gem Smith, Lead Producer, Take A Part
