Fun and Games

Last summer, A New Direction began a project called ‘The Biggest Learning Opportunity on Earth’ (BigLop). The programme aimed to bring together 13 arts organisations and 140 schools across London to explore the Games in different ways. To explore the changing landscape of London and stories that make up the city, to explore its connections to the rest of the world, and dream of better worlds and new possibilities. A New Direction wanted to find value and get young people involved using the Olympic theme. As part of the bid, London made a commitment to involve young people – yet there are children living right in the shadow of the stadium who don’t know what it is. Even if they can’t get a ticket to the Games, it’s important that they’re involved in some way, that they understand what it’s about and use the Games as a way of exploring where they live.

Some amazing things happened over the course of the year, and on 25 June 2011, A New Direction opened a week-long festival of free activities at three fully accessible venues across central London for children, young people and their teachers and families. BigLopFest was a celebration of the programme, and a way of sharing creative approaches to exploring the Games more widely. Over 15,000 participants took part in the schools programme and festival combined.
Conceived as the final year of the Creative Partnerships Enquiry Schools programme, A New Direction brought together 13 arts organisations who each devised their own theme using London 2012 as the stimulus: Cineclub, Clayground Collective, Discover, Eastside Educational Trust, Emergency Exit Arts, Fundamental Architecture Inclusion, Graeae, Kinetika, LIFT, Makebelieve Arts, Nimble Fish, Punchdrunk, Rolling Sound.
All London schools were invited to sign up to one of the themed projects, and together they started their journey of exploration and discovery. Projects each started with an ‘Enquiry question’, for example: What would your message to the world be? (Eastside Educational Trust) or How can young people in London lead the way in celebrating the inclusive nature of our society by placing disabled people centre stage? (Graeae), and each school then went on to work in partnership with the chosen organisation to develop their own projects based around their exploration of that question.
As with any large-scale programme there were challenges, not least the sheer logistics of co-ordinating projects in 140 London schools, but we were able to bring together the 13 arts organisations involved to share best practice, learn from each other and move forward to deliver a cohesive programme with impact.
And there were other issues to consider. Historically, arts and education have worked in silos around art forms or funding. But now more than ever, it’s important to share knowledge and ideas. Though there’s less money, in local authorities for example, if Newham can learn from something interesting happening in Hounslow then they need to have a conversation. Partnerships are crucial, as is using local knowledge and understanding, so projects are pitched at the right level; building on schools different experiences of working alongside organisations, in order to develop their understand of creative practice.
Highams Park School in Waltham Forest worked with Punchdrunk and discovered that ‘home’ was important in all our lives and filled a hallway with little golden houses. Year Four pupils at St Jude and St Pauls in Islington worked with Graeae to explore the narrative of ‘The Iron Man’ story through physical drama activities and creations of life-size puppets focusing on the central theme of ‘difference’, which they felt was important when thinking about a global event that’s open and accessible to all.
Working with Emergency Exit Arts to find out ‘How much energy and resources can your school save before London 2012?’, schools made signs to share with the rest of the world – students at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School in Barnet designed and built their own giant 3D tap, which they positioned over their school’s empty pond.
With London 2012 looming ever closer, we have to follow up this work with further meaningful interactions with children and young people to engage them in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. If we don’t, we fail them and what a wasted opportunity that would be