Last month, arts education charity, the Michael Aldrich Foundation, ran its first community event at Grand Parade, University of Brighton with a focus on creative careers.
Beginning with a specially curated exhibition of the Aldrich Collection of art and design, the event showcased the work of four emerging creatives – Artist Jack Durling, Maker Eleanor Owens, Designer Tom Meades and award winning Poet, Tommy Sissons – who all have an interest in conservation and sustainability. Visitors had the opportunity to buy work and take part in workshops making clay animals, producing recycled plastic coins and experimenting with Spoken Word. The Michael Aldrich Foundation also exhibited work from recent community arts projects with the Saturday Fashion Club and the Blind Veterans UK.
As the Michael Aldrich Foundation is keen to promote and support creatives at all stages of their careers, students from Brighton Film School were given the opportunity to film and photograph the event and a graduate from the MA Curating Collections & Heritage course at the University of Brighton took the role of curator. The stall holders were recent graduates from Greater Brighton MET. The creative team also included young people who were experts in marketing, project development, design, social and content.
Over 100 visitors attended and the feedback was enthusiastic :
Thank you to all of the artists and team for putting on this event. It was amazing to see some of the collection with familiar names @kelliemillerarts and a snapshot of some of their early works and community events. Lovely to meet the artist and get a chance to hear their story. Congratulations to all. Amazing work!
If you would like more information about the Michael Aldrich Foundation or want to get involved, contact us at michaelaldrichfoundation@gmail.com