Almondvale Supports Arts & Kids Project

Date: 1 Aug 2007

 

Organised by Arts & Kids and supported by Land Securities Group Plc, TheatreQuest gives 1,300 children across the UK the chance to learn about theatre and the impact of climate change.HRH The Prince of Wales established Arts & Kids to give children who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity the chance to engage with the best of the arts.

 

As part of this year’s TheatreQuest project, children from St Mary’s RC Primary School in West Lothian will study a new play called ‘A Singer from the Desert Came’, specially written by multi-award winning author, Jamila Gavin. The play is set in a future without adults and is a prediction of things to come if global warming is not tackled.  

 

Workshops will be held at West Lothian Youth Theatre as well as in the classroom to teach children what’s involved in the world of theatre – revealing what goes on behind the scenes as well as on stage.  

 

Children will also get the chance to use their imagination and bring their creative talents to life by building sets and designing costumes for the play using recycled materials. 

 

Jennifer Bruce, marketing manager for Almondvale Shopping Centre, said: “We are now in our third year of supporting Arts & Kids, following ‘In the Land of Illustrations’ in 2005 and ‘StoryQuest’ in 2006.  

 

“We believe this project is an excellent way to help children increase their self-esteem, confidence and learn new skills and with TheatreQuest, it will also give them more knowledge on our environment, an increasingly important issue.

 

“I’m sure the children will have great fun finding out more about the arts and I’m confident they’ll go on to teach their parents and friends a thing or two about climate change.”

 

West Lothian Youth Theatre, the ‘theatre partners’ for the project, will see both children and teachers visit the venue over the autumn term and will get to know the professionals and staff working there.

 

Emily Chevalier, associate director at West Lothian Youth Theatre, said: “We are delighted to be involved in such a worthy project and look forward to treating the children and teachers to an unforgettable experience in the world of theatre and exposing some of the secrets of the stage.”

 

Rebecca Eastmond, Director of The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation added: “TheatreQuest is a unique and extremely exciting project for The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation.  We aim to provide children with sustained, high quality arts experiences and encourage them to visit their local arts venues. TheatreQuest brings together issues that are important to The Prince of Wales – the environment, the arts and social issues – and we would like to thank Land Securities for working with us and allowing the children to engage with the arts in such a fun and novel way.”

 

Thousands of schools around the UK were invited to apply to TheatreQuest. St Mary’s RC Primary School is the only school in West Lothian to participate in the project.

 

TheatreQuest project will finish with a celebration of the children’s work in December 2007 and the project as a whole will culminate in a professional performance of ‘A Singer from the Desert Came’ at a top London theatre early in 2008.

 

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