Between 2 April and 21 June 2012, we ran sound:images, a project taking visual arts and crafts activities inspired by this year’s major sporting event to young carers at Crossroads Brentwood and young people with disabilities at Crossroads Havering. The project was funded by Capital Shopping Centres owners of Lakeside Shopping Centre. It has also brought together young people from The Ockendon Academy with young people with disabilities from Beacon Hill School (a school for children and young people with severe and profound learning difficulties aged 3-19) through music activities.
A two-phase project, sound:images was funded by Capital Shopping Centres, owner of Lakeside, and aimed to breakdown barriers, encourage shared experiences and understanding and enable the participants to develop their teamwork and leadership skills. In the first phase of the project, our professional artists, supported by volunteers from Capital Shopping Centres and Lakeside, delivered six full-day creative arts workshops for 14 young carers from Crossroads Care Brentwood and to 33 young people with special needs from Crossroads Care Havering. Both groups created sport-inspired banners, incorporating a variety of art techniques including printing, jewellery making, collage and painting. These are currently on display on the Food Court at Lakeside. Six music workshops were then delivered by our professional musicians and the Lakeside volunteers to 24 Year 10 pupils from The Ockendon Academy who were working with 12 students from Beacon Hill School to compose original music inspired by the banners.
The students explored sounds and rhythms and created their own original music using any instruments that they are learning and a wide range of percussion instruments from around the world. sound:images culminated in two public performances by the participants of their original music at Lakeside and the display of the banners. This enabled them to showcase their music and artwork to families and friends; other students and teachers from the schools; representatives from Capital Shopping Centres; the local community; Councillor Ann Coe, Mayor of Brentwood and Councillor Yash Gupta, Mayor of Thurrock. Following the performance, each participant was presented with a certificate of achievement, providing them with a tangible record of their achievements.