DLA Piper Gift Photograph of their office block, Manchester by Alex

Newsletter Issue 9 Spring 2012

Venture.arts

We are well into 2012 now and it’s easy to see how quickly a year can slip by. The longest day is just around the corner and before we know it, we will be in 2013. Now seems a good time to take a quick look back at 2011 and remember some of the exciting things we’ve been up to..... We have had a great time exploring a theme of ‘Communication’ in lots of our art projects including making prints out of old computer technology and circuit boards, making our own ceramic old fashioned telephones, making our own teapots beautifully designed with what we like to chat about over a nice cuppa.

We have had all sorts of great opportunities to show our ‘Layered’ work and it has been appreciated by thousands. We are all immensely proud of our fantastic art students! Keep up the good work! 2011 certainly was a very productive year and 2012 will be just as busy with new exhibitions and projects planned. We’ll continue to keep you updated through our newsletters and website with what’s going on.

Hello and welcome to the 9th edition of our newsletter.

Ventures Arts Team

Meet our new Patrons (page 2). We all know what the weather’s been like recently: mainly wet, cold and miserable! If you find yourself in Manchester City Centre, near to The People’s History Museum and want to have a look at some great artwork and at the same time chill out and get a great cuppa then why not take a look at our Layered Exhibition (page 4). Find out why we’ve been a hive of activity recently, and how busy we have all been—take a look at what’s been going on (page 5). 12345, why are these numbers important to us? (page 3). See who likes jumping out of a plane (page 7). Well Being Project (Page 4). Welcomes & Farewells (Page 7)

Contents

Venture Arts Footy Club

Page 3

Our Artism Exhibition

Page 7

Layered Exhibition says hello Royal Exchange Theatre

Page 4

Take a look at these….

Page

1

BUPA Manchester 10k Run— A whopping 20 eager Venture Arts runners this year!

Amanda reaching the finish 2011!!

The run starts at 10am on Sunday 20th May and is Britain’s biggest 10K road race event and will celebrate it’s 10th anniversary this year. It is expected that around 40,000 runners, celebrities and athletes will take to the streets of Manchester. The event is also broadcast live by BBC television.

We have an amazing 20 strong team running for us as well as many of DLA Piper’s staff so it is going to be a great day! Come and cheer on our runners and be part of a great event.

If you would like to give the Venture Arts team a huge boost (and boy do they need it!!) by giving a donation, please go to;

www.charitygiving.co.uk/venturearts and press the ‘Donate’ button.

Easy peasy!

Hot Off The Press

Meet Our Patrons

We are thrilled to be able to announce that we have two new well known patrons; Tina Malone and Michelle Ackerley. In fact they are the first Patrons that Venture Arts have ever had. We are extremely grateful that they have offered their skills, influence and contacts to support our work and help us to make a difference. We are very much looking forward to working with Michelle & Tina and are sure that their patronage will help highlight Venture Arts and all that work with us. Thank you Michelle & Tina.

BBC’s TV presenter and producer Michelle Ackerley!!

Shameless star—Tina Malone!!

Michelle with some of Venture Arts’ young artists.

Page 2

Michelle Ackerley well known TV Presenter for CBBC ‘Deadly Art’ programme popped into our studio in early February to meet our Saturday Club young artists. She has helped us out on a few Saturday art clubs and the kids think she is great! You can see by all the smiling faces that everyone was excited to meet Michelle. Michelle helped the participants with their art work and also told them all about Deadly Arts.

If you are a lover of TV you’ll probably recognise actress Tina Malone who plays Mimi Maguire in Chanel 4‘s comedy drama ‘Shameless’. Then again ....you may not.... as Tina has lost a phenomenal amount of weight over the past few years. Tina popped into our workshop to meet and chat to our young artists and judging by all the smiles on everyone’s faces they were delighted to meet her. They say the camera never lies and looking at this lovely photograph of Tina and our young artists we think you all look sensational.

Photograph supplied courtesy of Manchester Evening News

Tina with Venture Arts’ young artists.

DLA Piper Cheque Presentation

There was an exciting buzz in the air at the Venture Arts Studio when David Gray of DLA Piper arrived on Monday 31st January to present us with a very large cheque for £4036.73! DLA piper had been extremely busy raising money for us by participating in the Greater Manchester Run, holding various dress down days, office job swap days (Managers being secretaries for the day and vice versa etc. ) and also by holding a beer walk, to name just a few. A very big thank you to everyone at DLA for all their hard work over the past year raising the funds for us and also for their continued support it really means a lot to us!

Take a look at

our front cover

to see the

photograph

inside this gift

Left to right— Sercan, Joanne, David, Amir, Alex, Tejan & participants Horace & Andrew

Manchester University Pharmacy Students came up with some great ideas for raising funds for our Football Club. These ranged from Karaoke to some of the male students been extremely brave and undergoing chest waxes— ouchhh! The students managed to raise £614.81 for our footy club and this will be used for supplying waterproof jackets (which no doubt will get used most of the time with our Manchester weather) and our new football shirts. What an amazing effort! Thank you to everyone involved. By the way, please get in touch! if you would like to join the new VA football club. Training is every Friday evening and is coached by none other than our photography tutor Martin

What’s Been Going On

Page

3

David Grey (DLA Piper) opening his present from Venture Arts along with a very delighted Amanda (Venture Arts)

Left to right - Malik, Cyril, Peter, Robert, Stephen, Barbara, David Gray (DLA Piper), Thomas, Matthew, Caryn, Gerald & Terry

Manchester University Students raise funds for Venture Arts all new Footy Club

Layered Exhibition

Well-Being Project with Manchester People First

Back in 2010 we were really fortunate to receive the funding from Manchester City Council to spread our wings to North Manchester and Wythenshawe in partnership with Manchester People First. The focus of the workshops is to tackle marginalisation and isolation, that we know so many people who have a learning disability have to face all the time. ‘I have seen people develop confidence in themselves, a positive image of themselves and benefitted from working with others.’ ‘It is a supportive and inclusive group, every one feels welcome and the art teacher is very encouraging.’ (support worker).

Venture Arts and Manchester People First participants attended the launch party for their new arts exhibition on Thursday 9th February at the Nexus Art Cafe. Nexus is a creative community space that aims to create a unique environment in which to foster individual wellbeing, growth and where people from all ages, social backgrounds and abilities can gather to explore, reflect and create together. The exhibition is inspired by Wellbeing & Identity and included the new work of our participants in Cheetham Hill and Wythenshawe.

COMMUNARTY

Nexus Art Café, Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1JW

The Layered Exhibition has indeed been our most expansive tour so far! Back in July last year we uninstalled it from the Lowry, then it found a new home over Christmas at the Royal Exchange Theatre. This was really exciting for us as it gave us the chance to show our work to theatre going audiences and Amanda and Laura were able to give a talk and tour to the friends of the Royal Exchange which was fantastic. Watch this space though as the exhibition will next be moving to the People’s History Museum from May 26th until August 2012. Congratulations to all our very talented artists and participants who have made it such a visually interesting exhibition.

As part of Visit England’s Holidays at Home

are GREAT campaign, you can enjoy a 10%

discount off your order in the cafe by simply

quoting ‘Great 2012′ at the till. Offer valid

from 8 March to 31 August 2012.

The People’s History Museum, Bridge Street,

Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER

Page

4

Stephen is delighted with the cupcake he

made out of different material, looks good

enough to eat!

Joseph (participant) with his colourful pottery work

Violet, Sharon (Volunteer) and Heather (L-R) painting the door

1 Door

2 Trees

1 Wasp

7 Bees

12 Bear Ears

Mission Accomplished

Modelling the completed bear ears, Caryn, Matthew, Robert, Thomas, Barbara, Zia & Stephen (front row L-R), Gerald & Horace (Back row L-R).

Andrew, Violet & Heather (L-R) busy working on the door

A Hive of activity, everyone’s concentrating on finishing the

Bumble Bee costumes

There’s a real buzz in the studio today, (Robert and Barbara (L-R) sewing the bee’s bodies.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears—a ‘prop’er job!

Zia hard at working painting the tree.

Participants using different coloured paints to

give a wood effect to the cardboard.

Page

5

Matthew working on the

Bumble Bee’s stinger/tail

Back in 2011, we were approached by J Star Academy of Performing Arts and asked if we would like to make the costumes and props for their Goldilocks and the Three Bears pantomime. All the participants were happy to help out and eagerly set about making different props and costumes. We used different materials from cardboard to sequins and we were all busy gluing, sticking, moulding, painting and sewing.

Photographs supplied courtesy of Nicki Davis

Photography & J Star Academy of Performing Arts

Lovely photographs showing J Star Academy of Performing Arts future stars in

our bear and bee costumes. If you look closely you will also see the trees we made.

The exhibition showed work from various artists who have Autism. Venture Arts have exhibited work from the following people: Horace, Anna, Dane, Alex, Andrew G, Andrew J, Leslie, Barry F, Andrew M, Justin & David The exhibition opened on Sunday 4th March at Vernon Park Museum, Stockport. It was a well attended event and it was lovely to see Horace, Anna, David, Justin and their families and friends enjoying the event.. Thank you to Brin Morris and his family for making this such a wonderful showcasing opportunity!

Horace with his wire suit drawings and tutor Katherine

Anna with her embroidered ballerina piece

Artism Exhibition Vernon Park

Stockport

Page

6

David with his illustrations

Justin with his animation

Welcome: Gail Robinson is studying at Salford University and is on her 2nd year of a 3 year MA Social work course. Gail’s most memorable moment is meeting the participants at Venture Arts and getting to know them. Amy Conway is studying at Manchester University and is on her 1st year of a 2 year MA Social Work Course. Amy’s most outstanding moment was working in the Special Olympics during the Irish Games and the World Games. This experience influenced Amy to work with people with learning difficulties. Melissa Raffo is studying at the University of Manchester and is on her 1st year of a 3year course, Learning Disabilities Studies. Melissa once sky-dived for her birthday present and absolutely loved it and would like to do it again to raise funds for a children’s hospice in Northern Ireland. Eventually she wants to do a PGCE and become a special needs teacher. Kath Barrington is our new Administrative Assistant and joined Venture Arts back in November 2011. Kath ‘loves her new job and working for Venture Arts and it is great to meet all the participants’. Her most memorable moment being sung to by Craig Charles (Lister from Red Dwarf) whilst in a lift at the BBC.

Farewell: Thank you to Jenny Slater, PHD Student (Aiming High Young People’s) who worked with our Wednesday evening group Time Travellers Guide to the Future Project. And a very fond farewell from all the team and all our arts participants to Kate Freeborough who has delivered hundreds of great arts projects for all our participants over the past four years. We will miss her lots but wish her all our very best for her many exciting plans for the future!

Welcome & Farewells

Gail, Amy & Melissa (L-R)

Would you like to become a member?

Venture Arts always seeks new members. If you support the work we do and would like an invite to the AGM, special invites to the launch of exhibitions and newsletters, please get in touch . For further information / application form please contact us on 0161 232 1223 or you can download a form on our website www.venturearts.org

We need you!

(L-R, Front Row) - Laura (Tutor), Kate (Tutor) & Darren (L-R, Middle Row) - David & Tommy

(L-R, Back Row) - Katherine (Tutor) & Horace

Page

7

Illustration of Kath

drawn by Leslie

(participant).