past projects: Aimhigher in the Arts Summer School 2006
Forty five 15 year olds from Bournemouth, Dorset, Poole and Somerset had the time of their lives at this year’s Aimhigher in the Arts residential summer school. The young people worked with leading dance, music and physical theatre artists in an exciting week which culminated in ‘Boiling Point’ a public performance at Lighthouse, Poole ’s Centre for the Arts on Saturday 12 August.
The Aimhigher in the Arts Summer School ran from 6 - 12 August and was the second year of this residential performing arts project.
The success of the summer school last year, which had a profound effect on the young people who took part, attracted funding through BournemouthUniversity to enable another to be organised for this year and secured some of our most innovative practitioners in the performing arts.
The students worked with Neil Bettles from physical theatre company Frantic Assembly, Sammy Hurden and Nick Flowers from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, innovative choreographer Debbie Fionn Barr from The Fionnbarr Factory, alongside creative producer Lee Hart, who has worked with companies such Boilerhouse and Theatrum Botanicum.
As well as the experience of working in a professional theatre environment, the summer school gave students a taste of college life. It was aimed at young people who would not normally have this opportunity and are less likely to go onto Higher Education. The students were resident at BournemouthUniversity and information sessions throughout the week raised their awareness of opportunities in Further and Higher Education.
Aimhigher in the Arts Summer School was jointly organised by BournemouthUniversity and Activate and took place at Lighthouse, Poole .
‘We were so pleased to be able to run another summer school with Bournemouth University and partners, working with fantastic artists who gave young people the most amazing experiences that will stay with them forever. ’
Says Kate Wood, Director of Activate .
‘Bournemouth University were delighted with last year’s summer school and wanted to work with our partners in the performing arts again to offer more young people an enriching programme, and provide the opportunity of experiencing the higher education environment as well as the professional world of the performing arts. ’
says BournemouthUniversity's Summer Schools Co-ordinator, Miriam Bray.
Funding for the project came from the European Social Fund, obtained by BournemouthUniversity as part of the Aimhigher South West Summer Schools programme to raise students’ awareness of opportunities and encourages their progression to Higher Education. Funding has also come from DepARTure, the arts in education agency for Dorset, Borough of Poole, Bournemouth Borough Council, as well as significant in-kind support from the project partners: Lighthouse, Dance South West, Wave Arts Education, DepARTure Arts, Arts Institute Bournemouth, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth and PooleCollege , WeymouthCollege.