Pupils at Perrywood Primary School will co-create their own Hay Festival event next month, 6–10 July, working with six artists in a new residency programme.
Part of the year-round learning and engagement work from global arts charity Hay Festival, the “Make Hay” residency is designed to widen opportunities for local young people to engage in the arts, supported by Arts Council England.
The project is led by leading artists:
· Toni Cook (theatre facilitator)
· Sarah Morton (artist)
· Steven Camden (spoken word artist)
· Olivia Preye (choir lead and facilitator)
· Aaron Diaz (composer)
· Landing Mané (choreographer and performer)
A special outdoor marquee resembling Hay Festival’s flagship festival site and atmosphere, has been erected to host the workshops and final performances.
Activities will culminate in a special showcase, where children will present their performances to an invited audience of parents and guests on Friday 10 July.
The project began in April when artist Steven Camden ran creative workshops with pupils from the school.
Every year, Hay Festival’s creative residency aims to leave a legacy of skills and creativity – with this year’s being a whole school song written collaboratively by pupils and artists. This is the second annual creative residency to take place as part of Hay Festival’s outreach initiative.
Associate Head of Perry Wood Primary School, Nicky Barley said:
“The partnership with Hay Festival is a wonderful opportunity to further enrich the opportunities we provide for our children. Working alongside talented artists, authors and creative professionals will build on the strong culture of curiosity, imagination and self-expression that already exists within our school. The experience reflects the Griffin Schools Trust pillar of ‘Wide Horizons’, alongside our focus on Identity, and we are excited to celebrate the talents and achievements of our pupils at the final showcase.”
Hay Festival CEO Julie Finch said:
“We’re so pleased to bring Hay Festival to Perrywood Primary School this summer and engage young minds in creative workshops giving them the space to explore the power of words and the magic of sharing stories – and hopefully have some fun along the way! As a charity, it is our mission to provide accessible platforms for our audiences to engage with culture. Our learning and engagement projects are a critical part of this and we are grateful for the support from Arts Council England.”
Artist Toni Cook said:
“I’m honoured to be leading the creative team for Hay Festival's residency at Perry Wood Primary School. I am excited about making a creative performance with 300 pupils telling their stories supported by an amazing group of artists. Ambition and excellence are guaranteed with Hay Festival projects, and I cannot wait to get started. Expect the unexpected!”
More can be found online about Hay Festival’s outreach work here, including a film about the previous creative residency
The project follows on from last year’s successful Hay Festival Creative Residency pilot in Hereford’s St Thomas Cantilupe CE Primary school where five artists – poet and Children’s Laureate Wales Alex Wharton, theatre maker Toni Cook, composer Aaron Diaz, choreographer Sonia Sabri MBE and artist Sarah Morton – worked with the pupils to create a community performance based on their stories.
About the artists
Toni Cook is a theatre facilitator and creative arts consultant working in rural Herefordshire for organisations such as Rural Media, Ledbury Poetry, Courtyard Centre for the Arts and more.
Sarah Morton is a skilled artist who runs Arts Studio Ross, and guides students in exploring visual arts, using innovative techniques.
Steven Camden is a highly-acclaimed spoken word artist who has graced stages from Kuala Lumpur to California via Glastonbury and The Royal Shakespeare Company.
Olivia Preye is a choir lead and creative practitioner, she is based in the Welsh Borders and runs four choirs.
Aaron Diaz is a talented musician, with expertise in composition and performance and is building on his work from the school partnership with Hereford Cathedral’s choral scholars.
Landing Mané is a prominent UK-based Senegalese artist, percussionist and educator who leads popular workshops and events across the UK and internationally.