First Henley Youth Festival On It project is completed
The banners are up at Gillotts where a group of arts students are celebrating the successful completion of the first ever Henley Youth Festival ‘On it’ project.
Earlier this year Henley Youth Festival launched a new scheme for secondary school students offering young people aged 13 - 18, supported by a teacher or other adult mentor, the chance to have an original project idea funded.
The Arts Captains at Gillotts, assisted by art teacher Lucy Keeble, were the first to put forward an idea to the scheme with their project to create a giant PVC ‘banner’ featuring student’s designs, to be displayed in the school courtyard.
HYF ‘On It’ advisors, Henley-based business professionals Hedda Bird, Managing Director, 3C Associates and Graham Woodgate, Chief Scientist, Europe for RealD, gave the team feedback on their initial ideas including the practicality of the materials to be used and the teamworking required to get the job done on time and budget.
Once funding was granted The Arts Captains ran a competition to find the final design and all ideas were examined by a judging panel at the school including teacher Lucy Keeble and Head Teacher Catherine Darnton. Students were also involved in commissioning and putting up the banner.
Tina Jacobs, from the HYF Steering Group said, “This is the first ever HYF On It project. It’s great to see the scheme get off the ground – literally - this year and the end product is fantastic. Hopefully, if we are successful in obtaining new sponsorship for HYF, we can fund another ‘On it’ project in 2014 and hope to see lots more ideas from young people whether to be done in or out of school.”
The programme of events for HYF2014 will be launched to schools on January 14th 2014 and will be in schools later that week. HYF favourites such as primary school Stonor Run, art, film, writing and photography competitions and Gig Night will all feature but there are also new events such as a mass choral finale to the week produced by Ben Goodson, Director of Henley Choral Society and a Stonor Run for secondary school and college students. Full details will be available on www.hyf.org.uk.
Picture caption: Arts Captains - Saskia, Hannah, Anna, Steph, Dan and Myfi