Because we believe getting people involved in the Arts at a young age is so important, we put great emphasis on working in partnership with our local schools. 

Our most enduring and successful venture so far has to be the Traditional Music in Schools project.

Throughout the academic year local musician Donald Canavan works across 12 local primary schools in the district, teaching them guitar, mandolin, tin whistle and flute – way over 200 children in total.

Groups from the various schools are then formed to perform in public at Christmas, the Winter Craft Fair and the St Patrick’s Day concert , to name but a few occasions.

A fantastic spin off from the Traditional Music project has been the Saturday Folk Club which started in September 2011. Over twenty young people who previously were students of Donald’s at primary school now come together every week to practice at the Burnavon. Their progress has been amazing and we know there is more to come – so watch this space.

Other innovative albeit shorter term projects delivered for local schools recently have included:

Shadow Puppetry from Indigo Moon 

Earth – an environmental arts project

Let’s Animate – this project is happening right now across 6 local primary schools and we are looking forward to seeing the finished animated films in the Spring Term 2012.