Our latest guest blog, written by Max Dolding, artist and founder of the Essex Schools Showcase for the Arts.
Essex Schools Showcase for The Arts – July 11th -18th 2018
Visual & Performance Arts by students, presented by students
For the last six years, if you happen to have been passing through or around High Chelmer shopping centre or the Civic Theatre in central Chelmsford during mid-July, you may well have been pulled up sharp by some impressive fine art or performance gracing your lunchtime stroll.
2018 marks the seventh edition of this free public event showing the big talents of our Essex school students.
Their work – mainly (but not exclusively) at A-Level or GCSE level – is not normally so publicly displayed, being normally restricted to end year in school exhibitions or, worse, stuck in a store cupboard.
Here is an opportunity to experience some very high level creative work – which will make you
think. Take a while to linger if you are ‘in the zone’ shopping, browsing or lunching to appreciate what our young people can do.
This year we have thirteen schools participating, including five schools whose students will be performing – see our website for details and programme
www.essexschoolsarts.org.High Chelmer is again facilitating a large central suspended display within their Central Square atrium and this year, led by students of Plume, Maldon’s Community Academy, with additional contributions from Brentwood County High School, Hylands School Chelmsford, New Rickstones Academy Witham, Thriftwood School & College Chelmsford and William de Ferrers School South Woodham Ferrers. This year’s theme will be ‘Flora & Fauna’ and it should be spectacular.
The other schools contributing to the Showcase this year are The Billericay School, The Bishops Stortford High School, The Boswells School Chelmsford, The Bromfords School and Sixth Form College Wickford, Chase High School Westcliff, Chelmsford County High School for Girls and Elm Green Preparatory School Little Baddow.
Some students will hopefully take their creativity with them through later life, some within the creative industries, some on a broader plane.
The event is unfunded and takes place through the enormous generosity of our sponsors who donate in kind or support our efforts. And the week long Showcase is only possible with the extra efforts voluntarily given by the schools’ teaching staff at a very busy time of the academic year.