Reflecting on Creating Connections

Creating Connections is an innovative schools project which establishes partnerships between 3 inner-city Nottingham Schools and 3 schools beyond the city, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Trent University.

Creating Connections is an innovative schools project which establishes partnerships between 3 inner-city Nottingham Schools and 3 schools beyond the city, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Trent University. One class from each school with a culturally diverse pupil base has formed a partnership with one class from a school serving a less culturally diverse community. The pupils from both schools began to meet at New Art Exchange to develop a special relationship in a series of four artist-led workshops.

The scheme began in February and we welcomed Nottingham Girls Academy and The Brunts Academy for their first session. We were about halfway through the project before it was interrupted by Covid-19 and we are looking forward to continuing the project when it’s possible.

Shamila Chady, one of our Associate Artists, reflects on Creating Connections being interrupted and the exciting learning opportunities it has the potential to create:

“On a positive note, the group myself and Ruth saw at Nottingham Girls Academy were engaged in some very current and healthy debates during the session. The young women were insightful and switched on. Such a big world event happening during the course of this pilot project is bound to feed into the discussions, correspondence and artwork – which may help reinforce the underlying idea that fundamentally they share more in common that they initially might have thought. It will certainly be an interesting body of work to look back on after things calm down. In a time of social distancing finding connections becomes even more powerful”.

The Creating Connections project was made possible thanks to an award of £10,000 by Art Fund. Art Fund is an independent membership-based British charity, which raises funds to aid the acquisition of artworks for the nation.

Read more about Creative Connections here.

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