Long term commitment to the communities which surround Kings Place is fundamental to the community of organisations resident and performing in the building. The community within Kings Place aims to provide access to quality events, opportunities to participate in events and engage with and learn from leading artists and musicians. Here are some of the projects going on in the community.
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Long before the building works at Kings Place were completed, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment began to establish strong links with the community around Kings Place. For the past three years, the OAE has been offering taster projects and workshops in a variety of locations from local primary and secondary schools, adventure playgrounds and Kate Greenaway nursery school, working with over 1000 young people in the area which culminated in impressive performances at Edward Square, Kings Place and the Camden Centre.
The OAE has started a string club offering children from five local primary schools long term musicianship classes and the opportunity to learn a string instrument at Copenhagen Primary School. Recently the orchestra has also started a club for adults and a string club at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.
The London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta offers access to high quality performance experience and learning opportunities to young people. During the Kings Place opening festival, singers from St Mary's Youth Club choir participated in the world premier of Opening of the House by Philip Cashian with Sinfonietta players and the Guardian choir. Young people from the Copenhagen Youth Project and All Change participated in events during The Art of News Week.
The London Sinfonietta now launches its KX Collective this summer with an event in July. The KX Collective is an evolving group of young people from the Kings Cross neighbourhood, which forms an integral part of the London Sinfonietta's programme of work here in the 09/10 season and beyond. They will be channelling their talents and enthusiasm for music-making and production into dynamic projects and events that will be showcased alongside the ensemble's concert work. We are so excited to see this group grow and to learn about the wealth of talent and energy that is on our doorstep.
If you are between the age of 13 and 20, and would like more information about the KX Collective, please call Amy Majumdar on 020 7239 9340 or email amy.majumdar@londonsinfonietta.org.uk
Pangolin London
Pangolin London, one of London's few galleries dedicated to exhibiting sculpture, runs an artist residency programme, part of which includes a contribution to education and outreach at Kings Place. Abigail Fallis is the first artist to take up the sculpture residency. Abigail has taken inspiration from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and will loosely theme her exhibition on the pun ‘Fallis in Wonderland'.
For her education and outreach project, Abigail is working with two local primary schools on a sculpture project based on British endangered species. This is a theme explored in her fish sculptures and environmental issues are something she is passionate about. Students from the Professional Practice for Artists course at the Mary Ward Centre are assisting her as part of their professional placement.
Curators
Kings Place's unique programming approach means that curators are given carte blanche over the content of their week. Educational events and opportunities to participate in performances are linked to and often form part of a programme of Weekly Themes. Past events have included workshops and masterclasses with the International Guitar Foundation. The Scene Norway week provided three young Camden residents with the opportunity to participate in a performance of Ice Music with pioneering percussionist Terje Isunget and vocalist Lena Nymark. A new piece from Endymion's outreach project with young people will feature during their week in June.
Visual Learning Foundation
The Visual Learning Foundation work with children and primary school teachers with the aim to ensure ‘that every child has a right to structured, progressive Art and Design education and the opportunity to fulfil creative potential'
From 2006 - 2008, the Visual Learning Foundation worked with three primary schools in Islington on eleven art projects documenting the construction of Kings Place. Each project included a site visit and students documented the construction of the building through drawing and sculpture. The resulting artwork was exhibited at Kings Place during the opening festival in October. The Visual Learning Foundation will work on two further projects in 2009 and 2010 with primary schools in Islington and Camden to create projects linking music and art with the aim of nurturing children's interest in the arts.
Tarporley
The historic narrowboat, Tarporley was built in 1937 for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. Later it became one of Britain's first community narrow boats. Tarporley now has a permanent mooring at Kings Place. Tarporley are running regular boat trips from Kings Place.
Read more about Tarporley and canal life www.camdencanals.org
Images of the Copenhagen Youth Project Art Group by Chris Tribble
