community arts: "the fabric of diversity"
A series of textile art workshops were held at Essex Church between autumn 2008 and the summer of 2009. A booklet was produced by the participants and can be read online (click here for the PDF version). The following information was provided at the time:
A new community arts project will be taking place in Notting Hill Gate this autumn. A series of textile art workshops will be held at Essex Church starting on the 7th December (please note date change). All are welcome - no prior knowledge or experience is required - and there will be a chance to get some basic instruction in feltmaking at each session. It is not essential to commit to all of the sessions. However, you will probably benefit from planning to attend at least a few, so that you have enough time to make your own contribution to the project.
The intention is that we will make and decorate felt squares which represent our place in the local community and our varied connections in the wider world. At the end of the project these squares will be joined to make a large wall-hanging, which will be displayed as a public artwork, and an accompanying booklet will detail all the people who took part in its creation. We would particularly love to involve members of the groups who share our Essex Church building and will be attempting to make contact with their representatives over the summer.
Please let us know if you are intending to come as workshop places will be limited: email arts@kensington-unitarians.org.uk or leave a message with the church office: 020 7221 6514.
There will be no charge to attend the sessions; however, donations to help cover our costs are invited (suggested donation £3/£6/£9 per session - a sliding scale according to your income). Essex Church have been awarded a generous grant of £1300 by Kensington and Chelsea Council, through their Arts Grant Scheme, to support this project.
Dates for the sessions are:
- Sundays 7th December, 4th January, 1st February
- Thursdays between 11th December and 26th February (excluding 25/12/08)
The project is entitled "The Fabric of Diversity: Sharing Our Stories through Fibre and Stitch". Here are further details from our grant proposal:
"The proposed activity is a community art project where a diverse group of local people will develop their creative potential, working together on a large-scale textile artwork, expressing aspects of their own personal life experiences and also exploring themes of interdependence and their connections to others in the local and global community. The predominant craft techniques will be feltmaking and hand embroidery and there will be scope for participants to introduce other mixed-media methods to the project as they see fit. The activity will be accessible to people of all levels of experience as no prior skills will be assumed."
Click here to download a flyer for "The Fabric of Diversity" Community Arts Project.
last updated: 30 Aug 2009
