Parallel Rhythms

Parallel Rhythms, was a two-year teacher development project delivered across six schools in Kirklees.

This substantial project was a unique opportunity for us to share our artistic passions, knowledge, experience and belief that the Arts can have a huge positive impact on children, with a group of twelve teachers over a prolonged period of time. Participating in Parallel Rhythms gave the teachers skills, confidence and creative experiences to bring about positive change in the way they deliver Art, Music and creative activity in their own classroom setting.

During the first year of the project, we focussed on delivering in-class sessions, creating bespoke online session content that was hosted on the project website, held teacher creative away days, and led creative class trips the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Cannon Hall Museum and Country Park and Gallery 20-21, Scunthorpe.  This first year of providing the teachers with creative fuel, ignited their imagination and encouraged them to identify personal areas of development for the second year.

The journey of each teacher through the second year of the project was extremely varied, reflecting the context, passions and interest of each teacher.  Fabric Lenny worked alongside teachers to completely overhaul tired Art curriculum content, working with individual and small groups of teachers to develop their ideas and skills in drawing, printing and sculpting. These skills were then woven into new, exciting and relevant art activities that were embedded into the new curriculum content.

The named arts organisation for Parallel Rhythms was The Colour Foundry with Fabric Lenny undertaking the role of lead artist and Katrina Whale as Project Manager.

Funded by: Paul Hamlyn Foundation