The Big Draw Festival 2018: Play is well underway around the globe and as Festival organisers fling open their doors to visitors who love to draw and to those who think they can’t, we chat to the Big Draw Co-creators who are joining us in debunking the ‘I can’t draw’ myth and eliminating barriers to creative learning through their Big Draw Festival events.
We’re thrilled to be stealing a few moments with Juno Rae, The Families and Young People's Programme Manager at the National Portrait Gallery.
Photos courtesy: Simon Mooney.
Can you tell us a little bit about your work as the Families and Young People’s Programme Manager at the National Portrait Gallery?
I manage the Gallery’s programme of activity for families including free monthly creative workshops at weekends and larger scale ‘takeover’ days during school holidays, inspired by our exhibitions, displays and the Gallery’s Collection of portraits. We also have a Family Activity Base – an art cart available every weekend and every day during the school holidays, which provides free art materials and resources for families to enhance their exploration of the Gallery. Our family programme is created with amazing artists and supported by McCain.
For young people, I lead opportunities for 14-21 year olds. The Gallery’s youth programme aims to provide opportunities for creativity, skills development, access to artists and specialists, and support a greater understanding of jobs in the creative industries. We deliver free creative workshops and have an active Youth Forum that advises the Gallery, works collaboratively to create events and presents a youth perspective on our social media platforms. They ensure our youth offer is dynamic and relevant.
The National Portrait Gallery is able to bring history to life through its comprehensive overview of works spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries. Current displays such as ‘Black is the New Black’ – celebrating the profound impact of black individuals on British culture – and Rebel Women – your year-long programme celebrating the centenary of women’s suffrage – use art to address issues surrounding culture and diversity, and to stimulate thought. Why do you believe that art is such a useful tool in engaging and educating people on history and culture?
I feel that everyone has a right to lead a culturally engaged and culturally rich life. Through art, history and creativity, we support families and young people to explore, experiment, create, challenge, discuss, make sense of the world, and explore their identity and their place in society. By exploring history we can examine, reflect and find contemporary relevance to help shape, change, inspire and invite debate. The Gallery’s portraits and the inspirational, empowering stories of people provide a fantastic opportunity for everyone to look to and learn from the past, reflect on the present and dream for the future.
Projects such as Black is the New Black and Rebel Women are vital to ensure the Gallery reflects the diversity of Britain today and celebrates achievement. They offer perspectives on British culture and society, which we hope young people will feel inspired by.
The National Portrait Gallery's Big Draw 2018 events are taking place during the October half term on Thursday 25th; from optical illusions to cyanotype printing, the day promises a variety of exciting and creative activities for everyone and anyone to enjoy! Can you tell us a little more about what people can expect from this year’s events?
The Big Draw takeover is on 25 October with a fun-packed art extravaganza across the Gallery all day. Families can ‘Trace a face’ and create a stained glass window effect portrait. They can draw with thread to create 3D portraits using wool and thread. ‘Moving pictures’ is inspired by a popular Victorian optical illusion where two different images become one. ‘Taking a line for a walk’ explores different ways to draw a face with quick-timed drawing challenges and teamwork portrait making. In the studio, families can experiment and create early photographic portraits in a cyanotype workshop.
So, there’s plenty to dip into and get creative. We will have a welcome desk especially for families on the day so they can find out more, discover where everything is and pick up a schedule. We also have family-friendly lunchboxes in the café, a lockable buggy park, baby-changing facilities and friendly, welcoming staff.
It’s encouraging to see some non-standard techniques being used in your Big Draw activities – using wool and thread to create 3D details and facial features is an inspiring take on the conventional idea of a portrait. Here at the Big Draw we promote the importance of visual literacy, not just within the realm of drawing. Do you think it is important in the creative process to experiment and have fun with different techniques?
‘Happy accidents’, experimentation and creative expression are all encouraged – we hope that families can work together to try out new art activities and develop their own work. Our artists always emphasize that there’s not a right or wrong way to create art. For our younger and older family visitors alike this ensures their imaginations can run free and not be too bound by conventions – our offer provides opportunities to let loose in a supported way, take inspiration and express their own creativity. We work with lots of amazing, creative artists and we aim to introduce families to new art techniques and ways of seeing that they may not have tried at home before.
This year, The Big Draw Festival is celebrating the power of Play in the creative process, and its role in innovation, well-being and development. We hope that this theme will encourage people to have fun, let loose and embrace happy accidents. How will the National Portrait Gallery be embracing the PLAY spirit in this year’s Big Draw events?
Our family activities link to this year’s theme of ’Play’ in multiple ways. There is an emphasis on playfulness throughout the programme - our family days spread out across the whole Gallery so families are surrounded by portraits to inspire them to be creative and they are encouraged to feel relaxed during their visit. Our Visitor Services team provides a warm welcome to make families feel comfortable.
What are some of the benefits you see of taking part in The Big Draw Festival? Is there any advice or guidance you would give to those that are uncertain about registering to put on their own event?
The Big Draw festival is a fantastic opportunity for the Gallery to be involved in a national initiative which promotes the universal language of drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention. The Gallery is very much aligned to the ambitions of The Big Draw, of encouraging families to create and play together. Linking the Gallery’s activities to the different festival theme presented each year provides a great chance to try new approaches, explore the Collection in new ways and invite families to enjoy the Gallery in unexpected ways.
Thank you to Juno, and the team at the National Portrait Gallery!
The National Portrait Gallery is one of our Big Draw Festival 2018 Sponsor Partners.
Interested in taking part in their fantastic #Play2018 Big Draw Festival event on the 25th of October? We're not surprised! A link to their full programme can be found here.
Interested in visiting a Big Draw Festival event near you this Autumn? Take a look at our Big Draw 2018 events map here, sign up to our localised event alerts here or perhaps you’d like to join our merry band of Big Draw Festival co-creators and organise your very our events?
Visit our Organise an Event page for guidance on getting started.