Pupils create new stained-glass window to rejoice range
S
elf-portraits created in stained glass by college students from a Belfast faculty are to go on show as a everlasting fixture.
The glass tiles, created by yr 9 and 10 college students at Malone Integrated College, underneath the steering of visible artist Kerrie Hanna, can be solid collectively to create a vibrant bespoke window made up of a collection of particular person panes.
The new window will go on show on the faculty in September.
It is the ultimate component of a two-year artwork undertaking the scholars have been engaged in as a part of the Creative Schools Programme, a cross-government programme funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland by means of National Lottery funding, the Education Authority and the Executive Office by means of Urban Villages Initiative.
Malone College was considered one of 11 faculties positioned in recognized city village areas awarded funding in 2011. Each of the colleges acquired as much as £15,000 of funding to develop an arts-led undertaking which might join with the varsity curriculum and assist scholar growth.
The pupils at Malone College have had the chance to step outdoors of their regular faculty actions to participate in specifically devised drama and artwork periods led by skilled artists and centered on encouraging artistic studying and enhancing scholar confidence.
With 26 totally different languages spoken by college students inside the faculty, a spotlight of the undertaking has been on celebrating cultural range and selling inclusion.
Art and design trainer Lynsay-Erin Mercer has led on the programme and stated the experimental strategy has made an actual distinction to college students within the wake of Covid, selling optimistic self-expression and inspiring new artistic methods of pondering and studying.
She stated: “We wanted this project to be a collaboration, with input from myself as the teacher, as well as the artist and the children.
“We discussed ideas and what emerged was that the children wanted to look at their identity and some of the different cultures represented here within the school.
“We explored portraiture and looked at pattern development from around the world and the children worked with Kerrie to create the stained glass.
“The project has been a real success.
“The children have learnt new skills, different to what they would generally do in class, and it has also been good for my own professional development.
“I’ll be able to take what I have learned through to other classes and year groups.
“It’s been a really worthwhile experience and the children can all say, with pride, that they have been a part of something really special.”
Director of Urban Villages Joan O’Hara stated: “The Urban Villages Initiative is delighted to be able to support this innovative project through the Creative Schools Partnership Programme.
“The work the students are involved in will help them develop a wide range of skills through creative learning.
“Having this beautiful stained-glass piece as a permanent installation within the school building showcases and celebrates diversity and inclusion.
“This will encourage students to share their voices not just within school but wider, in their local community and will provide new life experiences, help generate new thinking, new viewpoints and new ideas which is at the heart of building good relations.”
The 11 faculties collaborating within the Creative Schools Partnership Programme are Lisneal College, Belfast Boys’ Model School, St Joseph’s Boy’s School, Blessed Trinity College, Ashfield Girls’ High School, St Cecilia’s College, Mercy College Belfast, St Vincent’s Centre, Belfast Model School for Girls, Malone Integrated College, and St Colm’s High School.