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The Arts Society provides children and young people with exciting opportunities to get involved in creative arts activities. This work with young people builds a lasting enthusiasm for the arts and an awareness of arts heritage and its conservation.

THE ARTS SOCIETY HIGH WYCOMBE  : YOUNG ARTS/Arts Volunteering 

2024 - Aspire AP - 'Art on a bus'

In 2024 our society awarded a grant with extra funding from a Community Arts Grant from The Arts Society to Aspire AP to support their Art on a Bus Project 

Aspire Ap, based in High Wycombe, has a acquired a decommissioned ambulance to be converted into a fully-functioning mobile Art classroom.  'Art on a Bus’ will be used to bring Art Education to young people across Bucks, with a priority for those deemed as ‘emotionally based school refusers’. They hope to run small group art classes, whilst also making connections with cultural institutions and local artists. They plan to launch the bus in September 2024.

The existing home-tuition funding means that core subjects are prioritised and only to 2-3 young people per academic year are receiving Art Education.  ‘Art on a Bus’ will be able to improve our existing offer to an estimated 20+ students a week.  We recognise the benefits of the Arts in supporting the emotional wellbeing of young people. Our aim is to focus on therapeutic art lessons, with a hope to encourage those who are able to embark on a formal qualification such as GCSE’s as well as:

Offer a space for social connection for young people facing social isolation.

Provide access to education for young people that experience disabilities and poor physical health. 

Provide a space to interact with the real world. 

2022

Lane End Primary School

Land End Primary School is run by an enthusiastic Head Mistress (Debbie Williams) and is based in a 'tough' neighbourhood in the High Wycombe area, with children from many disadvantaged families. The older children sing at the Lane End OPAG (Older People's Action Group) party in December and the Head teacher is always present to support her pupils. The children interact with the local community in the Lane End Youth and Community Centre, which is attached to the school.
The Arts Society High Wycombe successfully applied for an Arts Society Community Grant in November 2021 for a whole school art project at this school.
The school invited a local artist (Julie Wetenhall) to share their story about how they got into art and do some workshops with each class. Following that the artist helped the school's Art department create a whole school piece of artwork based around the theme of the school's core beliefs. The grant was used used towards supplies and materials for the project. The artist donated her time to her local community school.
The Arts Society was promoted through the use of the logo with the school project, and through leaflets and promotion within the local community.

A number of clay tiles were embossed by the children and then glazed, fired and installed as a mosaic on the wall by the school's entrance - to be admired by the children and the local community.
The project was successfully completed in July 2022. Photographs are in our Gallery Section

2021

Hamilton Academy School

We made a donation to an art project, to assist in purchasing art materials  for the school in connection with its annual exhibition. Two of the committee were invited to view part of the exhibition, at the Priory Road part of the school, and were delighted by the school's enthusiasm to encourage the pupils to produce art work. Children, from a young age, learnt about Van Gogh and his 'Sunflowers' , Frida Kahlo and Romero Brillo and produced their own works based upon the artists works . The children also produced pieces for a 'Rainbow' art competition.

It was deemed a successful investment to encourage childrens' interest in art.

Wycombe Museum 

We completed our project with Wycombe Museum with a donation towards an Interactive Board to be displayed at the Museum.The donation was gratefuuly received by Dr Catherine Grigg Curator and Acting Museum Manager.

2020

Wycombe Child Contact Centre

We have made a donation to Wycombe Child Contact Centre, which is run at 'The Hub' to help this charity buy art materials for use by the children when they attend at the centre. Our donation was gratefully received by the Chairman Mik Horswell.

2019

KITE RIDGE SCHOOL      ' KITE FEST ARCH '

We have been able to help two young arts  projects this year .

The first project  has been to assist Kite Ridge School in High Wycombe.This is a special needs school where students are enabled  to engage in and contribute to society. Each student receives a bespoke and holistic education. Annually the school hosts a musical festival for similar schools in the area known as 'KITE FEST'. As a Society this year we have financed the materials  for the construction  of an entrance arch  and the decorations to the arch. We  funded  the outside tutor/ art therapist  Sue Elder to spend a day with the  students on an art project  of expressive creation, making  decorations for the arch for the entrance to the fest. Two members of the committee joined the school on part  its 'Fest Day'   and after inspecting the arch they were entertained by the school's performances. The students spoke enthusiastically about their creations, and some wanted to take their artwork home. Without our contribution the school would not have been able to pay for the tutor or the art materials. This was deemed by all involved as a great success and was very worthwhile. Much thought and creactivity went into it by the students.

WYCOMBE MUSEUM           ' TAKE A SEAT: ART FOCUS '

Our second project has been quite an ambitious one. We were approached last year to ask if we could support our local museum. After long discussions and meetings with the Wycombe Museum, we decided to help them with a new teaching programme which has an art focus, that would benefit local school children. Two members of the Museum staff attended training at The National Gallery for the 'Take One Picture' programme which the Gallery champions. The Wycombe Museum intends to use their training and blend both the history of the local chair -making industry with art. They will adopt the title 'Take a Seat : Art Focus' . The chosen painting the children will study is 'The Blue Chair'  by local artist, Paul Stevenson. This can be found on the first floor at the museum , should you wish to visit.

A very inventive programme has been put together by the Museum, which aims to meet the cross-curriculum programme required by the local schools. The children will learn to read the painting then sketch chairs with perspective  as well as making a prototype, using their own imagination and creativity. They will also reference other paintings of chairs by other artists  such as Van Gough and Picasso. One school has already piloted the programme , and it was met with much enthusiasm from both the children and the teachers.

The new programme is still being finalised but it is hoped to roll it out to local schools in the new school term , indeed  schools have already reserved sessions. We look forward to hearing more as the project gets underway. The staff involved are  very enthusiastic and have lots of ideas to progress this.

We were successful in obtaining a small grant from the Patricia Fay Fund from The Arts Society  to assist with the costings  and we are grateful for this support.

The Arts Society High Wycombe's contribution and support  for the programme has been acknowledged by the Museum, and the painting 'The Blue Chair' by Paul Stevenson has been attributed to the Society.

Many thanks to Chris Feldon for organising these projects on behalf of the Society.

2018

Our planned lecture for members and their grandchildren to introduce young people to the art of armour had to be cancelled.We had earlier in the year made a small contribution to an Easter Art Project  for children run at The Hub.

2017

The Arts Society High Wycombe sponsored local printmaker, Marian Carter to spend a day in Bledlow Ridge County Combined primary school as part of their Art Week activities, with the aim of showing the children how a professional artist works in making a coloured reduction lino print.

Marian presented her lively and colourful design work, taken from subjects she photographed in the school gardens, clearly showing the progression of the design from photo, through skecthes to the finished reduction lino prints. Each class in the school was able to have time with her, so she could explain the processes and answer all the questions. She brought some lino cutting tools with her, lots of much admired finished lino cuts of birds and flowers, as well as a folder clearly showing the linocut print process from start to finish. It was encouraging to see how much interest there was from the children.

In the afternoon she gave a printing masterclass to a small group of pupils taken from all the school Year groups and their delightful finished cards , printed with leaves and birds were displayed at the School's Open Day when our Chairman, with Lisa Green and Angela Jennings were able to view and admire the finished pieces.

Many thanks to Angela Jennings for organising this project.

2016

Our first project was organised by Barbara Kardena with The Disraeli School and Childrens Centre at The Pastures Downley. It involved three classes making sculptures from recyclable domestic items, the children worked in groups of two or three and the sculptures produced ranged from a colourful elephant to a large shark. Two local artists were invited to the school to view all the sculptures on display and to judge and choose 3 winners based upon the skills used. Barbara arranged for the winners to be presented with small prizes. The artists gave  interesting talks to the children about their own work and brought several examples for viewing by the children.

We took photographs of the children with their sculptures and presented them to the school for distribution.

Barbara arranged for the winning sculptures to be displayed in the Childrens' Section of the High Wycombe Library and we provided photographs of all the scupltures for a wall display.

Many thanks to Barbara Kardena for organising this project

For details  of all Awards given by The Arts Society Chiltern Hills Area, to which we contribute please go to the Area website and look under 'About Area' and 'Awards' . Photograghs are shown in  the 'Gallery' of the silverwork from students  at Bishopstone and textiles from students at Bucks New University.

The Arts Society provides children and young people with exciting opportunities to get involved in creative arts activities. This work with young people builds a lasting enthusiasm for the arts and an awareness of arts heritage and its conservation.

THE ARTS SOCIETY HIGH WYCOMBE  : YOUNG ARTS/Arts Volunteering 

2024 - Aspire AP - 'Art on a bus'

In 2024 our society awarded a grant with extra funding from a Community Arts Grant from The Arts Society to Aspire AP to support their Art on a Bus Project 

Aspire Ap, based in High Wycombe, has a acquired a decommissioned ambulance to be converted into a fully-functioning mobile Art classroom.  'Art on a Bus’ will be used to bring Art Education to young people across Bucks, with a priority for those deemed as ‘emotionally based school refusers’. They hope to run small group art classes, whilst also making connections with cultural institutions and local artists. They plan to launch the bus in September 2024.

The existing home-tuition funding means that core subjects are prioritised and only to 2-3 young people per academic year are receiving Art Education.  ‘Art on a Bus’ will be able to improve our existing offer to an estimated 20+ students a week.  We recognise the benefits of the Arts in supporting the emotional wellbeing of young people. Our aim is to focus on therapeutic art lessons, with a hope to encourage those who are able to embark on a formal qualification such as GCSE’s as well as:

Offer a space for social connection for young people facing social isolation.

Provide access to education for young people that experience disabilities and poor physical health. 

Provide a space to interact with the real world. 

2022

Lane End Primary School

Land End Primary School is run by an enthusiastic Head Mistress (Debbie Williams) and is based in a 'tough' neighbourhood in the High Wycombe area, with children from many disadvantaged families. The older children sing at the Lane End OPAG (Older People's Action Group) party in December and the Head teacher is always present to support her pupils. The children interact with the local community in the Lane End Youth and Community Centre, which is attached to the school.
The Arts Society High Wycombe successfully applied for an Arts Society Community Grant in November 2021 for a whole school art project at this school.
The school invited a local artist (Julie Wetenhall) to share their story about how they got into art and do some workshops with each class. Following that the artist helped the school's Art department create a whole school piece of artwork based around the theme of the school's core beliefs. The grant was used used towards supplies and materials for the project. The artist donated her time to her local community school.
The Arts Society was promoted through the use of the logo with the school project, and through leaflets and promotion within the local community.

A number of clay tiles were embossed by the children and then glazed, fired and installed as a mosaic on the wall by the school's entrance - to be admired by the children and the local community.
The project was successfully completed in July 2022. Photographs are in our Gallery Section

2021

Hamilton Academy School

We made a donation to an art project, to assist in purchasing art materials  for the school in connection with its annual exhibition. Two of the committee were invited to view part of the exhibition, at the Priory Road part of the school, and were delighted by the school's enthusiasm to encourage the pupils to produce art work. Children, from a young age, learnt about Van Gogh and his 'Sunflowers' , Frida Kahlo and Romero Brillo and produced their own works based upon the artists works . The children also produced pieces for a 'Rainbow' art competition.

It was deemed a successful investment to encourage childrens' interest in art.

Wycombe Museum 

We completed our project with Wycombe Museum with a donation towards an Interactive Board to be displayed at the Museum.The donation was gratefuuly received by Dr Catherine Grigg Curator and Acting Museum Manager.

2020

Wycombe Child Contact Centre

We have made a donation to Wycombe Child Contact Centre, which is run at 'The Hub' to help this charity buy art materials for use by the children when they attend at the centre. Our donation was gratefully received by the Chairman Mik Horswell.

2019

KITE RIDGE SCHOOL      ' KITE FEST ARCH '

We have been able to help two young arts  projects this year .

The first project  has been to assist Kite Ridge School in High Wycombe.This is a special needs school where students are enabled  to engage in and contribute to society. Each student receives a bespoke and holistic education. Annually the school hosts a musical festival for similar schools in the area known as 'KITE FEST'. As a Society this year we have financed the materials  for the construction  of an entrance arch  and the decorations to the arch. We  funded  the outside tutor/ art therapist  Sue Elder to spend a day with the  students on an art project  of expressive creation, making  decorations for the arch for the entrance to the fest. Two members of the committee joined the school on part  its 'Fest Day'   and after inspecting the arch they were entertained by the school's performances. The students spoke enthusiastically about their creations, and some wanted to take their artwork home. Without our contribution the school would not have been able to pay for the tutor or the art materials. This was deemed by all involved as a great success and was very worthwhile. Much thought and creactivity went into it by the students.

WYCOMBE MUSEUM           ' TAKE A SEAT: ART FOCUS '

Our second project has been quite an ambitious one. We were approached last year to ask if we could support our local museum. After long discussions and meetings with the Wycombe Museum, we decided to help them with a new teaching programme which has an art focus, that would benefit local school children. Two members of the Museum staff attended training at The National Gallery for the 'Take One Picture' programme which the Gallery champions. The Wycombe Museum intends to use their training and blend both the history of the local chair -making industry with art. They will adopt the title 'Take a Seat : Art Focus' . The chosen painting the children will study is 'The Blue Chair'  by local artist, Paul Stevenson. This can be found on the first floor at the museum , should you wish to visit.

A very inventive programme has been put together by the Museum, which aims to meet the cross-curriculum programme required by the local schools. The children will learn to read the painting then sketch chairs with perspective  as well as making a prototype, using their own imagination and creativity. They will also reference other paintings of chairs by other artists  such as Van Gough and Picasso. One school has already piloted the programme , and it was met with much enthusiasm from both the children and the teachers.

The new programme is still being finalised but it is hoped to roll it out to local schools in the new school term , indeed  schools have already reserved sessions. We look forward to hearing more as the project gets underway. The staff involved are  very enthusiastic and have lots of ideas to progress this.

We were successful in obtaining a small grant from the Patricia Fay Fund from The Arts Society  to assist with the costings  and we are grateful for this support.

The Arts Society High Wycombe's contribution and support  for the programme has been acknowledged by the Museum, and the painting 'The Blue Chair' by Paul Stevenson has been attributed to the Society.

Many thanks to Chris Feldon for organising these projects on behalf of the Society.

2018

Our planned lecture for members and their grandchildren to introduce young people to the art of armour had to be cancelled.We had earlier in the year made a small contribution to an Easter Art Project  for children run at The Hub.

2017

The Arts Society High Wycombe sponsored local printmaker, Marian Carter to spend a day in Bledlow Ridge County Combined primary school as part of their Art Week activities, with the aim of showing the children how a professional artist works in making a coloured reduction lino print.

Marian presented her lively and colourful design work, taken from subjects she photographed in the school gardens, clearly showing the progression of the design from photo, through skecthes to the finished reduction lino prints. Each class in the school was able to have time with her, so she could explain the processes and answer all the questions. She brought some lino cutting tools with her, lots of much admired finished lino cuts of birds and flowers, as well as a folder clearly showing the linocut print process from start to finish. It was encouraging to see how much interest there was from the children.

In the afternoon she gave a printing masterclass to a small group of pupils taken from all the school Year groups and their delightful finished cards , printed with leaves and birds were displayed at the School's Open Day when our Chairman, with Lisa Green and Angela Jennings were able to view and admire the finished pieces.

Many thanks to Angela Jennings for organising this project.

2016

Our first project was organised by Barbara Kardena with The Disraeli School and Childrens Centre at The Pastures Downley. It involved three classes making sculptures from recyclable domestic items, the children worked in groups of two or three and the sculptures produced ranged from a colourful elephant to a large shark. Two local artists were invited to the school to view all the sculptures on display and to judge and choose 3 winners based upon the skills used. Barbara arranged for the winners to be presented with small prizes. The artists gave  interesting talks to the children about their own work and brought several examples for viewing by the children.

We took photographs of the children with their sculptures and presented them to the school for distribution.

Barbara arranged for the winning sculptures to be displayed in the Childrens' Section of the High Wycombe Library and we provided photographs of all the scupltures for a wall display.

Many thanks to Barbara Kardena for organising this project

For details  of all Awards given by The Arts Society Chiltern Hills Area, to which we contribute please go to the Area website and look under 'About Area' and 'Awards' . Photograghs are shown in  the 'Gallery' of the silverwork from students  at Bishopstone and textiles from students at Bucks New University.