Our Creative Apprentice shines
Katrina Shock - Creative ApprenticeI have been at the Bluecoat for four months now and what an exciting and jam-packed experience it has been so far! It feels like such a long time ago that I had my assessment day and interview to secure my placement here as so much has happened.The qualification I am studying for is the NVQ in Community Arts Management through the Creative Apprenticeship scheme which was launched in September 2008 here in Liverpool. Eight of our City’s art organisations are involved and have offered places to 10 Creative Apprentices. This is a chance for us to gain some very valuable practical experience as well as coming away with a qualification at the end. We are at our respective organisations for four days each week and spend one day a week in college studying the theory side of the qualification. I have been placed within the Participation team at the Bluecoat who create and manage a participation programme of art activities and projects for community groups and the public. It’s a really nice environment to be in and the team I am working with have been very supportive. I have learnt a lot since starting... and just how hard they work! We have done so much, both in our organisations and as a group of ten apprentices, from working on the Find Your Talent Launch at NML to attending the opening party for the Liverpool Biennial; it has all been an incredible experience! The most recent project I have been working on is the Shine Exhibition. Shine is an award winning project run by the Bluecoat aimed at 11-16 year olds. From April – November 08 monthly competitions were run with each month having its own creative theme. Each month competition winners got the chance to come to a ‘master-class’ run by professional artists. The exhibition is the culmination of all the fantastic work that was produced by the participants and as recognition to everyone who was involved. So... the job of organising the celebration and exhibition was passed to us, the Creative Apprentices... No pressure then...
This is a great opportunity for us and (so far, fingers crossed) plans are looking good. We have been working on everything from marketing, curation, and event management and have had some interesting meetings and advice from all the different teams at the Bluecoat. I must say it wasn’t always easy for us and there was some problem solving to do along the way! But it has been a great learning curve for us all, bringing us together to work as a team. Things seem to be flowing quite nicely now with everyone taking on their roles to complete the project.
And so... with literally days to go to the preview night, everything seems to be falling into place!The exhibition will be on display this coming Saturday and Sunday (24 -25 January) and there will be ‘Shine-themed’ art workshops run during 12-4pm both days.
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