The air is thick with the aroma of overcooked burgers, parks and gardens are swelling with trilby-adorned folk and the weather is predictably fickle – summer is well and truly here. But you lucky souls on your summer holidays are going to have to find a way to fill all those hours. Here are some of the best courses in the UK…
Arts Admin, London – Summer Project 2011
25 July to 19 August; ages 16 to 25; FREE
The Seat of Your Pants is a free one-month course giving you the chance to work with artist Mark Storor, as well as share your experiences and explore themes of identity, personal histories and collective knowledge. The work you create will be made through a series of processes, which may be physically challenging as well as emotionally and intellectually stimulating. Activities may include storytelling, writing, drawing, painting, physical movement, performance and creating installations. At the end of the month you’ll have the chance to create an innovative and original performance piece where your ideas will form the basis of a collective artwork.
Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich – Beginning Creative Writing Summer School
8 to 12 August; all ages; £80.00
This week-long course is designed particularly for those who have done little or no writing, but the more experienced writer will also benefit from the workshop exercises and trying things out in a supportive and encouraging environment. With strong emphasis on the practical, participants will be able to write to their hearts’ content. You’ll be able to analyse work by published poets and writers, with the week ending with an informal presentation of a piece of writing you’ve produced.
Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham – The Social Network
8 to 12 August; age 12+; £75
You don¹t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies. A week-long summer school using theatre to explore the phenomenon of Facebook and social networking. Taking the recent film The Social Network as a starting point, participants will create an original play based on their experiences and ideas about social networking: relationships, friendships, rejection, the possibilities are endless.
Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham – We are the Minotaur Summer School
25 to 29 July & 3 to 6 August; age 16+; £75
Interested in experimental performance? IdeasTap alumni Kindle Theatre are looking for 20 performers and 10 musicians to participate in this ambitious outdoor theatrical event. Participants will be given the opportunity to challenge themselves physically and vocally and learn new skills in ensemble acting. Musicians will have the opportunity to create and develop their own compositions with the support of Kindle’s musical arranger.
Cornerhouse, Manchester – Photoshop Workshop
29 July; ages 14 to 19; FREE
This free Photoshop workshop for 14-to-19-year-olds will teach you the basic Photoshop essentials plus a few top tips. Photoshop expert Sally Olding will run the session and you’ll be shown how to create images for print and online, add special effects to images and airbrush like a professional. (And, if you’re handy with your camera phone, apply for our Mobilise brief.)
Rich Mix, London – Intro to Filmmaking
1 to 5 August; ages 14 to 25; FREE
Learn how to make a short film in just one week with professional filmmakers from Chocolate Films. You will work on your own ideas – storyboarding, developing your script and gaining skills in camera, lighting and editing. This hands-on course will give you a fantastic introduction to the principles of filmmaking, from start to finish.
Image: School Stops for Summer: Learning Never Should! by Wesley Fryer, available under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.
Know of any other interesting courses? Leave a comment below.
