Bangor Teen Art Programme Funded for Another Year
Boom Studios’ flagship teen art programme, Art for the Heart, has received another year of lottery funding from Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Focusing on teen wellbeing and creative skills, 2024 will see the programme expand to not one but two classes per week for 12-15 year olds, and a youth volunteering programme for 16-18s.
As well as art therapist Oonagh Linden’s popular art journaling class on a Thursday, we are delighted to introduce Gabriela Spulirova’s metalsmithing & jewellery making workshops on Wednesday.
Participants are eligible for 1 round (2 terms) of one, or each of the jewellery and journalling classes. Although the programme will continue all year, priority for new rounds will be given to those who have not completed that class before. We are thankful to ACNI funding, which allows us to offer a heavily subsidised fee of £3.50 per session:
Read more about the programme content below. Term 1 starts Wed 10th/Thur 11th January.
Metalsmithing and Jewellery Making for Teens (Term 1)
Term lengths may vary.
This course is designed to introduce a variety of basic jewellery making and metalsmithing techniques, gradually develop fine motor skills and an individual relationship to body adornment and personal expression. Over the course of six weeks, the participants get the opportunity to explore their own aesthetic preferences and different approaches from their peers.
By making physical objects they are not only benefiting from gaining new skills but also experience the positive effects of craft-making on their psychological well-being including:
stress regulation through repetitive and rhythmic work
increased self-esteem by overcoming challenges and
feelings of pride and achievements over the finished work
Example of six week program:
Week 1 - Working with beads and introduction to the basic tools.
Week 2 - Wire work and learning basic knitting techniques
Week 3 - Working with wire and setting found objects with meaning
Week 4 - Simple ring making - introduction to new metalsmithing tools
Week 5 - Creating a personalised ornament or a pendant
Week 6 - Tying it all together and celebrating our achievements
The skills learned in this workshop are well transferable into other areas of life. They learn design thinking, and certain technical skills, but also bring with them the experience of success over their finished pieces, the benefit of working with their hands, relaxation through making and self-expression in a safe space.
Metalsmithing and Jewellery Making for Teens (Term 2)
This workshop builds on the acquired skills from Metalsmithing and Jewellery Making for Teens 1 and encourages each participant to design and create their own piece that is meaningful for them.
The finished piece is not only a reminder of acquired skills, but a reflection of thoughts and emotions and a creating meaning in a physical form.
Example of the program:
Week 1 - The design process - reflecting on what is meaningful, discussing the process, making decisions
Week 2 - 5 Working on selected designs, creating an object of choice from start to finish
Week 6 - Finishing works, sharing reflections on the process, wrapping the pieces to bring them home.
Teen Journaling (Term 1)
(Term lengths may vary)
This workshop provides a creative space in which young people can connect visually to their thoughts and feelings.
Each week we will be filling our journals with art, imagination and words. Participants will mainly create journals from upcycling old books. We will make our own journals, there are plenty of different ways to create our own bespoke journals.
With guidance and encouragement participants will take inspiration from themes offered each week. Making art in this way can help to ease difficult thoughts, feelings and stress. It can be relaxing and time to create freely and play. Learning this skill has lifelong benefits.
Example of six week programme for young teens:
Week 1: Introduction to art journaling, preparing our books. Decorating and personalising the cover. Choosing a theme for the journal.
Week 2:Making our own collage papers with paint, pens and mixed media. If time starting our first double page spread.
Week 3: Continuing with double page spread, using mixed media.
Week 4: Making tags and pockets
Week 5: Adding text and words to imagery
Week 6: Freedom to create!
Teen Journaling Term 2 - Making and filling a journal.
Each week we will continue to create our journals, then continue to fill them with art, imagination and words.
We will learn to make our own journals, mainly creating journals from found materials (papers, maps, magazine, etc).
The journal becomes a visual diary, a space to record thoughts, memories and feelings. We will explore new techniques and learn creative ways to use recycled materials such as vintage paper, magazines ,basically any, 'found' materials, the list is endless.
Example of six week programme for young teens:
Week 1: Introduction to journal making, looking at examples, preparing to make eg. Choosing materials and papers and a theme for the journal.
Week 2: Make covers for the journals and begin making inserts
Week 3: Stitching insert to the spine, binding our journals.
Week 4: Choosing a theme for the journal, Making tags and pockets
Week 5: Adding text and words to imagery
Week 6: Freedom to create!
The benefits of art journaling come from the process, the 'doing', the experience of creating, the opportunity to make art for self expression where there is no right or wrong. Art journals become a safe place to explore and unload and it realistically fits into daily lives to help self regulation and to build resilience. With guidance and encouragement participants will take inspiration from themes offered each week. Making art in this way can help to ease difficult thoughts, feelings and stress. It can be relaxing and time to create freely and play. Learning this skill has lifelong benefits.
Marianne Kennerley, Boom Studios Director:
“We are delighted to receive another year of lottery funding towards this wonderful wellbeing project. Our impact feedback from the journaling programme last year was so encouraging that we are proud to add not only another complementary element with metalsmithing and jewellery, but also a volunteer development programme for older teens.