Arts-lovers guide to summer family fun

However much time you have to spend with the children over the school holidays, the arts is awash with some fantastic family friendly fun, with many events and activities happening all summer long. Here’s my arts-lovers guide to a summer of family fun!

S is for Shakespeare’s Globe

Celebrating literature and the art of storytelling, from 28-30 July the globe hosts everything from talks with Michael Morpurgo to interactive Shakespeare workshops. Advance booking highly recommended. See website for tickets and times.

U is for Udderbelly

Catch the last few gems of this family spectacular, which has been occupying the South Bank since April. The Australian acrobats staging Children Are Stinky (22-27 July) wowed the crowds at Edinburgh last year with their daredevil stunts, whilst Jungle Book (1-24 August) brings Rudyard Kipling’s well-known tale bang up to date, setting it in an urban jungle and packing it with street dance and circus.

M is for Museum Trips for Kids

Remember our recent trip to David Hockney with Imagine Art Club? Bringing artists and exhibitions to life in a way that so few galleries do, the enigmatic Aga returns with a host of visits planned to fill the dying days of the holidays. The sessions, which combine an informative exhibition tour with some practical art techniques, take in Matisse at the Royal Academy (29 & 30 August) and Fahrelnissa Zeid’s abstract art at Tate Modern (3 September).

M is for Mad Hatter!

Les Petits will be occupying the atmospheric tunnels of The Vaults almost every day of the summer holidays, with their immersive interpretation of C S Lewis’ classic, Adventures in Wonderland (until 3 September). If you’re looking for something more summery, Sixteenfeet Productions are presenting their own unique retelling in some of London’s loveliest green spaces, including Brockwell Park (22 July to 31 August), Morden Hall Park (4-7 August), Streatham Rookery (10-14 August) and Osterley Park (16-20 August). There’s also a chance to attend a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

E is for Eclectic

National Theatre’s free River Stage returns to the South Bank for almost the entire summer break this year, promising an eclectic mix of live theatre, DJs, family fun, dance, cinema, workshops and live music. Don’t miss the all-female performance troupe Figs in Wigs and their creative tribute to the 80s (29 July, 15.15) and The Jukeboxes (5 August, 12.00 and 14.45) who recreate classic pop videos using props, puppets and wigs. There’s also a beat-boxing vocal workshop with UK beatboxing champion Grace Savage (12 August, 14.00).

R is for Royal Academy

A few weeks ago I reviewed the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition on behalf of Kids in Museums, and I was so impressed at the endless variety of work, from world-renowned artists such as Tracey Emin and Bob and Roberta Smith, to emerging artists and architects. We also loved the handy Art Detectives pack, free to family visitors in order for them to get the most out of the show. See website for details of tickets and opening times. Exhibition runs until 20 August. While you’re there, as part of exhibition Second Nature: The Art of Tunnicliffe, there’s also the RA’s first ever dedicated family corner with permanent activities, as well as a series of workshops and story-tellings.

Adventures in Wonderland 2017 © Phillipa Ellis Arts Aloud

O is for Outdoor Art

It should really be P is for Pavilion, as both the Serpentine and Dulwich Picture Gallery celebrate all that is great about art in the outdoors, showing off their spectacular summer pavilions. As well as a family day (22 July) Serpentine are hosting a programme of lunchtime talks, whilst every Wednesday in August, Dulwich Picture Gallery will be hosting drop-in art making sessions for families, inspired by their exhibition Sargent: The Watercolours, and the design of their first ever pavilion. If you love outdoor art, make sure you also don’t miss Frieze Sculpture 2017 (until 8 October). This first-ever summer display of sculpture in the English Gardens of Regents Park is absolutely free, and brings together 25 new works by leading 20th-century artists and contemporary artists from around the world.

F is for Festival

Nobody does festivals better than Southbank Centre and alongside the usual beach and water fountain fun, the Summertime festival extends this year’s theme of Nordic Matters with contemporary circus Cirkus Cirkör (13-16 August), the continuation of Adventures in Moominland (until 20 August) and a weekend celebrating Swedish feasting, craft and Nordic music (19-20 August).

F is for Framed Film Club

Framed Film Festival returns to Barbican later in the year but the Framed Film Club picks up again every Saturday in September with a programme specially curated by children’s films by author Jamila Gavin. Popular kids flick Ratatouille sneaks into the end of the summer holidays (2 September, 11am), but more exciting is The Adventures of Prince Achmed (9 September) with introduction from Ms Gavin herself, as well as a live musical accompaniment by Stephen Horne. See website for tickets and age restrictions.

U is for Up

Well, Pop Up. As well as your last chance to catch the immersive exhibition The Fantastic World of Dr. Seuss (ends 3 September), this summer, Discover Story Centre will be staging 2 pop-up playgrounds. Illustrators and artists Pencil & Help will be hosting a Pop-Up Poetry Playground (5-20 August) where you can make a poem out of big bendy shapes and draw a poem to take home with you, then artist Kristi Minchin unveils her interactive Geometric Playground (21 August to 3 September) with cogs to turn, levers to pull and pendulums to swing. See website for opening times and details of day passes. Entry is free from 21 July to 14 August to those living or working in Newham.

N is for National Portrait Gallery

Inspired by the BP Portrait Award 2017, the gallery has planned a programme of free family workshops and activities (24 July to 4 August) including painting, drawing and a chance to learn more about judging a portrait competition. The jewel in the crown is the  special Playdoh Portraits session (20 August, 13.00 for 3+, 15.00  for 7+) with artist Eleanor Macnair, where visitors recreate a portrait from the gallery’s collection using nothing but play doh. Tickets are free and available one hour before the event.

Finding more than fair-weather fun at Serpentine Pavilion

I’m usually first past the post to visit the annual Serpentine Pavilion. In fact, i’d go so far to say that I anticipate it.

Over the years I’ve seen more than a few internationally renowned artists take up the challenge of designing a 300 square metre structure to take pride of place alongside one of London’s most exciting contemporary art galleries. With the intention of creating a cafe-cum-social space by day, and an entertainment space by night, I’ve always enjoyed putting the resulting structure through its paces with a young companion in tow. So imagine my disappointment this morning, as we drew closer to Francis Kéré’s bold blue structure, and my 4 year old decided to drop the clanger “I’m not going in there”.

I’ve always relished having kids that were open to everything, but here I was, in front of what was intended to be one of Serpentine’s most inclusive pavilions, and she had bailed. What on earth was I to do? I knew you’d be relying on me. I knew I had to think quick.

The artist was particularly keen on ensuring visitors to the pavilion remain ‘in nature’ whilst they view it, which means there’s plenty of scope to circumnavigate the space, without really feeling like you’re “in”. This was helpful. I could at least talk her into a scoot around the outside, and with four separate entrances and free-standing perforated walls, i’d at least get a good peek inside.

The whole structure is inspired by the canopy of a tree and its role as the centre of community in the artist’s native Burkina Faso. The focal point of the community, the tree offers shade and shelter, but it is also a social space, a meeting place where everyone in the village can come together.

Three quarters of the way round and we struck gold, in the form of a mound of plywood which had been fashioned into what appeared like a slide. A simple accessory to the centrepiece was shaping up to be our main event. Grateful for being thrown a lifeline, I dashed inside to check the rules of engagement with front of house staff, and at the wishes of the artist, we were free to explore. She slid down its shiny surfaces. She reclined in the (not quite) sunshine. She circled it like a mountain, and jumped free from its summit. So much more than a slide, this humble addition successfully recreates the collective gathering of children under the tree, a virtual kindergarten, allowing us ‘villagers’ the time and space to look on, to talk and to share stories.

Now sold on the structure, we ventured inside to the sweet smell of coffee. The central courtyard which kept us connected to nature, was the next big draw and we both loved seeing and feeling the outdoors inside. The seating here is strictly for bottoms and don’t allow the same level of adventure, but the wind in our hair and the stones under foot soon had us lost in our own thoughts, as if we were on a distant beach. All we needed was to be free of the overcast skies above and the world would be perfect.

Keen to quit whilst ahead (and grateful to have turned a thumbs down into a thumbs up), we headed off, over the road to the Diana Memorial Fountain for a paddle.

As we moved away from the pavilion, I could finally appreciate the expanse of the funnel-like roof in all its glory, ready and waiting for the dark clouds above us to kick it into action. Bound to nature, this creation really comes to life when it rains and any water collected on the roof is channeled into a spectacular waterfall effect, before being evacuated through the floor for later use within the park. This surely makes this one of the most simple, yet useful, pavilions we have ever visited.

Whatever the weather, it goes without saying that Serpentine Pavilion should be high on your day out ‘hit list’ this summer. Free, family friendly and lots of fun, it’s a visual feast that neither a grumpy pre schooler nor the British summertime can spoil.

Serpentine Pavilion is open until 8th October 2017.
Admission Free, Open daily 10am to 6pm.

Inspired by Francis Kéré’s stories of gathering, debate and community the Pavilion will become host to a series of picnic talks this summer, every Wednesday at 1pm until 23rd August.

There is also a Family Day on 22nd July. See website for details

Review: Imagine Art Club, David Hockney for Kids

Colourful Agnieszka in Hockney socks

A focussed way to tackle big exhibitions with kids, with no time for boredom to set in.

When Imagine Art Club founder, museum educator and visual artist Agnieszka Arabska created her David Hockney for Kids event, it was met with an unprecedented response. I was one of over 17,000 people who spotted the event on Facebook, which saw almost 7000 people express an interest in attending and over 600 people confirm their place. Whether it was the draw of one of Britain’s greatest contemporary artists, or Tate’s unwavering popularity at attracting families, it reinforced our shared opinion that children just aren’t suitably catered for when galleries stage major exhibitions.

Established in 2012 in Hanwell, West London, Aga’s successful Saturday School and After School Club combines practical art activities across a range of materials, with interesting ways to learn about artists and art movements. This includes devising child-friendly visits to important museums and galleries in London.

When I first visited David Hockney back in February, I commented on Tate’s lack of family provision for this exhibition. Now, in its closing weeks, I found myself back at Tate Britain with my eldest daughter (aged 6), to road-test one of Imagine Art Club’s trips, feeling lucky to have bagged myself a place on their sell-out run.

Communication before the event was very good, with clear meeting points and start times, and permission forms to sign. When we arrived, we found the group, with Agnieszka impossible to miss, checking off our names whilst showcasing her colourful Hockney socks.

The group size was small and intimate (around 10) which was ample for such a crowded space. Most children were aged 6 to 10 years and left their parents at the door, but accompanying (paying) adults were welcome for those not quite yet at that stage.

Before we entered, we gathered into the corner for a short ‘story’, the tale of sugar magnate, art collector and founder, Sir Henry Tate, and a simple introduction to David Hockney as well. Pitched perfectly, the ‘briefing’ was gentle and slow, with questions to get them thinking and an invitation to chip in. A frisson of excitement ran through the group, as each child received their sketchbook and some freshly sharpened pencils.

Dividing into two smaller groups, we headed in and straight to Hockney’s photo collages housed in Room 7. It was great to enter with purpose, but I did have to hurry my young companion, who seemed keen to take in much of what we’d passed.

Recreating A Bigger Splash

Trying our hand at photo collage

Huddled in the corner again, we talked about Polaroid and the art of photo collage, before moving slowly from piece to piece, observing the technique in action. Everyone enjoyed counting the vast numbers of photos used and spotting signs of Hockney with his cheeky tip-toe presence. We even created our own collages, using colourful sheets of cleverly prepared stickers.

Next stop was Room 4, home to Hockney’s infamous A Bigger Splash. We sat down right in front and talked about the painting. What did it remind us of? How do we know he is somewhere hot? How do we find Hockney in the picture? The process was the same, with the children challenged to question, think and look, before recreating for themselves.

Further fun activities included searching for life-like textures amongst Hockney’s double portraits and adding our own rich colour to Hockney’s Hawthorne Blossom Near Rudston (2008) in a room full of his Yorkshire paintings. Our time spent with Hockney’s digital and screen time work was all too brief, before we had to exit via the gift shop. The remainder of our time as a group was then spent making cards and writing messages for David Hockney, who celebrates his 80th birthday in July.

Colouring Hockney’s Hawthorne Blossom Near Rudston (2008)

Imagine Art Club’s gallery trip was a breath of fresh air. In a world where all too often family or children’s gallery activities are unstructured arts and crafts, happening outside the exhibition space with little or no link to what’s going on next door. These guided exhibition tours take the learning back into the gallery, losing none of the opportunity for creativity, but re-writing your typical curator tours in a fun and interactive way.

For newbie gallery visitors, the trips are highly educational and a low-risk way to ensure you really make the most of your ticket. For those perhaps used to spending more time in this space, the schedule might feel limiting, lacking flexibility and freedom to explore what takes your fancy. In the room packed with spectacular double portraits, we spent so long spotting textures in our books, we didn’t always step back and appreciate the magnificence of the bigger picture. Similarly, my daughter commented that she would have loved to have spent longer watching Hockney’s iPad creations unfold, “…because that’s what it’s all about mummy, isn’t it?” That is what it’s about for her. On the whole, however, the experience was highly positive, and we both agreed that we learned so much more and looked so much deeper than if we’d have gone it alone. It was the perfect supplement to our usual visits, and a real treat for bigger exhibitions.

The next Imagine Art Club visit is on the 21st May.
See Facebook page for details of American Dream for Kids at the British Museum.
Imagine Art Club runs on Saturday, 10am-12pm or 1-3pm, £27.
There is also an After School Club.

 

Family friendly arts activities for Easter

David Hockney Winter extract from Four Seasons © Phillipa Ellis Arts Aloud

Whether you’re running out of ideas at the end of week one, or you’ve just broken up with the holidays ahead of you, the arts have excelled this Easter with a whole host of treats from across the spectrum. Here’s my top picks for families.

David Hockney at Tate Britain
Until 29th May, 10am to 6pm, Adults £19.50, Children £17.50, Under 12s free (up to four per family), All ages
If you weren’t aware that one of the greatest British artists of our time is currently exhibiting his biggest every collection of work at Tate Britain, where have you been? Alongside a host of famous works, his spectacular double portraits and mind-blowing digital work makes this unmissable for kids.

Vuelos by Aracaladanza at Sadlers Wells
14th April 3pm, 15th April 11am and 3.30pm, Adults £18, Children £12, Recommended age 5+
Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s quest to make man fly, this playful production will leave young viewers wanting to take flight! Forming the centrepiece of Sadler’s Wells annual Family Weekend, the performance dates are accompanied by a mini festival, as the doors of this seemingly intimidating venue are being thrown open for families, inviting them to take part in storytelling, workshops, games and craft activities. If this isn’t enough, Sadler’s Wells still have a few tickets left for their infamous My First Ballet, off-site at the Peacock Theatre.

Vuelos by Aracaladanza © Aracaladanza / Sadlers Wells

Wicked Wednesdays workshops at Wilton’s Music Hall
12th April, 11am to 3pm, Free, Recommended age 6+
Any opportunity to introduce the children to this London treasure housed in a fascinating part of the East End, is not to be missed. Using the original Victorian wallpaper in the Mahogany bar as inspiration, families are invited to design and make their own, in this free to drop-in creative workshop.

We’re Stuck! at Shoreditch Town Hall
12th to 15th April, various show times, Adults £12, Children £10, Recommended age 7-12
Whilst we are on the subject of magnificent historical buildings, not a million miles down the road, this Grade II listed wonder is debuting a brand new interactive show for children, inspired by the latest educational neuroscience around our relationship with maths. Using comedy, clowning and general silliness, the show promises a voyage of discovery exploring how amazing and utterly rubbish our brains can be at maths – and how we can best grow our grey matter.

Tudor Tales and Treats at The Charterhouse
14th April 2017, 11am to 3pm, Drop in suggested donation £3, All ages
As part of a pan-London celebration of literature, Cityread has teamed up with the unique Charterhouse to transport visitors back to the 16th century, in a family day packed with storytelling, sweet-making and traditional Tudor dance. Once a monastery, a boys school, a private mansion and now an almshouse, you couldn’t pick a more atmospheric location to explore SJ Parris’ Tudor thriller Prophecy, the focus of a number of more grown-up events as part of this year’s collective read.

Animate Arts Company Craft the City at Southbank Centre © Southbank Centre

Urban Festival at Southbank Centre
Until 17th April, See website for full programme and admission charges, all ages.
No half term would be complete without a trip to the Southbank Centre, and for those who have chosen to stay in London over half term and celebrate the art and artists of our city, Urban Festival is most definitely for you. Quite a bit of the pre bookable programme is now sold out, but if you miss the free Fun DMC hip-hop disco in the Clore Ballroom this weekend, then definitely drop in to Craft the City on 15th and 16th April and create your own city of the future entirely out of cardboard.

Free Family Highlights For Brighton Fringe

Brighton Fringe, Fringe City 2016 © Xavier Clarke

If you can’t quite afford to ship the family all the way to Edinburgh Fringe this year, or simply feel it’s too great an undertaking altogether, why not combine a day out at the seaside with amazing arts activities from all genres, at the lesser known Brighton Fringe? This year’s kids and youth programme spans an incredible 126 shows and events, staged throughout May and the summer half term. If you’re looking to keep things cheap and cheerful, here’s my freebie family highlights that are definitely worth the day trip.

Freebie Theatre

Before you head anywhere, you might want to start by joining the obligatory face painting queue as French street theatre collective Le Facepainting promise to ensure that you look the part (The Warren Children’s Area, St. Peter’s Church North, from 10am, 5-7, 12-14, 19-21 May, All ages). Families will love A Fool and Three Courses, a new perspective on Shakespeare’s King Lear, which steps into the shoes of the King’s young daughters and the struggles that they face as siblings and as royalty (The Deck, Kings Road, 11am, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 May, All ages). If, however, you fancy a bit more control over your theatrical experience, Playback Impro (Laughing Horse @The Quadrant, North Street, 1pm, 20-21, 27-28 May, Age 7+) allows you to input into the narrative, with four actors taking it in turns to play back audience stories and moments, adding their own comic improvisation.

Le Facepainting at Brighton Fringe

Cashless Cabaret

Circus duo Edwin and Emilia from Spain, pose as two English gentlemen in Upside Down and Inside Out, a traditional circus show featuring comedy, clowning, acrobatics and juggling (Brighton Spiegeltent: Bosco, Old Steine Gardens, 4pm, 27-29 May, All ages). Bringing their own form of cabaret dance, world record holders Marawa’s Majorettes are hosting a free hoola hooping workshop at Shiny Town in the Brighton Pavillion Gardens (12pm midday, 28 May and 4 June). In the same location, there’s also a range of sideshows on offer from 1pm on the 6 and 27 May during the Fringe City Family Picnic. If you’re visiting with older children, they might enjoy eclectic performance troupe House of Verse, who are hosting a Live Open Jam celebrating rap, beatbox, spoken word and DJing (Marwood Bar & Coffeehouse, 52 Ship Street, 5pm, 3-4 June, Age 12+). Workshops are also available earlier in the day for a small fee, but need to be booked in advance.

Brighton Fringe, Elixir performing at Fringe City 2016 © James Bellorini

Music For No Money

Doing their bit to bring the sunshine skies of Rio to the Brighton Riviera, the city’s first and only traditional Samba school, Brighton School of Samba will be performing twenty-minute sets on the 6 May (2pm) and 27 May (2.15pm) at Fringe Venue 303 in New Road, all ages welcome. Also bringing their unique show to Brighton are masked music group GorillaBot, whose party always seems to be interrupted by strange and silly events (Ship Street pedestrianised area, 1pm and 3pm, 6-7 May, All ages). If, however, you take music a bit more seriously, there’s also free live organ music every Tuesday at St. Bartholomew’s Church, Ann Street (1.10pm, 9, 16, 23 and 30 May, All ages).

Brighton Fringe: The Tempest. The Shore

Accessible Art

Get to know the many faces of the city and get your own portrait done at Faces of Brighton & Hove, an exhibition hosting an eclectic array of work from a local arts collective (St Patrick’s Hove, Cambridge Road, 11am, 5-7, 10-14, 17-21 and 24-28 May, All ages). Those lucky enough to find The Banjo Groyne between Palace Pier and Brighton Marina on Madeira Drive, will be treated to more than just a sculptural installation, they’ll get a spoken word performance too, in The Tempest, The Shore (12pm midday, 5-31 May, 1-4 June, All ages). There’s a host of interactive exhibitions at Cultureground, a gallery that showcases children and young people’s work from across the city, inviting visitors to view, talk or make (Brighton Youth Centre, Edward Street, 5pm, 30-31 May and 1-3 June, Age 5+). If all this leaves you feeling in a need of an escape, why not get outside of Brighton to combine art with some fun at the farm, as artist Jon Clayton invites you to enjoy his farmyard sculpture and open studio, in a beautiful rural setting. He’s even making refreshments available – cue kids cheer (Ashurst Place Farm, Ashurst, from 11am, 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 May and 3-4 June, All ages).

Brighton Fringe, England’s largest arts festival runs from 5th May to 4th June at various venues.
See website for details and the full family programme.

WIN A National Art Pass for the whole family!

This year, Arts Aloud has reviewed more than 25 arts and culture activities, and seen many many more, all with the kids in tow.

If you want to follow our lead and explore more art together as a family, why wait until the other side of Christmas to make it your New Years resolution?

Arts Aloud have teamed up with Art Fund to offer one lucky winner a National Art Pass for them and their entire family!

This gorgeous little gift is your chance to open up a world of art, granting you, another adult and any children in your family under 16, access to over 240 of the UK’s charging galleries and museums. You can also get 50% off major exhibitions at Tate, National Gallery and the V&A (to name but a few) as well as, most importantly, discounts in many of their shops and cafés.

The Family National Art Pass is valid for a whole year and comes with a super-cute pocket sized map, offering oodles of information and inspiration on where to go and what to see. From world-famous art galleries, to historic houses and local hidden gems, the guide covers every concivable corner of the UK.

All you need to do is head over to the Arts Aloud Twitter page, follow Arts Aloud and Retweet the pinned prize draw post to validate your entry.

The prize draw closes on the 9th December with a winner announced via Twitter shortly after.

Full terms and conditions can be found here. Good luck!

Cheeky Turner Prize 2016 proves a trail of temptation for families

Turner Prize 2016, Anthea Hamilton, Project for a Door (After Gaetano Pesce) 2016

Promising to be the most inclusive show in its history and inviting reaction from every corner of the visiting public, Turner Prize 2016 opened today, returning to Tate Britain after two years away. This incredible tale of visual seduction might be a fantastic feast for the eyes, but be warned visitors with young children! You’ll need to beg for their very best behaviour as this trail of temptation is dangerously at risk of inviting a little more ‘feedback’ than they probably want.

Yikes, sounds tricky. So is it worth taking the little ones? With this briefing – absolutely yes.

What’s it all about? 

Established in 1984, Turner Prize is awarded annually to a young, emerging artist in recognition of them producing an outstanding exhibition or body of work within the last year. Past winners include Grayson Perry, Anish Kapoor and Gilbert and George.

Who is there to see?

The beauty of the exhibition is that it is vast and varied, encompassing a range of media, styles and stories.
This year’s shortlist features:

Helen Marten
Busy parents and carers will definitely identify with this Macclesfield-born artist whose work represents three aspects of daily life, drawing attention to its pace and encouraging us all to slow down. Using everyday objects, either handmade or found in unusual surroundings, she leaves us in a visual riddle as to what has occurred. Lunar Nibs 2015 in particular appeared like most jobs in my life – unfinished and interrupted.

 Family highlight: Helen’s installations contain loads of curious playful items that I would liken to a beach combing walk along the Thames Path. This work is great for a game of ‘I Spy’ or for picking and ticking off items that you see.

Anthea Hamilton
This Londoner’s ‘pop art’ style is all about giving an ‘experience’ to the visitor, resulting in an amusing, bold and hugely accessible collection of murals, sculptures and installations, all of which are anchored in real life.

 Family highlight: The ‘butt’ or Project for a Door (After Gaetano Pesce) is a guaranteed giggle but surely is now more photographed than Kim Kardashian’s? Of course don’t miss it (you can’t) but something really wow is her hanging ‘pants’ or Chastity Belt installation, based on medieval locks of the same style and set in ‘the London sky at 3pm on a sunny day in June’.

Turner Prize 2016, Josephine Pryde, New Media Express in a Temporary Siding (Baby Wants To Ride)

Josephine Pryde
Questions, questions, questions. Sound familiar? Pryde is famed for posing a range of questions about her own interactions with the art world. Favouring photography and sculpture, her New Media Express train might have drawn the most attention when she was originally shortlisted, but her cameraless photographic technique as featured here alongside it are particularly fascinating.

 Family highlight: Although ‘Baby Wants To Ride’ is a shadow of its former moving self, it is still lovely to look at. It might, however, prove too tempting (or disappointing) for some younger viewers.

Turner Prize 2016, Michael Dean, Section of United Kingdom poverty line for two adults and two children: twenty thousand four hundred and thirty six pounds sterling as published on 1st September 2016

Michael Dean
Exhibiting a strong social and moral compass, Dean deliberately utilises recognisable and ‘democratic’ materials from the urban landscape and sculpts them into words, or into forms that often resemble human bodies. Although quite often the words can’t be read, the sculptures force us to think about our own interaction with the world.

 Family highlight: Dean has extended the temptation further with £20,436 arranged on the floor in a giant collection of gleaming (and grubby) 1p pieces. It’s a powerful way to represent the poverty line for two adults and two children. Tip: from the viewing point at this dead-end, hold hands and carefully navigate your way back around the ‘fenced’ entrance through the recurring ‘family of four’ sculptures that represent your solemn peers. Easy to get in huh? Impossible to get out – perhaps what the artist intended? These pennies, however, are not for pinching (you’ve been told).

Other highlights

 Tuesdays! Putting its money where its mouth is in a desire to cast the Turner Prize net wider, for the first time ever, Tate has made every Tuesday ‘Pay What You Can’. Perfect for those put off by high ticket prices, which can be money down the drain if you’re visiting with children and you have to bail.

 Comments wall: No visit to the Turner Prize would be complete without a read of the comments wall at the end, before adding your very own.

What’s also great about this year’s show is that (if the kids behave) you can enjoy every last drop. Whereas in past shows you might have had to race past any dark, violent or sexually explicit material, this year’s exhibition contains no such content. Outside of Michael Dean’s very moving presentation, the remainder of the show is surprising, colourful and even a bit of a giggle. So, with filming, photography and even Facebook Live being welcome to gauge reactions inside, the message to go forth and explore this year’s shortlist is coming through loud and noisy. Hooray.

 

Turner Prize is on at Tate Britain, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG until 2nd January 2017
Daily 10am-6pm, Admission £12 Adults, Children 12-18 £9.50, concessions available
The winner will be announced on 5th December
Visit website for more information

Free fringe arts festivals for families this September

Deptford X Joey Holder – Film still Ophiux

Totally Thames, Open House, Tall Ships – London is awash with festivals this September. Dig deeper and you’ll find there are a host of lesser-known arts festivals also vying for your attention, by opening their arms to welcome family visitors…

Deptford X

What is it? Contemporary art festival now in its 18th year. Platform 2016 showcases the work of 5 specially selected emerging artists, as well as Deptford X Fringe which invites a wider community of independent artists and projects to participate
Where is it? Various venues across Deptford (Nearest stations New Cross, Deptford and Deptford Bridge DLR)
When is it? 23 September – 2 October, Daily 12-6pm (plus special events and late openings)
What’s in it for families? Platform 2016 features a host of installation and sculpture which should be interesting to viewers of all ages. Seek out Joey Holder’s work in the atmospheric Crypt at St Nicholas Church or head to the Deptford X gallery to enjoy Manual Mathieu’s large-scale installation of white sheets (previously planned for Giffin Square). Deptford Fringe, however, is where things really hot up (if you can navigate the clunky and impenetrable website). Local street art collective Artmongers are inviting the public to help them replace their Deptford Marbles mural with Deptford Maze, whilst artist Hannah Clayden is hosting an architectural-inspired children’s workshop  which reimagines how buildings work – taking inspiration from the Anthology Deptford Foundry. There’s also visual, sound and performance art almost every day (and night) at Vinyl Deptford X.

Merge Festival

What is it? Known for presenting contemporary art in more unusual settings, Illuminate Production’s Merge Festival celebrates the rich history and culture of Bankside, through a range of art forms including interactive installations, experimental theatre and live music.
Where is it? Various venues between London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge (Nearest stations London Bridge, Southwark, Blackfriars, Mansion House, Cannon Street)
When is it? 24 September – 7 October, various times see programme and map for details
What’s in it for families? Almost everything on the programme is family-friendly. On Your Wavelength (Wednesday to Sunday, 12-7pm, Railway Arch, 37 America Street SE1 0NJ) invites you to use your collective mind-power to influence a unique laser and sound installation. Experience the epic light and sound show from the sidelines for free or for a small fee you can don a headset and contribute your brain’s activity to a large-scale digital artwork. Also fun for those looking for some spooky pre-Halloween fun, Chain Reaction (Thursday to Sunday, 1-7pm, Kirkaldy Testing Museum, Southwark Street, SE1 0JF) is a journey through a series of playful, interactive and mechanical artworks. Set in the basement and animated, this installation creates a very ghostly ballet.

Merge Festival – On Your Wavelength

Design Carousel

What is it? If as a parent you’ve always felt frozen out of Frieze, Design Carousel (part of London Design Festival) is London’s first children’s design fair. Featuring design for children (as well as by children), the aim is to entice and immerse children and families in the world of design and creativity.
Where is it? Coram’s Fields, 93 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1DN (Nearest Tube Russell Square or Kings Cross)
When is it? 24 September 2016, 11am-5pm
What’s in it for families? Coram Fields alone is a hidden gem of a central London playground, but the one-day takeover boasts over 15 children activities and workshops from 3D printing to modelling with clay, costume making and live music. There’s also a chance to contribute to the Futures Wall which aims to capture ‘live’ how children perceive the future, and create an evolving piece of art to be donated to Coram’s Fields.

Art Licks Weekend

What is it? An arts festival which celebrates the work of emerging artists and grassroots arts projects
Where is it? Various venues across East and South East London. Search their map for what’s close to you
When is it? 30 September – 2 October 2016, Daily 12-6pm although some specific event times apply
What’s in it for families? Bespoke led artist led tours for schools and other school groups as well as a smorgasbord of events, performance art and open studios to inspire even the very young. Highlights include AltMFA’s States of Flux (Saturday, 3-5pm) a live art tour along the Thames coast responding to the states of flux associated with the movement of rivers and along waterways, and Virtual Choreography (Thursday 6-9pm, Friday & Saturday 12-6pm) where visitors can contribute their own moves and gestures to those collected from a range of Hackney Wick locals.

Tribe Festival

What is it? On a mission to change the world through though-provoking art, #TRIBE16 features over 120 UK and international artists in a ‘living exhibition’ of contemporary art, music and performance.
Where is it? 47-49 Tanner Street, London SE1 3PL (Nearest Tube London Bridge or Bermondsey)
When is it? 30 September – 2 October 2016, 9am-5pm
What’s in it for families? The whole event is family friendly but the Creative Kids Loft promises group mural painting with artist Marc Craig, poetry workshops and sketch sessions, plus it’s a stones throw from More London Riverside whose summer festival is on until 31st October and White Cube which will be hosting a brand new interactive exhibition by Anthony Gormley

Still to come in May for art-loving families…

Elytra Filament Pavilion, render, V&A John Madejski © ICD:ITKE University of Stuttgart Garden 2016

May is awash with family-friendly arts festivals; from Udderbelly and London Wonderground, to Brighton Fringe and Dulwich Festival. There’s even another instalment of street art in my local manor of Brockley. Beyond all that’s on offer, however, I bet you had’t even realised that 3 big-hitting treats for art-loving families are due to land before May is out:

1. Brand new Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro
The idea for Arts Aloud was born in Kusama’s Obliteration Room at Tate Modern in 2012, meaning this lady’s work will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Promising new paintings with multiplying dots, new infinity mirror rooms and even new pumpkin sculptures, this summer showcase is set to be the artist’s most extensive exhibition at this venue.
Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro, 25th May to 30th July
16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW and 14 St George Street, London W1S 1FE
Admission £TBC

2. The arrival of Goosebumps Kids
Last month Goosebumps Alive arrived at The Vaults in Waterloo, bringing with it live burials, ghost stories and monsters galore. Having been granted permission to create this immersive theatrical world from the book series by R.L Stine, it made sense for the organisers to produce a watered down version in order to scare our kids (and their parents) half witless. The show is designed to be much more lighthearted fun, but is still pitched at 5-11 year olds, requires parental supervision and will not be admitting any younger siblings. It might be an idea to take more than one spare pair of pants 😎
Goosebumps Kids at The Vaults, 15th May to 5th June
Launcelot Street, SE1 7AD
Admission £15 for both children and adults

3. Elytra Filament Pavilion launches V&A’s Engineering Season
Slightly stealing the Serpentine Pavilion’s thunder this summer, is a newly commissioned garden installation by experimental architect Achim Menges, working with Moritz Dörstelmann, structural engineer Jan Knippers and climate engineer Thomas Auer. The Elytra Filament Pavilion marks the start of the first ever Engineering Season at the V&A and will explore the impact of robotic technology on architectural design and engineering. The result should represent a canopy-like structure for visitors to walk beneath and is expected to grow and change according to the patterns of behaviour picked up in the garden by its real-time sensors (so ensure the kids are on their best). There will also be some rare opportunities to witness live construction.
Elytra Filament Pavilion at the V&A, 18th May to 6th November
John Madejski Garden, V&A, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL
Admission Free

 

6 Puppetry picks from Brighton Fringe

Brighton Fringe kicks off this Friday, a month-long multi-art form festival promising 60 shows for families, from family cabaret and circus, to immersive theatre and improvised comedy, all perfectly placed to entertain grown ups and kids of all ages.

Having made a recent return visit to the Little Angel Theatre to review a fabulous adaptation of Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, I was reminded how enchanting puppetry could be. For those with younger children, the pull of this magical world is so strong that the rods, the wires, even the puppeteers themselves remain invisible to a child’s imaginative eye.

This year’s Brighton Fringe has a plethora of puppetry productions for those keen to explore the art, here’s my picks:

The Biggest Marionette Circus in the World Part II
Pioneering circus without violence, Polish circus theatre company Teatr Klinika Lalek (or the Puppet Clinic Theatre) return to Brighton Fringe to amaze audiences with their giant life-sized elephant, giraffe and lion marionettes. These puppets are likely to be as much traffic-stoppers as show-stoppers as they promise to greet visitors outside the venue.
11th to 13th May, 16th to 20th May 4pm, 14th and 15th May 1pm, 2.30pm, 21st and 22nd May 10am, 12pm
The Warren: Main House, St Peter’s Church North, York Place, Brighton, BN1 4GU
£8, Family ticket £28, All ages

Flyaway Katie
No puppetry line-up would be complete without the ever-popular Long Nose Puppets. If you loved Shoe Baby, Penguin and Arthur’s Dream Boat, you’re sure to enjoy new show Flyaway Katie, a story of how far and high your own imagination can take you. Be prepared to add another catchy CD to your child’s collection, with songs penned once again by Gomez star and Brighton resident, Tom Gray.
14th and 15th May, 10am, 11.30am
The Warren: Main House, St Peter’s Church North, York Place, Brighton, BN1 4GU
£8, Age 3-7

Meadow
Telling stories with a greater purpose using handcrafted puppets made from organic materials, independent theatre company Old Saw introduce a brand new puppetry show for children and adults, bringing to life a meadow in a post-human future, where only the grass remembers everything that used to live around and within it.
20th May 4pm, 21st and 22nd May, 30th and 31st May, 1 Jun 10.30am
The Warren: Theatre Box, St Peter’s Church North, York Place, Brighton, BN1 4GU
£8, Family ticket £28, Age 3-7

Boipuso and the Grumpy Green Giant
Dedicated to supporting young people find their way into arts careers, East London based Ladders Young Performers and Writers Club will be using puppets, percussion and participation to share the Botswana folk tale of Boipuso and the Grumpy Green Giant, amongst other stories. Visiting families can their try their hand at puppet making and animation with the help of workshops hosted by Touched Theatre.
28th May, 12:30pm 1.30pm
Friends’ Meeting House, Ship Street, BN1 1AF
Free, Age 3-7

Snooper Dog: A Hero is Born
Expect loads of audience interaction from this extravaganza of songs, music and magic as well as puppets! British puppet theatre company The Purple Teapot Company have devised a hilarious new adventure about what it takes to be a superhero, following Snoop’s sell-out run at last year’s Fringe.
30th May and 4th June, 12pm and 3pm
The Brunswick, 3 Holland Road, Hove, BN3 1JF
£7, Family ticket £22, All ages

Just Right
Inviting audience members to dress up as their favourite animals and get up-close to the characters, this musical puppet show by Go Kid Music provides a fresh take on the classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears; featuring one mean girl, three excellent bears and lashings of porridge!
2nd June, 11.45am, 1.30pn, 3pm
The Old Market, 11a Upper Market Street, Hove, BN3 1AS
£7, Age 3-10

Whilst you’re there: Yeah, right, you shouldn’t even need extra help, but if it happens to be rainy and cold Hove Museum and Art Gallery provides the perfect arts-inspired escape from the beach.

Brighton Fringe runs at various venues across Brighton and Hove from 6th May to 5th June.
See website for full programme of events and activities.