A VIBRANT local arts appreciation group, is supporting four schools this year.
The Arts Society Wokingham enjoys a varied programme of monthly talks, study days and visits.
But it has always been keen to give back to the borough, too.
Since it was formed in 2014 has been involved in several community arts projects, making a difference to young lives.
Past support has included enabling pupils from Bulmershe School to go to Edinburgh to premier their play, The Emperor’s Fool, at the Fringe festival.
The society also funded High Close pupils to work with a local potter to create a tree mural to adorn their school wall.
More recently they have formed partnerships with Foundry College, St Crispin’s and Maiden Erlegh schools, their funding has been spent on a mosaic wall memorial, performing arts, pottery and photographic equipment as well as supporting individual pupils with music lessons.
This year they are continuing to work with St Crispin’s and Maiden Erlegh secondary schools, but are also widening their support to include local primary schools.
Of the seven schools that applied to the Arts Society Wokingham for funding, they have selected four.
Each of these have been awarded £500, to fund the following projects:
At Floreat Montague Park, an African drumming workshop will celebrate Black History Month.
Farley Hill is able to provide additional art resources for an after-school club and/or pay for a visit from a local artist.
The society will support music tuition for 64 pupils at Hawthorns Primary, and they will also help Earley St Peter’s School to develop an outdoor music area accessible to all children.
The Arts Society Wokingham meets on the third Monday of the month, at King’s Academy, Binfield.
At its next meeting lecturer, museum guide and painter Steven Barrett will speak about Seurat’s famous painting, Bathers at Asnières.
The event will takae place at King’s Academy, on Monday, February 23.
Refreshments will be served from 7.15pm, with the talk beginning at 7.45pm.
New members and guests are always welcome.
To attend, people are asked to email to register their interest: memsectheartssocietywham@gmail.com.
For more information, visit: theartssociety.org/wokingham
