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Aylesbury Panoramic

Freestyle Arts and Training will be hosting ‘Aylesbury Panoramic’ as part of the nationwide ‘Big Draw’. The event will also be part of Family Learning Week and Black History Month celebrations. Aylesbury Estate residents are invited to come along to Freestyle and take part in the making of a huge, expressive drawing. The theme is future visions for the Estate; waterfalls over Wendover?, beaches below Bradenham?, colourful buildings or carless streets. If you are a budding artist, want to learn artistic skills or just want to pop along and make a fun (or serious!) statement, then please come to the Freestyle building on

Saturday 16 October between 12-5 pm.
The event is free.

Contact Jane Duncan-Ribeiro (Visual Arts Co-ordinator) for more information: 0207 7034309

Freestyle Arts and Training
1A Wendover, Thurlow Street, SE17 2UD

Background

The Aylesbury Estate
The Aylesbury estate is one of the largest housing estates in the country housing around 12,000 residents. The estate faces many challenges, such as high unemployment, higher levels of ill health and lower than average educational achievements. However, it is also an estate with a huge amount of untapped talent and enthusiasm, particularly in terms of creativity. Two thirds of the community are from black and minority ethnic communities and 42 languages are spoken on the estate.

The Aylesbury New Deal for Communities (NDC) - Aylesbury NDC is a 10-year regeneration programme that aims to improve the health, education, environment, employment opportunities, community empowerment and community safety for the residents of the Aylesbury estate.

The Freestyle project is funded through the community empowerment theme.

Pilot Project
During the summer of 2001 Southwark Arts Forum (SAF) developed a small-scale pilot project on the estate. The aim of the project was to creatively engage a wide range of residents and to demonstrate the need for and value of creative activities as part of the regeneration process. Pilot project activities and the research indicated a clear lack of creative activities and facilities and a huge need amongst a wide range of residents.

Freestyle Project –
Following a successful pilot project SAF were invited to submit an application for a three-year arts initiative. After extensive consultation and development the Freestyle – Arts and Training for the neighbourhood project was developed to place creativity at the centre of the Aylesbury New Deal for Communities regeneration process. Since July 2002 Freestyle has supported over thirty cultural projects; provided resources and funding to fourteen Aylesbury run social businesses; provided project / events management training; held a successful launch event featuring local and professional performers, ran training programmes in vocal training, studio development, dance and Film –making. Freestyle has created 49 part-time/casual work opportunities and trained over 160 residents. Freestyle continues to work with local people as staff, creators, audiences and performers.

Southwark Arts Forum –
Southwark Arts Forum is the key agency for the arts in the London borough of Southwark and works across three areas –

· As a membership organisation SAF provides an invaluable information resource, project management and free advice and advocacy service to artists, art organisations and other voluntary sector groups. We promote public awareness, access, innovation and training in the arts. This includes the production of a bi-monthly magazine – The Artery.
· To promote and nurture arts and education programmes and activities in schools, colleges and with local community organisations and agencies.
· To provide a catalyst as the lead arts agency in Southwark in the Urban Regeneration and Neighbourhood Renewal Areas of the borough to ensure that the arts has a pivotal role in developing community environments, training and employment opportunities for socially disadvantaged communities.