A joint project of Trinity Access Programmes and The
Ark, A Cultural Centre for Children.
Workshop series designed, developed and presented by The Ark.
Re-commission of Bookmarks
In 2007 Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) approached The Ark to commission a project which would inspire 9-12 year olds involved in TAP to awaken their imaginations through the creation of their very own modern fairy tale. The Ark called this project Bookmarks. The participating children were encouraged to use Trinity College’s wondrous Pollard Collection of Children’s Literature as a stimulus for their own creativity. The aim was to encourage them to learn about their own literary and cultural heritage, and to discover what childhood was like during the 17th century to the early 20th century.
This year, Bookmarks has been re-commissioned and will be based on a similar workshop format of story writing, illustration and bookbinding. This time The Ark has devised and developed a six-week workshop series which will engage children in a different aspect of Trinity College’s literature collection: The Book of Kells .
Fifth and sixth class students from three TAP-linked primary schools: Marist N.S Crumlin, Our Lady of Lourdes NS Goldenbridge and Scoil Cholmcille, Ballybrack will participate in this programme. The aim of the programme is for the children to gain new skills though the art of illustrated storytelling, printing, stamp making, and book binding, making them the author, illustrator and publisher of their very own book. Children will explore and familiarise themselves with the Book of Kells, and utilize this rich resource as a stimulus for their creativity as well as a means of understanding Ireland’s literary and cultural heritage. The programme also aims to familiarise pupils with Trinity College and the possibility of attending third-level education.
The programme includes an introductory tour to Trinity College. Students will have the opportunity to explore the grounds, visit the Book of Kells and the Long Room. Children will also have an interactive session with children’s author Aubrey Flegg.
Over six weeks, Ark artists Laura de Búrca and Liz Smith will facilitate workshops where the children, using various materials, will plan out an adventure story, and begin to create their own book. A Bookmarks Awards Ceremony and Exhibition Opening will mark the end of the programme, taking place on Tuesday 24 March in Trinity College’s Long Room. The exhibition of these handmade works will run from Tuesday 24 – Tuesday 31 March 2009.
We hope these workshops will encourage the children to continue using the Book of Kells and other such books in the Trinity College Collection as a resource, and that it will inspire children at all levels of ability to become illustrators and authors.
