[ TEXT ONLY: HOME PAGE | GRAPHICS & TEXT: HOMEPAGE ]
[ PUBLIC ART | GEORGES HOUSE GALLERY | CELEBRATORY ARTS | TRAINING & EDUCATION | THE GIANTS PROJECT ]
[ NEWSROOM | PUBLICATIONS | CONTACT US | LINKS | NEWSLETTER | SLIDESHOW ]
Strange Cargo has always championed the notion of artists supporting their own practice by using their creativity to make a living in the arts. Artists have an adept ability to apply specialist - and seemingly unrelated - knowledge gained in one creative field to other disciplines, and to generate a totally original result. For this reason the Strange Cargo team incorporates a wide variety of practitioners, each keen to work with others and passionate about their own professional development.
The annual event programme offers our trainee artists experience in practical construction and workshop skills, health and safety awareness, and aspects of event management. This very practical grounding helps equip them to work on a wide variety of creative projects from fine art residencies to processions. There has been a recognition of the need for training of this type by the University of Kent who are running a new degree programme to help students develop the practical skills needed to project-manage a diverse range of live events.
Georges House Gallery
Strange Cargo has always encouraged professional practice in its exhibiting artists. Georges House Gallery, as an affordable experimental space, is frequently the venue for artists' first solo or group exhibitions, and the in-house team are always on hand to advise on everything from hanging the show, to pricing work and organising private views.
Giants
A week of research and training was devised for the artist team who deliver the Giants. The programme included additional training in the methods traditionally used in Giant construction, with an investigation into new techniques and wild possibilities. A number of new creative professionals joined the team, including craftsman Johnny Man, who devised a lightweight bentwood frame, and sculptor Andrew Baldwin, who constructed an internal animated steel structure for a Giant. Internationally known basket maker Mary Butcher coached the team in advanced sculptural basketry methods.
Tandridge Strange Cargo have led skills training workshops with artists from Tandridge in Surrey to enable them to run a number of very successful small scale lantern processions and carnival celebrations in their home town and around Surrey. In May 2006 teams of artists and council employees returned to increase their skills by learning more advanced large-scale lantern building techniques, safe workshop practice and event coordination.
Teachers Masterclass
Held in the lead-up to Strange Cargo's Charivari Day carnival is a hugely popular opportunity for teachers to be introduced to new materials and making techniques. They work with the artists to produce their prototype costume, then retire for a well earned glass or two of wine and a chance to socialise with their colleagues. They then return to school with a materials kit to reproduce the costumes in class. This model is also used successfully for other carnivals and events with schools across the UK and beyond.