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Creativity. Community. Collaboration
Here are our early projects from 2012. We are proud to have been here to enable and inspire ripples of social change through access to valuable arts environments and hope to do much more of the same in the future. We think art adds value, and artists can provide great social capital within communities. Through the exploration of creative ways to work together, by creating connections and inspiring new ways to tackle old problems we can bring a fresh approach to today's public issues. Thank you for your ongoing support and interest.
Our Projects
Quite incredibly, the Royal Society of Arts got in touch in May 2012 asking us to deliver a programme of art workshops to a group of individuals in recovery from drugs and alcohol addiction. The programme introduced sculpture, painting and drawing in a few initial sessions, followed by ongoing practise sessions where the new artists developed their own works, using the help of professional artists to guide them toward final piece. The programme culminated in an exhibition of works entitled 'Courage, Compassion, Hope' at the River Centre, Tonbridge on July 13th. The show was opened by the Executive Chair of the Royal Society of Arts, Matthew Taylor as well as, ahem, HR Princess Anne.
The challenge was to introduce 20 people who may not have done art before, and may not have considered themselves to have a creative bone in their body, to produce a series of art works based on their experience of addiction. Our aim was to provide a comfortable setting, professional guidance, and the right kind of encouragement for the group to access their natural ability to make artworks. With practice, every person can use art as a language.
From the moment the life model dropped her robe, the 8 week programme pushed the attendents out of their comfort zones, and toward their creative imagination. The work produced was both inspiring.
"The RSA combines thought leadership with social innovation to further human progress."A national think-tank for 250 years until 5 years ago when the RSA took to action, thanks to CEO Matthew Taylor, who has done much to connect ideas to groundwork and who we were pleased to meet at the exhibition. Stepping Stone Studios' fit within the RSA's 'Whole Person Recovery' programme, which advocates a user-centred approach to recovery, was due to our passion for bringing community and our daily culture and lifestyle into the realm of public responsibility. We work to help people make positive lifestyle choices and use their creative indviduality to make constructive changes to their lives. It's well worth having a look at the RSA's website, not only for the interesting TED-style free lectures you can get there, but also for some more information on the contemporary ideas RSA stands for. It's a breath of fresh air. www.thersa.org Meeting the work of the Whole Person Recovery unit and the team at the CRI was an inspiring realisation of the innovative and couragous people who commit their intellect and imaginations to helping other people. We have yet to meet a more inspiring and fantastic team of professionals.
Certain elements of the creative process such as self-initiative, creative innovation and expression were highlighted through the sessions in order to maximise the potential for personal growth and expression through the artwork. See below for some highlights.
We would like to thank sculptress Theresa Paton, painter Greg Reed (+Derelict Arts , life drawing tutor Paula Trower, and film makers Shazad Khalid and Muma Molobeka who put their creative experience and artistic talent toward the realisation of the programme. Without such a great stock of artists the programme could not have been the success that it was.
Collaboration with the RSA/CRI
Whole Person Recovery Programme.
June/ July 2013
HR Princess Anne speaks at the exhibition 'Courage Compassion and Hope' on the 13th July 2013
CRI: Crime Reduction Initiaitive.
"We were very exited when the offer from the RSA (Royal society of art) was proposed to us and how it just suited the purpose of Stepping stone studios and what we are about.
When the workshops just began everybody was quite nervous and kept on saying that they weren't any good at art, but after a couple of sessions and everyone getting involved, people started to make some marks on a canvas.
It was a great experience to working on this project because it really shows how art and coming together as a team helps to ease some of the personal issues that individuals face, especially in building new lives after addiction. I strongly believe that art and culture are the cures for most confusion and frustration. We at Stepping stone studios want to thank and bless everyone who was involved from Gravesend, Tunbridge and Maidstone (the whole CRI team) and the RSA for giving people these possibilities of everlasting positive change. Good stuff :)"
- Michele Roselli-Cecconi, Events Manager
Supporting and Celebrating Kings Reach School July 2013
A bespoke art exhibition, attended by the Mayor of Maidstone on Thursday 1st August was open for two weeks at Stepping Stone Studios CIC, showing publicly for the first time the products of the school's innovative and positive work with young people no longer in mainstream education.
The Kings Reach Training Centre in Maidstone teaches Key Stage 4 students of secondary school age core curriculum a variety of GCSE and vocational subjects, including Maths, English and ICT.
Uniquely, the school engages young people through creative learning techniques, using the young persons' own motivation and interests as the basis of classroom learning structure. This approach provides a dynamic and adaptable element to education for both boys and girls.
“Many of our students find the pressure of mainstream education too much to bear, and have been referred to us so that they can access a more appropriate educational provision” said Mark Fradgley, the Director of Education Strategy at King’s Reach. “We seek to instill the same qualities expected from their former schools in a smaller, bespoke environment tailored to the needs of the individual”.
The Training Centres are currently commissioned by Kent County Council and form part of the Maidstone & Malling Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). As well as the core subjects, Kings Reach also covers classes on Personal and Social Development, Vocational Learning, Music, Art and Design and Sport. Additionally the school runs a unique Forest School programme in Bearsted, utilising the outdoors in order to deliver a diverse and progressive curriculum.
The exhibition demonstrates the products of the art and creative classes taking place at the school and shows a range of vibrant and engaging studies covering the themes of identity and contemporary urban culture. Not only is the exhibition an insight into the working methods at the school, but also a colourful demonstration of the quality of finished work that the pupils are capable of.
Stepping Stone Studios is very proud have hosted the exhibition.
“We believe it is important to highlight creative methods being used in many schools to engage students who otherwise might fall behind. Young people learn in numerous different ways and it is fantastic that the Kings Reach School is aware of this and available as a provision to teach and support children who might normally just be considered 'difficult’; it is a provision we in Maidstone should be very proud of.” Emma Whittall, Director of Stepping Stone Studios.
We invited the public to drop in at Stepping Stone Studios Mon-Sat 10-3pm until the 9th August to view the exhibition and leave supportive comments about the work. For more information about the Kings Reach school, please contact Mark Fradgley via mark.fradgley@kingsreach.org.uk.
The BIG DRAW. Oct 19th 2013
Local ilustrator Ian Oshea pulled a team of UCA graduates together to organise the studios edition of The Big Draw- a national event that takes place throughout Nov-Dec. The family day invited the public to draw all over a massive canvas covering the walls of the studio. The theme was 'Maidstone in the Future' and the turnout was absolutely brilliant.
The walls were covered with space llamas and cosmic pixies dancing over CCTV-ridden distopias, past 4th dimesnional lego blocks. Maidstone entitled Cultural Capital of 2014...and other adventurous ideas... were scrawled and sketched and coloured everywhere. (Also, very clever children wrote wonderful things about us :)
The event is in aid of drawing, to get people/ keep people draeing more. It was a lot of fun, and with a little doantion to the charity, anyone can be a part.
November 2012: The First Maidstone Film Festival HAPPENED
Last year we ran a seven day film festival that not only screened some of the best world and independent films in cinematic history, but which also attracted submissions from over 50 independent filmmakers in the area. Our friend and collaborator Andy Cooper made a trailer for it.
We tranformed the studio into 3 cinemas and ate nothing but popcorn for a week.
We hosted Sandblast Arts Charity and watched documentary films about social music centres in the Savanah. We received lectures by Canterbury universities Film Theory lecturer Len Watson. Were joined by Hamish McAlpine and his dog Bastard (the man who brought films like Old Boy, Funny Games and Ted Bundy into recognition), British Director Jan Dunn, local producer Charlotte Watner and many interested film buffs in a Q+A session about film industry.
Best were the film submissions, some of which can be seen here:
FILM SUBMISSIONS MAIDSTONE FILM FEST 2012
There was stunning quality to the films we received for the festival. Thank you every one who got involved. The facebook page is still going and fairly active this year, likely to be re-ignited when the film season comes back around. Look forward to seeing you then folks. For what will be a weekend of pre-emptive cinematic talent.
