1997-2001
In 1998 DIVA successfully bid for a three-year £80K
A4E project funded by the National Lottery.
The project had three main strands incorporating Music, Visual
Arts and an inovative Advisory Placement Scheme.
Postcards
From out of the Blue
As part of the A4E project funded by the National Lottery Diva
called together a community choir and engaged an artist to compose
original music and Postcards from out of the blue was born.
Postcards
was performed four times at venues across the district and an
audio CD was produced. Many of the people involved in this project
went on to form a new choir, Wakefield Voices which are now
members of DIVA.
The
Advisory Placement Scheme
Bringing together groups and artists or other professionals
with special skills.
Group
Nine worked with an artist to develop life drawing.
Eastmoor Residents Arts had an advisor to develop their committee
and planning skills.
Diva brought Castleford Gilbert & Sullivan Society together
with an advisor to develop marketing skills and increase audiences.
Knottingley Concert Brass had an instrument audit and conducting
workshop.
Karen Babayan, Diva's Artist in Residence, ran open workshops
in addition to working with groups like:-
Art Circus Education Art Group
Centre X1 Youth Club
Eastmoor Residents Arts
Group Nine Artists
Pinderfields Hospital School
Wheelers & Wobblers Sports and Social Club
Wakefield Asian Welfare Association.
Exhibitions
of work produced were held at Yorkshire Art Circus, Wakefield
Art Gallery and Unity House, Wakefield.
Some of the banners produced are still on display across the
district.
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In
2000 Diva was funded by the Community Fund to develop the network
of Art Groups in Wakefield.
Pass
it On, where established groups shared their knowledge and
experience with newer groups was an important part of this project.
This also led to the link Up Register that held details of skills
and individuals ready to pass them on.
Creating
Diva's Banner
A series of open workshops in Spring 2001 resulted in the completion
of DIVA's embroidered and appliquéd double sided fabric
banner.
Working
with artist Karen Babyana DIVA ran a series of workshops exploring
different ways of working with textiles to create a banner reflecting
Wakefield's Voluntary Arts. Techniques were explored using fabric
pens, photos, transfers, applique and collage with a range of
craft materials.
Our
banner has been displayed at exhibitions and events across the
district and we hope to find it a permanent home in the DIVA
office at Charlotte Street Wakefield.
