Art to inspire school children

Items from the Collection, at the University of Brighton, are being installed at Balfour Primary School to “bring children closer to the experience of seeing and understanding art”.

The children will then create their own gallery of work to be put on public display at the school’s Open House on 21 May.

Items from the Collection will include original pictures from John Vernon Lord’s children’s book The Runaway Roller Skate, a blue-flecked stone horse by Tanya Brett called ‘Stilton’, John Lord’s Giant Jam Sandwich original artwork and contemporary fashion. The children will receive visits by some of the artists and will also see short films of them at work.

The project is being led by Philippa Aldrich and Molly Aldrich-Wincer, whose parents and grandparents, Michael and Sandy Aldrich, founded the collection at the university. The collection provides a resource for arts education and research at the university and is a record of the rich history of arts education in Brighton. The Balfour pupils will have the chance to play their own part in that history and help others to engage with the public collection.

"Brie" Ceramic horse from pair Brie and Stilton, Tanya Brett, 1999

Windmill by E.A. Sallis Benney, c. 1935

Marcelo Staricoff, Head Teacher at Balfour Primary School, says: “We really value the education of the child as a whole and we are always looking out for opportunities that will contribute to the life experiences of our children and to the enrichment of their education and emotional wellbeing.

“The school also has a very close link with the University of Brighton and we really enjoy collaborating on many projects during the year. When the idea of collaborating with the Michael Aldrich Foundation first emerged, I was really thrilled as I felt it would be a great way to enrich the experiences of our children, staff and families.”

Philippa Aldrich, trustee of the Michael Aldrich Foundation, said: “It was always my late father’s intention that the Aldrich Collection would be accessible to the community and we are delighted to get this opportunity to share this rich resource with the children of Balfour Primary School. We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response we have had from both the school and the local artists and makers who are giving their time and expertise to make this project happen. We are excited to see the final exhibition at the Open House on 21 May.”

The Michael Aldrich Foundation and the University of Brighton hope to raise awareness of the Aldrich Collection and encourage other schools and colleges to make use of it.

The public is welcome to attend the Open House on 21 May when there will be an opportunity to meet the artists and the team behind the project.