Warwick Arts Centre has been awarded a grant of £28,938 by the Wellcome Trust to run an arts & science project called ‘Skin, Blood and Bone’ with Coventry primary schools from September 2008 to July 2009.

Primary age children from Frederick Bird Community Primary School and Leigh Church of England Primary School in Coventry will work as artists and scientists to investigate the workings of the human body. Over a year, they will create three visual art exhibitions and three dance works that will be presented to pupils and families in their own schools and will then tour to other primary schools in Coventry.

‘Skin, Blood and Bone’ is a unique project - a scientific, artistic and educational collaboration which will encourage fresh interdisciplinary practice leading to newer, deeper scientific understandings and innovative artworks. It brings together the expertise of university academics and local arts practioners. Artist Jo Buffery will lead the work and, together with teachers, will take inspiration from Professor Peter Abrahams, Professor of Clinical Anatomy at The University of Warwick Medical School. Teachers and the artist will also create a 'recipe book' of ideas for creative teaching in the science classroom. This will be distributed to other schools around Coventry once the project finishes in July 2009.

Brian Bishop, Warwick Arts Centre Education Director comments:

"Both of these schools, although very different in size, location and ethnic make-up, serve neighbourhoods where access to and involvement in the arts are very limited. With the wonderful support of the Wellcome Trust and the collaboration with Professor Abrahams, we will be engaging pupils in dynamic, intriguing and stretching creative activities and the children will benefit in two ways, both from the creative process and by fascinating scientific investigation."

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Date of release: 29 May 2008

For more information or interview requests please contact :

Katie Anderson, Marketing Director, Warwick Arts Centre
T. 024 7652 44452, Email katie.anderson@warwick.ac.uk
Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL

Box Office: 024 7652 4524
Book Online: www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

Editor’s Notes:

1. The collaboration with the Warwick Medical School is through the participation of one of the UK's leading anatomists, Professor Peter Abrahams. Professor Abrahams will run 'inspiration sessions' with our artist and teachers to expand their knowledge and understanding of skin, blood and bone to creatively feed their own work with the children. He will also work directly with children in their schools bringing wide-ranging expertise to the primary school classroom.

2. The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending over £650 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing.