May 21 2018
From June to September, Barnsley arts centre and cultural hub, The Civic, will host an educational outreach programme for the town’s young people. Supported by global fashion retailer and corporate partner, ASOS, the initiative aims to inspire the next generation of creative talent.
Kicking off the three-month activity is a major exhibition, The T Shirt: Cult | Culture | Subversion. Curated in partnership with London’s Fashion and Textile Museum, the exhibition will run from 23rd June to 27th September.
From politics to punk, rock and roll to rebellion, it will chart the history, culture and subversion of one of the most affordable and popular items of clothing on the planet. Spanning over 50 years and featuring over 100 rare and ground-breaking examples, the exhibition includes some of the most valuable examples in the world.
Alongside the exhibition, The Civic is running a multi-layered programme of educational events. With ASOS’s support, primary school children across Barnsley* will benefit from workshops with local artists on themes around self-expression and teenagers at the Barnsley YMCA will see textile artist Gemma Nemer demonstrate how to up-cycle t-shirts with their own personal messages.
Students at Barnsley College, meanwhile, will have access to a Diploma in Fashion, Art and Design, run in conjunction with The University of the Arts London (UAL) awarding body, and talks from the influential graphic designer Malcolm Garrett and Barnsley-born designer, Craig Oldham, as well as a panel discussion on Vivienne Westwood, will take place at The Civic throughout the period.
Helen Ball, CEO of The Civic, said: “Like ASOS, The Civic has a passion for giving young people the confidence to be who they want to be, so we hope that these activities will encourage them to consider the arts and inspire them to reach their potential.”
The Civic is in the midst of a five year £5m fundraising mission to re-open the dormant third of its building and return it to its former glory. Patrons include Barnsley born Sir Michael Parkinson and Dame Jenni Murray.
Helen added: “The Civic has its own artistic residency programme supporting artists based in the North to develop and experiment with new ideas. In an era of austerity and arts funding cuts, this work is more vital than ever. As the arts have the ability to transform lives, we hope our success delivering arts engagement programmes will drive support for our fundraising ambitions.”
Part of the Great Exhibition of the North 2018 programme #GetNorth2018”
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Notes to Editors
*Primary schools taking part are Thurgoland Primary, Shawlands School and Hoyland Common Primary. Photo credit: Jason White
#Connect Appeal
-The £5m #connect fundraising appeal is to complete building renovations and return The Civic to its former glory.
-The Civic is a leading arts charity; Registered charity no. 1129765. http://www.barnsleycivic.co.uk/
-Engage in the campaign on Twitter: @BarnsleyCivic #connect
-For media enquiries contact [email protected], 07531948014