Bradford Museums and Galleries have teamed up with 50 Things to do Before You’re Five and Bradford District Neighbourhood team to create a programme of activities for young children and their parents and carers to enjoy in the gardens and grounds of the district’s museums and galleries.
Groups of under-fives and their parents and carers will have the opportunity to begin exploring and drawing with artist Lou Sumray in the grounds of the museums and galleries before the buildings reopen. The first sessions will be in the park and gardens of Cliffe Castle Museum; later moving on to Cartwright Hall Art Gallery and Lister Park; followed by Bolling Hall Museum and Library and Bowling Park; then finally Bradford Industrial Museum.
This first part of the programme is called ‘walk, talk, discover and draw’ it builds on initiatives already established by 50 Things to do Before You’re Five as well as an earlier project called *‘My Cartwright’.
Rachael Dennis, Project Officer, 50 Things to do Before You’re Five said: “We think these small weekly sessions are an ideal way to rediscover the world through the eyes of under-fives and their families, by making connections with outdoor spaces and enjoying the vibrant history and heritage of our surroundings across the district. We are thrilled to collaborate with Bradford Museums and Galleries and Bradford District Parks.”
Claire Ackroyd, Learning and Outreach Manager of Bradford Museums and Galleries, said: “We are delighted to be working with 50 Things to do Before You’re Five. These sessions are a great introduction to new visitors to our museums and galleries as well as being a lovely gentle way for us to move towards reopening our doors.
We are also working towards a sustainable future for our service and buildings so that we can help the district meet its net zero emissions targets and our sites can be enjoyed by future generations.”
The first of these sessions will be on Wednesday, 5 May. To book a place, email rachael.dennis@stedmundsbradford.org.uk or phone 01274 543282.
Later in May 2021, when Bradford Museums and Galleries plan to reopen, a self-led family programme called ‘explore and draw’ will be available inside each of the four venues. The outdoor ‘walk, talk, discover and draw’ sessions will continue for younger visitors, families and carers, encouraging them to come inside to discover treasures and stories.
Bradford Museums and Galleries are keen to create partnerships with other local organisations. Anyone interested in working with them can contact claire.ackroyd@bradford.gov.uk rachael.dennis@stedmundsbradford.org.uk
*‘My Cartwright’ was a project developed a number of years ago for local under 5s and parents unfamiliar with Cartwright Hall Art Gallery. It was run over a number of years by Sharon Hogan, Head teacher at Midland Road Nursery School, artist Lou Sumray and the learning team at Bradford Museums and Galleries. It included regular weekly visits by the same group of parents and children to the park and gallery. Drawing, art and creative activities were a key part of each session and the children and parents displayed their work in the Learning Room, including on one occasion a giant map of the Cartwright Hall in Lister park.
