Registration opens for THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DRAWING FESTIVAL, 1-31 October 2015
- Andrew Marr reveals his greatest hero and the theme for The Big Draw 2015 in an exclusive short film
- Registration now open for Big Draw 2015 events
- Over 1000 organisations worldwide are expected to create the biggest ever international drawing festival.
Today, the theme for The Big Draw 2015 – Every Drawing Tells a Story – was revealed in an exclusive film by high-profile drawing advocate and long-standing Campaign for Drawing Patron, Andrew Marr, as registration opens for this year’s Big Draw festival.
Individuals and organisations of all shapes and sizes are invited to register drawing events to be part of The Big Draw 2015, the world’s biggest drawing festival. Organisers are encouraged to adopt Every Drawing Tells a Story, choose their own theme, or take inspiration from the year’s significant celebrations, including the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the 350th anniversary of the publication of Robert Hooke’s Micrographia, the 150th anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll and the current UNESCO International Year of Light.
From 1-31 October, The Big Draw 2015: Every Drawing Tells a Story will see museums and galleries releasing exhibits to bring their stories to life; heritage sites using local materials to reveal hidden histories; schoolchildren creating storyboards to explore subjects; science centres using microscopy and light to enhance perception; performers making marks through movement; libraries transforming spaces into exciting storybook settings; homes for older people connecting generations by inviting residents and young visitors to draw and discuss their favourite objects; health professionals using drawing to ease anxiety and create positive environments…and much more besides.
In the film Andrew Marr introduces this year’s theme by drawing his greatest hero, Henri Matisse. He reveals that the life and work of the artist (in Andrew’s words, ‘that lovely old sod’) has touched and changed his life – and so become an important part of his own story.
Sue Grayson Ford MBE, The Campaign for Drawing Director, says: ‘Drawing is a powerful way to bring stories to life, reveal the past, capture the present and explore the future. This year we are asking ‘’what story do you have to tell?’’ From nurseries to nursing homes, national galleries to local landmarks, boxing rings to town squares, there are stories waiting to be shared through a Big Draw event, and we hope Andrew Marr’s championship of The Big Draw 2015, Every Drawing Tells a Story will help us reach and involve many more people in both individual and shared journeys of discovery.’
The Campaign for Drawing is a pioneering arts education charity dedicated to raising the profiles of visual literacy and drawing as tools for thought, creativity, and social and cultural engagement. Against a background of hugely reduced numbers of art, craft and design-related GCSEs and A-levels, the Campaign’s year-round programmes promote drawing’s role in developing the talent and skills necessary for the continuing success of our Cultural and Creative Industries. Since 2000, The Campaign has coordinated the annual Big Draw festival, the biggest free arts event in the UK. The Big Draw provides an accessible platform for creative activities,the increased need for which was highlighted in the recent Warwick Commission Report.
This year The Big Draw is joining hundreds of organisations nationwide to become a Get Creative Champion. The BBC Arts’ Get Creative is a year-long celebration of British arts, culture and creativity, and the Every Drawing tells a Story theme complements the BBC’s creative writing focus this October.
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