CHILDREN have been creating digital art inspired by a sculptures in a museum as part of one of the largest projects attempted in the UK.

As part of Art UK’s Sculpture Around You programme, the Museum of Hartlepool hosted artist Stuart Langley to run digital photography and GIF-making workshops with groups of young people and families throughout autumn 2019.

The work created during the workshops was inspired by the museum’s collection of Indian and Buddhist sculptures originally collected by Col. William Tomlinson (1838-1912).

The colourful digital clips created by the young people will be displayed as part of a new exhibition focused on the Tomlinson sculpture collection in the museum which will go on display from late January onwards.

These Sculpture Around You workshops were part of a national learning and engagement programme which launched in 2018.

Many of the events are aimed at those harder to reach audiences who are less likely to engage with the visual arts, breaking down physical and psychological barriers to art and culture.

Sculpture Around You will bring sculpture to the widest possible audience, offering a range of informal learning activities to a variety of ages and demographics.

This includes families, young people, local history enthusiasts, community groups, blind and partially sighted and BAME groups.

Collections and artists across the UK are joining Art UK in delivering 75 Sculpture Around You events until May 2020.

Ashley Landsbury, Museum and Art Gallery Manager for Hartlepool Borough Council said:“This has been a fantastic opportunity to document our sculptural collection and engage with our communities to explore elements of it.”

Andrew Ellis, Art UK Director, said ‘We want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to interact with great art, and so to make this as simple and easy as possible, we are engaging audiences with sculptures in their local area.

“Hopefully taking part in Sculpture Around You will lead those involved to gaining a new appreciation of art.’

Sculpture Around You is being made possible thanks to generous grants from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The programme builds on Art UK’s existing partnerships with the 3,250 participating collections across the UK, including museums, galleries, universities, libraries and hospitals.

Audiences are brought into direct contact with practising artists and encouraged to explore their work first hand.