Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage will be running a series of free educational workshops in Brighton and Hove as part of the Dr Blighty project in October and November 2016.
We are currently scheduling our activities and a variety of workshops for both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 in the city, as well as a variety of free outings too. We can currently offer the following activities, and are happy to come to your school more than once for a different workshop too if you would prefer.
We are pleased to be delivering these activities on behalf of the company Nukhut for the duration of the project.
If your school or educational provider would be interested in accessing free activities do please contact us: strikealight@rocketmail.com
Workshops offered:
Key stage 2:
- Diwali creative workshop
- Clay diyas workshop
- Kandil paper lanterns
- Indian Soldiers – Design a memorial
- Indian Soldiers – Make a Recruitment poster
- Postcards or Letters Home – WWI
- Soldier biographies – WW1
Dr Blighty Free Outings
Free Half Term Diwali event day – 10am-4pm Friday 28th October, Open Market, Brighton – Come along and make Diwali lanterns, clay diya lights, listen to Indian music, have henna tatoos, and more (age 5 upwards)
Outings to Royal Pavilion, and Indian Soldiers exhibition, Brighton –Week days in November, dates to suit schools 1-1.5 hours duration(or with added talk for longer session) (Key stage 2 and 3)
The Battle of the Somme film showing – Tuesday 8th November 10.30-12.30pm (ages 12 upwards)
Testament of Youth Film Showing – 9.30-12.30pm Tuesday 22nd November at Fabrica gallery, 40 Duke Street, Brighton BN1 1AG (ages 11 upwards). This is a special schools free screening of the 2014 film Testament of Youth, a World War One drama based on the best-selling memoirs of British writer and anti-war campaigner Vera Brittain. The screening will also host a speaker to give historical context, as well as free popcorn and drinks for viewers. This screening is aimed at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils in Brighton and Hove at Secondary Schools, Sixth Forms, Colleges and also alternative educational groups, such as Home Education Networks. Ages 11 upwards. To book a class on this event, find out more here.
Dr Blighty past events and activities
Strike a Light is engaging with community groups across the city to promote the project, research this period of history and gather information, meeting with key WWI projects including Gateways to the First World War and East Sussex in WWI.
We will also set up free creative and heritage activities with groups such as the Black and Minority Ethnic Elders, alongside Indian themed activities with artist Jane Lyster, setting up public talks with Co-Artistic Director Ajay Chhabra of Nutkhut, and attend Dhavinder Dhillon’s plaque unveiling, which honours Subedar Mir Dast, a Indian soldier who received the Victoria Cross, at the Indian Gate by the Royal Pavilion.
Events are being planned currently, so do follow our blog for further updates.
** Dr Blighty Brighton Festival – Lunchtime event **
Strike a Light is organising this free lunchtime event for the Dr Blighty project in Brighton (with thanks to Brighton and Hove Libraries and Information Service for their support).
All welcome!
Free, Jubilee Library, 12-1.30pm
Thursday 12th May 2015
Talk and Q & A with Artistic Director of Nutkhut, Ajay Chhabra who discusses Dr Blighty, an ambitious new project inspired by an untold story of the First World War, remembering an unexpected episode in Brighton’s history when the Royal Pavilion Estate became a military hospital for wounded Indian soldiers.
Author of new novel Belonging, Umi Sinha will read from the book moving from the darkest days of the British Raj through to the aftermath of the First World War. The story is a compelling and finely wrought epic of love and loss, of race and ethnicity, of homeland – and of belonging.
This will be followed by an author book signing.
This is a lunchtime event and the library cafe will be open for lunches and refreshments at the same time.
Dr Blighty outreach workshop dates with Strike a Light – 2016
- Brighton and Hove Hindu Women’s Group – Wednesday 20th April (2pm)
- Memories Past Group – Tuesday 3rd May (2pm)
- BME Elders session – Thursday 5th May 12pm.
- Metamorphosis Art Group – Friday 6th May (2- 3pm)
- Brighton and Hove U3A session (with Jo Palache of Brighton Museum) – Wednesday 11th May (2.30pm). Venue: Jubilee Library, Jubilee Street, Brighton, open to all
Diya making Artists workshops with Jane Lyster
- Brighton and Hove Hindu Women’s Group – Wednesday 27th April (2pm).
- Jewish Care dementia session – Thursday 5th May (3-5pm).
- BME Elders session – Thursday 12th May (12pm).
- Brighton and Hove U3A session – Thursday 12th May (3pm).
- Metamorphosis Art Group) – Friday 13th May (2-4pm), Mezzanine bar, The Dome
- Going to see Culture Together (from Fabrica gallery) – Tuesday 24th May (11-1pm)
To find out more, and how to participate, please contact Strike a Light by email: contact@strikealight.org or call 07727 006538