Big Lottery Fund brings free workshops to Birkenhead
3rd August 2017
Pyramids Shopping Centre and local charity bring the ‘Inside Outside’ through creative arts
The month of August will see Pyramids Shopping Centre becoming a creative hub, with a special art event, ‘Inside Outside’ – organised by a local charity, which will see a series of exciting and free workshops running for all ages, thanks to a special lottery grant.
Pyramids is one of many venues across the town to be hosting a variety of fun pop-up workshops and activities. The Pyramids is supporting ‘Inside Outside’ brought to Birkenhead by the Williamson & Priory Friends – which purpose is to enhance the work of the Wirral Museums Service at the Williamson Art Gallery and Birkenhead Priory. It is partnered in the project by Wirral Methodist Housing Association.
From Tuesday 1 August until Friday 4 August, community members of all ages visiting the shopping centre will have the chance to be blown away by fun-packed, drop-in kite-making sessions with local artists, while creepy crawly fans can make a mini hotel to house bug and insects. Activities will take place in a shop unit opposite Costa from 1pm until 4pm.
Derek Millar, Centre Director at Pyramids, was thrilled to be bringing the charity’s event to full colourful life. “When we were approached by Williamson & Priory Friends and Wirral Methodist Housing Association, we immediately offered Pyramids as one the venues for the event.
“Birkenhead has many key assets and the Williamson Gallery is most definitely one of them. It has wonderful exhibitions all year round and makes for a great family outing, with lots of opportunities for children to explore their creative side,” said Derek. “It’s also great to bring local artists out into the community to engage with children about art.
“Birkenhead Priory is absolutely steeped in history – the site is 850 years old and is an incredibly important and beautiful place for people to visit. It’s where our town’s roots are deeply embedded and the stories from there are fascinating.”
On Friday 11 August from 10.30am to 3.30pm, St Werburghs Square at the centre will be the spot for making bird boxes, and ‘The Power of Flowers’ is an activity where visitors can join artists in making an array of blooms to create a picturesque garden scene.
Corinne Whitham, a trustee of Williamson & Priory Friends, said the activities were perfect for keeping children entertained during the summer break. She said: “‘Inside Outside’ is about merging the beauty of nature and our surroundings with art. Creative expression is a very freeing and a wonderful pastime to develop and explore. I’m sure lots of children and their families will have fun experimenting and coming up with their own masterpieces.”
Derek added: “Providing a platform at Pyramids to raise further awareness of the wonderful work of Williamson & Priory Friends is an absolute pleasure. It’s also our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the charity for keeping culture well and truly alive in Birkenhead,” Derek added. “We’re excited to see the all the great art created this summer.”
The ‘Inside Outside’ free art workshops will be at Pyramids Shopping Centre from 1 August until 4 August for kite- and bug hotel-making opposite Costa from 1pm to 4pm. Visitors can make bird boxes and flowers at St Werburghs Square on Friday 11 August between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Children attending the drop-in sessions must be accompanied by an adult.