This Saturday’s dance festival in Croydon is also an opportunity for local artists and sculptors to show off their skills.
The Dance Umbrella ‘Origami Challenge’ is being run in partnership with ‘The Big Draw’, and sets the task of drawing, painting or modelling an aspect of the spectacular outdoor Origami dance show as it happens.
Origami is an ambitious and physically challenging performance where a shipping container folds and unfolds to interact with the dancer.
It is being brought to Croydon’s The Queen’s Gardens by Dance Umbrella, the Londonwide festival of dance, and sits alongside Croydon’s own dance festival which takes place inside the Braithwaite Hall during the afternoon.
“This is a really exciting programme. Great weather has been specifically arranged so a big crowd at The Queen’s Gardens will have a late summer treat. Do come along!”
Councillor Timothy Godfrey, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport
Anyone can take part and just has to turn up with their choice of art materials for one of the two performances at 1.30pm or 7pm. Once complete, entrants simply write their name and age clearly on their artwork, take a photo and upload it to The Big Draw website. They should also tweet the photo to @DanceUmbrellaUK and @The_Big_Draw, including the hashtags: #OrigamiChallenge, #DUFest17, #LivingLines17 so they can be shared to followers.
Four submissions will be chosen as Origami Challenge winners every day and published on-line for the duration of October.
The Big Draw is an arts education charity that promotes visual literacy and the universal language of drawing as a tool for learning, expression and invention.
The charity supports professional and emerging artists through The John Ruskin Prize and exhibition, and regular events, awards and competitions create platforms for each and everyone who wants to draw.
More information can be found at: http://thebigdraw.org/origami
Aptly enough John Ruskin was originally from Croydon, where Ruskin House and John Ruskin College continue to bear his name.
Throughout the year, The Big Draw manages collaborative research projects, campaigns and educational conferences on visual literacy, digital technology and Steam. Working with cultural and educational organisations, policymakers and businesses, The Big Draw demonstrates the social, economic and health benefits that drawing can bring and provides opportunities for everyone to access them.
