Solihull Arts Complex

14 October 2020 Update: Participants attending pre-booked classes and courses at The Core are not affected by new legislation about groups, or same households.  Our activities have been carefully risk assessed and high levels of spacing, sanitising and distancing are followed rigorously to keep our staff, tutors and participants safe.

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We’re on a mission to get young people making more art! ArtLab provides a unique platform to experiment and develop abilities while learning new skills and different approaches.

ArtLab uses themed projects to improve drawing skills (the foundation tool of an artist) and to develop the confidence of young people to make ambitious and exciting artwork. All materials are provided except artfolders (available for purchase at first session for £6.00). Please bring an apron or wear old clothes – being creative can get messy!

ArtLab is powered by Art at the Heart CIC – qualified artist lecturers with 25+ years of experience working with young people.

If you cannot start on 4 November, we accept late starters (dependent on places).

Arts Award – Young people will have the opportunity to achieve Arts Award at either Explore or Bronze levels, aligned to age and developmental stage.

 

What young people and parents say about ArtLab:

***** “I really enjoyed getting to use different materials that I wouldn’t have the chance to use at home! I would like to come back and experiment more.” Bella

“I liked it because we don’t do a lot of art at my school so this is a nice change. “ Frank

***** “I enjoyed painting with a completely different style and learned many different things you can do with the paint.” Student

***** “I really enjoyed this class and found it very important for future reference e.g. GCSE.”   Sebrina

***** “This art club is the best for me because I’ve enjoyed it a lot and we also learnt some new things as well.” Mary

***** "Absolutely blown away by the artwork my daughter has produced with your encouragement. She loves coming to Art Club which is now one of the highlights of her week" Parent.

 

Changes to Art at the Heart CIC Classes – Covid-19 Regulations for your Safety

We’re delighted to start re-introducing our Art Courses, which will return with some important and very necessary changes. 

Our first priority is to protect attendees, tutors and staff at The Core and so we’ve considered carefully how to manage our popular classes with minimal contact.  Change is always difficult for the first few weeks, so we would ask all attendees to read all sections below carefully and follow the new ways of attending designed to keep us all safe.

How do I book a place?

Places can only be booked and paid for by phone or online.  Call: 0121 704 6962 to book onto a course and your child’s name will be on the register at the start of the class. You cannot reserve or pay cash upon arrival.  Visit www.thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk to book online.  Current Art at the Heart CIC attendees who are due a ‘credit’ for the cancelled classes in Spring 2020 should contact  admin@artattheheartcic.org as The Core cannot refund or credit parents for past courses.

Please don’t attend a class unless you have pre-booked and paid, we’re expecting classes to be full. Call Box Office (0212 704 6962) if you are unsure of availability.

What new measures are in place?

Participants over 10 years old should wear a face mask to enter the building, once seated at an allocated table, masks can be removed or kept on. They must be worn when visiting toilets or leaving the building.  If a young person has a medical exemption from wearing a mask, please make this known to the tutor.  Tutors will wear a visor throughout the session.

Each workstation will contain artwork, paper, art case and paper towels laid out at the start of each session. Paint palettes and water pots will be handed out where required.  Participants should keep their belongings/bags etc. within their own workstation – don’t share with or borrow from others.

Classes are timed throughout the day to allow a thorough cleaning and ventilation regime.  We’ve allowed up to 1 hour between classes to allow us to fully ventilate the Gallery, sweep and mop floors and wipe down furniture.  Hand gel will be available at the entrance to the building and in the gallery together with hand-washing signage.

What about social distancing?

Course attendees must attend no more than 15 mins prior to the start of the class to prevent any queuing or crossover with others.   Please go straight into the Gallery and find an allocated space or desk.  The space allocated fits with current Government guidelines.  The doors will be held open automatically on entrance and exit.   

Participants should keep within their allocated workstation and respect that others might be anxious to keep away from others so may not wish to chat or move around as may have previously happened.  The maximum attendees will be 16.  Demonstrations by tutors will be performed in a central space, where everyone can see.  When tutors work individually with participants, they will keep appropriate distances at the end of each workstation.  After the class please leave the Gallery promptly to allow staff to begin the cleaning regime.   

Parents should not enter the Gallery unless absolutely necessary and when collecting should wait in Theatre Square.  Encore Café bar tables in the foyer are not available for ‘waiting’ unless food or drinks are being ordered from the Café so please don’t sit down unless you have been ‘checked in’.   Details will be held for Test and Trace purposes. 

Toilets will have clear guidance on the number of people allowed in, plus a regular cleaning regime.

Materials and Equipment

All participants will be provided with basic art materials (pencil, sharpener, eraser, brushes, palette, charcoal, scissors and glue stick) in an ‘easy to wipe’ art case.  The named cases will hold all work and be kept safely at The Core ready for the following week.  These cases will remain carefully stored until the end of the course.   All resources required during the session will be prepared in advance by tutors and laid out on workstations.

Brushes can be cleaned by participants, as directed by tutors, in a ‘one way’ system and returned to the individual art cases.  Palettes will be cleaned and sanitised by Tutors or staff and returned to the cases.

A Summary of changes

• Places are limited - book in advance. You can bring your own drink and/or snack if needed.

• Art cases, containing all equipment and work, will be kept on site throughout the course.

• Don’t arrive early, Wear a mask upon arrival and remove while you’re seated if you wish.

• Follow instructions regarding cleaning, moving around the venue, using the toilets etc.

• Hand gel is available – there will be thorough cleaning and ventilation between classes.

• Encore Café bar tables can only be used when ordering food/drink via table service.

This notice has been prepared jointly by The Core Management and Art at the Heart CIC.  If you have any questions with regard the new arrangements please do not hesitate to contact admin@artattheheartcic.org.

What else has changed?

The Core will provide meet and greet staff to assist visitors stay safe during their time in the building.  The Café bar tables are cleaned and allocated for table service, so course/class participants cannot use them unless they are ordering food/drinks.  There are tables and benches available to all outside in Theatre Square.  

Encore Café bar will be reopening with a reduced menu, but the same friendly service. They will operate a table ordering service, rather than Counter queuing. They’ll collect customer details following Government Test and Trace Guidelines.

The Changing Places facility remains open and accessible to those who need it.

The Library will be operating a ‘grab & go’ facility on the ground floor only.  Users can select items without browsing or touching them and follow instructions regarding check out.

Council services and facilities operating from The Core all have their own webpages with full details of how COVID-19 regulations have changed their workplace and services. View online at www.solihull.gov.uk or call the Council Switchboard on 0121 704 8000.

Anyone with Covid 19 symptoms should NOT enter The Core. All attendees should follow Government test and trace advice, particularly after being in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid 19. Attendees will be credited if any classes are cancelled.