C'est du Chinois, Edith Kaldor

So, like Darren said, yesterday Jury group #1 went to dinner and then saw C'est du Chinois. We learned some Chinese- some Jury members were pros! They spoke to the cast after the show, and convinced them to give us some giant chocolate bars to share (which were props from the show). YUMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious props.





The Jury having dinner at the Ritz, the Festival bar/restaurant.
Behind the kids: Pascal Smet, Minister of Education (for Flemish schools); An, Local CCA Project Manager; Christophe Slagmuylder, Artistic Director Kunstenfestivaldesarts

Darren's Socks

They're red. They make his feet hot.

The Fine Art of Flyering

at the opening in Brux

what's your name

opening night

Opening night was last night. Christophe, the director, introduced us and then most of us took off back home, while Jury 1 (there are five juries) had some food, though we couldn't get any info if the meat was halal so the muslim kids had to make due with vegetarian. Hopefully, we'll be able to request halal in the future, though as a vegetarian, I say: long live the animals!

we saw Edit Kaldor's show, which had a good start but faltered a bit. There was some suspicion that she wanted us to experience what it's like to not understand something, which is always better on paper than in practice.

Anyway, we had lots of fun. Prevailing challenge: get the french speakers and the dutch speakers to mix! a challenge that is made even more difficult because we've also got a cultural divide with muslim kids on the dutch side and christian kids on the other. But, if we didn't have a challenge we wouldn't be allowed to call it art, now would we...? We have to call it 'hanging out with the kids' and, while that might be fun, you're not going to get any grants to do that. And with good reason!!

vive la difference!

CAN graces the red carpet. Let the images say the rest.

skipping school

Word Chay, you can do it!!!!

Chay's got my camera, he's on the blog, but CAN he figure out how to post and respond?? He's the first kid who's shown interest in wanting to participate on this thing, hoping to converse with the peeps in Brussels. Ya dude, start it up!

Meanwhile....

NNF11 continues to get some wicked Press for CCA.

Things are heating up.........

Norwich Brings Their Bling

City Academy Norwich came up with their award categories today and decorated their magnets. VIPs all the way! The mini bus will be well dressed with its personalized magnets, the chauffeur will be in his proper hat and coat, but what will the kids wear to the launch of the festival???!??!?!?!?!?! There's BIG talk about heels or no heels, neck tie or bow? Tomorrow, Jury #1 is invited to the Norfolk & Norwich Festival launch and will check out 200 saxophonists from across Norfolk of all ages playing in Andy Sheppard's Saxophone Massive. Stay tuned to how our jury represents at their debut on the red carpet tomorrow night!

We must, we MUST. WE MUST BLING THE BUS!

The Jury hard at work making decorations for their wheels.

The kids from Vier Winden & Lutgardisschool

Photos by: Bea Borgers

The kids from Ecole Aurore

The Jury from Brussels is in the news, check it!

Online Article




Online Article

Pocket Gallery & Chocolate Trophy Day

We figured that we talked at the kids enough yesterday, so today we focused on crafts. With the pocket gallery, everyone was asked to create a piece of 3D art that could fit inside someone's pocket. The artist then had to find a curator who would pocket their work and agree to try to sell it. Before a sale was made, each artist and curator would negotiate their respective percentage cut. We told them that sales didn't have to be made today, but everyone was really keen to see how much they could get for their work. Donna scored a bracelet and Hazel is the proud owner of a box of noodles.

In some versions of the CCA, the jury is given trophies that have already been coated in chocolate to decorate. Because of our smaller group, Hazel and I were super happy that we could arrange it so that the kids coated their own trophies. They had lots of fun doing it, and it was great to get them involved from step one of the trophy making process.

While we were busy getting our fingers sticky with waxy chocolate and/or glue that stunk like fish, Norfolk & Norwich Festival's film crew was around, getting shots for their film about the CCA process.

Today's best quote: "I came to school with nothing and I'm leaving with 30p!"

Hi from Norwich

Hazel and I met the jury today. There are 30 of them, and we talked about different art forms including relational art and what kids can't do. The kids are pretty bright, and didn't need much prompting from us to begin thinking outside the box. We shot this video as a shout out to our colleagues in Brussels.

Tomorrow we coat trophies in chocolate and wax. Yum yum!

Weirdest law that I learnt today: leading up to Halloween, kids here aren't allowed to purchase eggs or ketchup.

Check, check, one two one two

Oye from Norwich/Norfolk UK!

Hazel here, just about ready to kick start CCA, waiting for Donna to arrive, and looking forward to meeting our whacked out Jury.

The NN Festival staff's been amazing, they hooked me up with a rail pass to go anywhere any time until I leave the country. So I took a few hours today to jet out to the ocean to see the coast line and before my very eyes was a huge poster of our show!

YEAH NNF11, you do that!!!

Tomorrow, Donna and I tie up the last bit of business with the festival - making sure their red carpet is wrinkle free, etc. Tuesday we hang out with the Jury and hear about what they've got to say about what kids can't do, art, and critical thinking.

My palms are sweaty, are yours?

Check it out!

The Jury from City Academy Norwich is featured in the Norwich Evening News!!! Woot!

And here's another article about the project in the Norwich Evening News

For teachers on Facebook, professionalism trumps fun - The Globe and Mail

I'll talk about this article in a bit, once I finish my paper: For teachers on Facebook, professionalism trumps fun - The Globe and Mail

met the jury

We've spent the last two days meeting the jury, explaining the project, chatting about the themes, fielding questions and playing 'whoosh.'

There have been great debates about the right to vote, the right to drive and the right to bear arms. It's always great to have 4'10" producer Eva Verity to prove to the kids that they're not too short to drive.

It's been going well, but it's tough to work with a jury that only speaks French or Dutch. Lots of translating and missed jokes going both ways. The universal symbol of the fist bump works for the most part. Video soon to follow as soon as I'm done my papers.