The Grand Junior Artists celebrated the end of their Jungle Book project with a parade, featuring all their work including masks, totems and banners. The parade was led from St Johns Church to The Grand where the Grand Junior Artists watched the exciting new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s family classic, The Jungle Book.

On Tuesday night, 120 Grand Junior Artists came together to celebrate their arts work on Jungle Book project.

The Grand Junior Artists groups take place in five primary schools Anchorsholme, Thames, Marton, Mereside, Revoe and at Fylde Coast Young Carers and Aspired Futures. The Junior Artists are aged 6yrs-10yrs and have been using the shows at The Grand, as an inspiration to explore resilience as well as working with professional artists from across the North West to build new creative and communication skills.

The Grand Junior Artists have made their own dances, masks, songs and artwork to understand the story of The Jungle Book. They will all meeting together for the first time to take part in workshops and a big parade where they will show off their banners, totems, masks and share their songs with the general public, friends and family before watching The Jungle Book at The Grand on opening night, 8^th May.  Many are watching live theatre for the first time and seeing the Jungle Book will help embed their understanding of the story.

The Grand is committed to developing local talent both for children and artists. We are delighted that the following artists have been working on the Junior Artists programme; The Knotted Project, FYWIngz, Shane Johnstone, Sarah Jane Lockwood, Lisa Wigham, Alex O’Toole and Phill Fairhurst.  They have been working with a really creative team of teachers and support staff to encourage children with often very low confidence to get involved. Children have taken part in discussions, made Jungle Book scrap books, acted out some of the story, learnt dance moves and written their own songs.

Throughout the Jungle Book project all  of the Junior Artists have been keeping a Jungle Book Diary. They have been reflecting on their personal journey, what they have learnt, what they would like to do more of and how it has helped them to feel more confident, less lonely and more able to express their own ideas. The diaries will be gathered in and help the Creative Learning team understand how the children felt during the project, what skills they have learnt and what they would like to do next. All the children then keep their diaries which will be a valuable way of them being able to reflect on all they have achieved.

The Grand Junior Artists are part of Creative Learning’s Arts and Resilience project focusing on strengthening resilience through creative activities and experiences.  This project has been supported by The Ragdoll Foundation and Curious Minds, Blackpool Schools Partnership and Blackpool Council. This forms part of the Grand’s Creative Learning programme of valuable work with children and young people offering a range of creative opportunities for them to express themselves, perform and watch the amazing childrens programme on the mainstage.

Don’t worry if you can’t make this event, Creative Learning run many events throughout the year for ages 3 to 103! Just keep visiting our blog to hear about the next event or sign up to the Grand Theatre’s Twitter or Facebook page. Why not follow us on Instagram too!

Don’t forget, you too can see The Jungle Book before it finishes it’s tour on Saturday 12 May. To get tickets, click here or call our Box Office on 01253 290190.