Children of The Gap Club have their artwork displayed in the International Voices of Children’s virtual gallery
We are delighted to announce that The Gap Club participated in the 1ST Voices of Children International Project. Our children’s artworks and messages are displayed in the 1st Voices of Children International online Gallery. Children’s artworks will be also displayed in the 1st Voices of Children in person Exhibition that will be hosted at the Hellenic Cosmos Foundation in Athens, Greece, December 9-11, 2022.
Building on an international project established by the University of Wollongong in Australia fourteen years ago, this Voices of Children project invites for the first-time children aged 3-6 from across the world to capture moments in time, highlight their creativity, share their art and tell the world what is special to them. We are incredibly proud of the wonderful children at The Gap Club who produced some thought-provoking and insightful pieces about their thoughts on friends, family and real-world issues.
More than 1500 preschool children in 12 countries have been involved with their teachers in a project that aims to support young children’s’ VOICES to be heard and valued through the visual arts. The official launch of the initiative took place on November 19 during the 2021 Bright Start International Conference by Christopher Bailey, Arts & Health Lead at the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
This project has resulted in two online galleries and the 1st Voices of Children live gallery exhibition at the Hellenic Cosmos Foundation in Athens, Greece to coincide with the 2022 Bright Start international conference, December 9-11.
Analysis of the children’s artworks and messages reveals the diverse range of topics young children care about. As expected, family life figured large in the children’s images and messages, with love for family, pets and toys a common topic. But very significantly children aged 3-6 also care and think about BIG issues. Through the visual arts, children have presented visual works and artist statement on topics ranging from the pandemic, to war, to environmental sustainability, to how to make the world a kinder and more loving place.
The messages and the artworks themselves are sophisticated, reminding the “grown ups” of the world that even though they are little, young children have big voices. Dr Gai Lindsay, University of Wollongong and one of the project advisors and leads states, “Young children wonder big things and think big things. Though they may still have much to learn, they have already learned so much! They can teach us so much about fairness, equity, love and care…for the earth, for family and for each other. Through their artworks and artist statements, children can teach us how to treasure the things that really matter…if we care to LISTEN.” – Dr Gai Lindsay, Project advisor, University of Wollongong.
The next phase of the project including the overarching theme of the 2023 Voices of Children Exhibition will be announced during the 2022 Bright Start International Conference on Saturday, December 10. The conference will be hosted in hybrid format featuring both, online and in person participation at the Hellenic Cosmos Foundation in Athens, Greece.
We invite you all to look at the online gallery and the artwork of our children by visiting the link here: https://conferencebrightstartfoundation.org/voices-of-children/
To find out more about conference, click here: https://thegapclub.com/rekha-bassi-and-natasha-majeed-have-been-invited-as-speakers-to-the-bright-start-international-conference-in-athens/
