STEAMing into Inspire Libraries this October

Published 23rd September 2016

Nottinghamshire libraries are set to STEAM ahead with a series of fun workshops as part of the The Big Draw Festival, an annual international celebration. This year’s STEAM powered Big Draw will be the first delivered by Inspire which was set up earlier this year to deliver culture, learning and libraries across Nottinghamshire.

From 1-31 October, every year, thousands of enjoyable drawing activities connect people of all ages with places, artists, designers, illustrators, and each other to celebrate the universal language of drawing. This year’s theme brings together Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths - STEAM recalls our Industrial past and the fusion of creative innovation, enterprise and the arts.

Inspire will be delivering a program of workshops in libraries for anyone who loves to draw, as well as for those who think they can't! Aimed at children and their families, participants will have fully illuminated fun exploring technology with creativity, using conductive drawing materials and working with an artist to create beautiful drawings with an electric circuit.

Faster than the speed of light, the work created will then become part of a touring library exhibition between November 2016 and April 2017.

Inspire have also secured an Arts Council England Grant for the Arts to extend the workshops to smaller libraries and to work with 10 schools to run Big Draw workshops and add more amazing artworks to the exhibition.

Cllr John Knight commented “This is a great opportunity for Inspire to bring this unique and exciting festival to the people of Nottinghamshire – and we are really proud that additional funding has been secured to work directly with schools and demonstrate the value of drawing in the classroom”.

Workshops - Fully Illuminated Fun

Tickets £2.00, all ages welcome. 1 free adult place per paying child.

Booking essential, please contact the individual libraries

Hucknall Library: Sat 1 Oct sessions start at 10 and 11.30am

Sutton-in-Ashfield Library: Sat 1 Oct sessions start at 10.30am and 12pm

Stapleford Library: Sat 8 Oct sessions start at 9.30 and 11am

Retford Library: Sat 8 Oct sessions start at 10 and 11.30am

Bingham Library: Sat 15 Oct sessions start at 9.30 and 11am

Kirkby-in-Ashfield Library: Sat 15 Oct sessions start at 10 and 11.30am

Newark Library: Sat 15 Oct sessions start at 10.30am and 12pm

Arnold Library: Sat 15 Oct sessions start at 11am and 12.30pm

Southwell Library: Sat 22 Oct sessions start at 11.30am and 1pm