London is a very diverse city, where
art and culture from many different countries are interrelated and celebrated
in various forms. Since moving here I have always been fascinated by it, and
I’m grateful to have been involved for a long time now with a charity that is
definitely part of all this: The London International Gallery of Children’s Art.
The London International Gallery of Children’s Art (LIGCA) is devoted to art produced by
children from around the world. Its aims are to celebrate the creativity of
young people and promote international understanding and awareness through
cultural exchange.
For over 16
years LIGCA has been able to hold a wide range of exhibitions, some on loan
from other organizations, some commissioned by LIGCA. It has worked in partnership with such
respected organizations as Citigroup, Unicorn Theatre, Leonard Cheshire Trust
for the Disabled, Royal Academy of Art, UN High Commission for Refugees, and
the Chinese and Mexican embassies in London.
Exhibitions have come from many parts of the world, including Britain.
I really
enjoy being part of this very international group of people: volunteers and
trustees come from different continents bringing their unique skills and
experiences to the community.
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Through the
exhibitions I have had the opportunity to learn about different cultures in a
very special way. The possibility to see through the eyes, mind, heart and art
of children is a special gift. One of the exhibitions that struck me was ‘Far
from Homeland’ where children who were victims of the conflict in the former
Yugoslavia conveyed what life was like for them in a refugee centre. I remember
one artwork in particular where the scenery changed from coloured to black and
white and everything was destroyed after the passage of an airplane and its
bombs.
Unfortunately at the end of 2011 LIGCA lost the gallery
space, but the trustees have decided to continue the charity mission by
establishing an Art Education Fellowship Award, while they are still pursuing
the idea of finding a new gallery space.
£3,000 will be awarded to an individual or a group of individuals to
design a project that will advance the cause of international understanding
through the medium of children’s art as a reference point. The objective
of the project is to develop an educational experience in conjunction with a
school or community based organization working with children and young
people.
Are you
interested? Do you know anyone that might be? Please visit www.ligca.org
for more details.
by Paola Longobardi
Visit the FOCUS website www.focus-info.org
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