Plastic Made Fantastic 2017
This programme was run by the first incarnation of CovCAN, which was then called CoventryCAN, in May and June 2017. It was organised by a team led by India Foster who was then working for the Toxic Expertise section of the Sociology Department of the University of Warwick.
The following report is copied from their website.
Plastic Made Fantastic: Free Public Art Exhibition – May/June 2017, Coventry Central Hall
As part of Go Green Week 2017 we ran a Primary School Art Competition. The children were asked to create pieces of art that represented Coventry, the UK or the Planet Earth using recycled plastic. We provided a full, teacher endorsed, resource pack to help the children learn about climate change, plastic and the Anthropocene Age. We even made sure that elements of our competition could be used towards attaining Eco-Flag Status.
The results were truly fantastic!
All the children who won their schools internal competitions had their pieces exhibited alongside information about climate change and the actions we can all take to help slow it down.
The exhibition included arts and crafts activities and facepainting which were all provided for free and the team thoroughly enjoyed speaking with children and parents about climate change the causes and effects locally and globally.
Coventry Methodist Central Hall kindly donated the exhibition space for free and we received wonderful feedback from our visitors, large and small.
All children from the participating schools along with their families, friends and teachers were invited to a celebratory lunch (funded by the Warwick Energy GRP) on Friday 2nd followed by our Awards Ceremony. The artists were presented with certificates by the Lord Mayor and the two winners were announced! In fact the art was so good that we had to choose some runners up as well.
(Dr Thom Davies and Coventry’s Lord Mayor helping to judge the art)
At the Awards Ceremony we heard from…
Dr Thom Davies – Toxic Expertise: Global Petrochemical Industry and Environmental Justice – Research Fellow, University of Warwick
Mrs India Holme – Toxic Expertise and CoventryCAN, Project Manager, University of Warwick
Meredith Whiting – 1st Year Sociology and Global Sustainability Student
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Pam Thomas, University of Warwick
Coventry’s Lord Mayor Tony Skipper
Our wonderful winners were…
Nihit (aged 5) and his wind chime from Broad Heath Primary School and Eva (aged 7) and her Emblems on the Natural World. These artists each won their school £500 for an eco project (provided by the Warwick Global Governance GRP) and the help of CoventryCAN to undertake their project in autumn 2017. They also recieve an arty prize provided by Coventry City Council.
Our runners up were…
Sean from Whoberely Hall and his moving Jet Propelled Vehicle. Archie from Wyken Croft and his Coventry Cathedral in the Blitz, Safia, also from Wyken Croft and her Big Ben… which was truly huge! And Lademi from St. Gregory’s Catholic Primary and his 3d vehicle picture.
Here is some more of ‘Plastic Made Fantastic’
“Coventry Cathedral Window” – Eastern Green Junior AND “People around the World” – St Gregorys Catholic Primary
The “11 Wonders of the World” – Broad Heath Primary AND “Coventry City Football Club Badge” – Howes Primary School
“St Gregory’s School Allotment” – St Gregory’s Catholic School AND “Lady Godiva” – Wkyen Croft