Working with photographic & new media artists, 60 primary school pupils developed content and considered the design of The Forest Farm Virtual Nature Reserve website.

 

Through a series of visits to Forest Farm Nature Reserve in Cardiff, pupils talked with the Countryside Wardens and the British Trust of Conservation Volunteers, and collected photographic, drawn and written research on topics relevant to the Reserve. Back in class, they were helped in translating their research into web pages and undertook a series of digital workshops in which they used word processing, digital imaging and animation techniques to develop their site content.

 

In July 2006, project was presented with the prestigious Chrisi Bailey Award, the National Children’s Media Arts Award, endorsed by the Arts Council of England. The award highlights the use of media arts as a creative visual medium and provides a national focus to promote and celebrate children’s work.  We were honoured to scoop first place in the environment category, for a project which the judges felt allowed the children to explore their local environment in a creative way and develop a different view of the internet, seeing it as a creative space and not just an information resource.

 

As part of National Children’s Art Day, Ffotogallery and participants from Bryn Deri Primary School and Tongwynlais Primary School, had the exciting opportunity to receive their award in a special ceremony that took place in Trafalgar Square in London where their work was exhibited in an inflatable gallery alongside the winners of the Identity and History categories. The exhibition was open to public.

 

The Forest Farm Virtual Nature Reserve project was developed with sponsorship from GE Healthcare and support from Arts & Business Cymru. The website showcases the work of pupils from Tongwynlais Primary and Bryn-Deri Primary Schools.