This week we were celebrating the first sculpture of a woman and by a woman in Parliament Square, of Millicent Fawcett (leader of the Suffragists) by artist Gillian Wearing OBE.  The sculpture was unveiled for the centenary of the Representation of the Peoples Act 1918 which gave some woman over the age of the 30, the vote for the first time.

As well as Wearing’s statue, we looked at other banners made by woman’s suffrage campaigners, and art works by Jeremy Dellar and Bob and Roberta Smith.

The kids were asked to think about causes that were important to them, to turn into a short phrase, and then add to the banner.  These ideas included things as important as ‘Save the Dolphins’, but also as tongue-in-cheek as ‘More Art Less Work’.  Some of the kids were inspired by the more abstract messages and word play by Jeremy Dellar, including one piece which reads ‘High Five a Snake’.

The Broomy’s Bairns Art Classes are every Wednesday at the Broomhill Art Flat, with the first session starting at 3.30pm, until 4.30pm, then the next session starting at 4.40pm, and finished up at 5.30pm.

If you would like to register your interest for a child to attend the Broomy’s Bairns workshops, please call RIG Arts on 01475 649359 or email info@rigarts.org.