BNG Offers Free School Transport For Art Tours
The Bermuda National Gallery and Hamilton Princess are offering free transportation to schools, to ensure that children across the island can visit the gallery.
A spokesperson said, “Following the success of the opening of The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet, which saw over 1,000 visitors through the doors of the Bermuda National Gallery in the first week of the exhibition, BNG, together with the support of Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club, will be offering free transportation to schools throughout the winter months to ensure that children across the island can visit the gallery.
“This follows a professional development day recently hosted by the gallery together with Michael K. Frith and his wife, former Henson puppeteer Kathryn Mullen, which was attended by 30 public school arts teachers. Feedback was given about challenges teachers face trying to get their students to the gallery, with two thirds of teachers surveyed stating that transportation was a barrier preventing them from attending BNG tours.
“Complimentary transportation to and from the gallery for schools across the island is generously being provided by the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club for the fourth year running. Transport is available from January through to April, and booking is now open on the Bermuda National Gallery website.”
School tours, which are free of charge, are an integral part of the Gallery’s educational programming. BNG Officer of Community Engagement, Programming and Learning, Mikaela Joy Kawaley-Lathan, says, “We often have art teachers coming to the gallery to look at art related to their curriculum, but we also have teachers that bring their students to learn about Bermuda culture, practice expressing opinions, or just to learn how to behave in a museum setting.”
During the one-hour tour, children are guided through the exhibition and then take part in an activity from the accompanying BNG Kids booklet, which encourages children to explore the gallery independently. “We produce one for each exhibition and can also make custom activity booklets for classes with unique learning objectives or for training purposes for adults,” explains Kawaley-Lathan.
Jennifer L. Phillips, Executive Director of the Bermuda National Gallery, says, “We are so grateful to the Hamilton Princess Hotel and Beach Club for their continued support. Research has shown that art exposure is linked with increased academic success and decreased anti-social behaviour. We are grateful that the Hamilton Princess shares our goal of making art more accessible for our island’s children.”
Tim Morrison, General Manager of Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, said, “We are delighted to once again partner with the Bermuda National Gallery—now in our fourth year—to provide transportation for their school art tours. This initiative offers students the opportunity to explore beyond the classroom by visiting the Bermuda National Gallery and experiencing its exhibitions from January through April.”
The spokesperson said, “Free transportation, and tours, are available for both The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet, which includes hundreds of original sketches by the Bermudian artist for The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock, and for Andy Warhol: Portraits from The Factory, which features a selection of portraits by the acclaimed Pop artist on loan from the Green family’s private collection.
“Tours for schools or camps can be booked at www.bng.bm/school-tours. Any questions can be directed to BNG’s Officer of Community Engagement, Programming & Learning, Mikaela Joy Kawaley-Lathan at programming@bng.bm or 295-9428.”
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