Free Buses Enable Student Art Tours
Over 1,400 students, together with more than 200 school chaperones, have attended an educational tour of The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet since the exhibition opened at the Bermuda National Gallery in October.
A spokesperson said, “Much of this has been made possible by the generous loan of buses from the Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club, which have been bringing students into the gallery from across the island for the past three months during the hotel’s quieter winter season.
“More than 80% of schools requested transport, with picks ups running the length and breadth of the island – from Somerset Primary to East End Primary. A total of 24 schools, both public and private, have visited, as well as the Bermuda Home School Network and a number of camps, including Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation who are currently running a puppet-making camp inspired by the exhibition.”
Francis Patton students enjoy a tour of The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet.
School tours, which are free of charge, are an integral part of the Gallery’s educational programming. Officer of Community Engagement, Programming and Learning, Mikaela Joy Kawaley-Lathan, says, “Tours of museums are proven to help enhance critical thinking whilst also inspiring young minds. Sharing the work of Michael K. Frith has helped students from across the island see Bermuda as a source of inspiration and Bermudians as limitless in their ability to create.”
She added, “We’ve had a wide range of ages come in – from Somerfield Academy’s youngest class, who are aged 3 to 5, to college students from the University of Toronto. The Hamilton Princess providing a free, easy way of getting to and from the Gallery was crucial in making it feasible for schools to bring students. For some primary classes, the trip to the Gallery was their first field trip.”
A spokesperson added, “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. Children are given a BNG pencil to complete their workbooks – a surprise hit, with many being excited to have the same pencil as Scooter, who is on loan from the Centre for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, and who was posed by Michael K. Frith holding a BNG pencil and Muppet Show script during the installation of the exhibition.”
“When Michael and I first met to discuss the possibility of an exhibition, he said humbly that if it ignited one person’s creativity, it would have done its job. I think it’s fair to say that it has far exceeded that,” says Eve Godet Thomas, Director of Exhibitions at the Bermuda National Gallery.
“To have so many students come in and learn about Michael’s extraordinary career and the possibilities of simply putting a pen to paper, has been a joy to see. We’ve had close to 9,500 visitors since the show opened and we have extended the run through to August, so it you haven’t already seen The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet, make sure that you come in before it closes. If you’re quick, you’ll be able to meet Fozzie Bear, who will be leaving the gallery at the end of April to go to the National Comedy Centre in New York.”
A spokesperson added, “Transportation for schools, made possible by the Hamilton Princess Hotel and Beach Club, ends on April 2. School tours are free and available throughout the year to accompany all exhibitions, and can be tailored to suit any curriculum. For further information visit www.bng.bm/school-tours. The Bermuda National Gallery is currently fundraising to cover the cost of the extension of The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet. Donations can be made at www.bng.bm/fraggles.
“The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet is on display at the Bermuda National Gallery to August. Admission is free, made possible by The Christian Humann Foundation. BNG is located in City Hall & Arts Centre, Hamilton, and is open Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm.”
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