Art will go in in Bridport (From Dorset Echo)

Art will go in in Bridport

5:00pm Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News By Rachael Burnett

A GROUP of budding artists are among the first to gain a set of national awards for their creativity.

Five members of the Bridport Youth Centre have achieved their Bronze Arts Awards with the help of the Hutliving Here and There project.

The project began at the Bridport Youth Centre last summer, when members explored the ideas of shelter ending in an exhibition at the centre. Freya Kennedy, Lucy Butler, Dan Butler, Oshon Vowles and Sam Burford will be presented with their certificates in the coming weeks.

Nancy Clemance, of Burr Projects Community Interest Company, congratulated the youngsters on being the first in Bridport to gain the award.

She said: “I’ve been an Arts Award Advisor since 2006.

“I’ve helped achieve lots of certificates including three of the first Gold awards but these are my first Bridport award winners. I’m extremely proud and pleased.”

Funding from West Dorset District Council enabled eight Youth Centre members to sign up for Bronze Arts Award and Nancy Clemence was their advisor over the holidays.

She said: “For me, Arts Award is like Duke of Edinburgh Award for young people interested in the arts. It relies on evidencing activity creatively, without necessarily using writing.

“I planned a walking tour to as many arts venues as possible and gave the participants a choice as to what art form they wanted to spend their budget on.”