Project Aims:

• To establish working links which promote cultural diversity as an enrichment to all our lives
• To celebrate cultural connections and cultural diversity through an exchange of images, music, artefacts and stories and a study of historical and economic contexts.
• To explore the way cultural identity is reflected through art forms
• To develop an understanding of the way information can be exchanged through telecommunication, IT and the Internet.
• To develop key communication skills: speaking and listening; reading; writing; use of information technology.

This project has been supported by the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges. Click here for more information.

 

Participants:

• Devon Curriculum Services for Devon County Council
• Selected teacher-researchers from Devon primary and secondary schools
• Teachers in primary and secondary schools in the Cape area of South Africa
• Arts officers and organisations in Devon and the Cape area
• Teacher educators in Devon and the University of Cape Town
• Businesses in Devon and the UK and South Africa

Objectives:

• To involve a range of schools in both Devon and the Cape to undertake a cross-curricular project looking at cultural and historical comparisons.
• To provide a resource bank of materials to support this work in a range of printed, audio-visual and digital forms.
• To celebrate the work of the project in major exhibitions, workshops and festivals in Devon and Cape Town.
• To publish the resources used in the curriculum project and any relevant material from the conference and exhibition as a cross-curricular support package to encourage inter-cultural work in schools in the UK.

Methodology:

• The project has built on the successful approaches to cultural exchange projects already undertaken by Devon Curriculum Services while significantly widening the scope of this venture.
• A series of links have been established and a project web site has been set up on the internet. This informs all participants about the ongoing development of the project and facilitates cross-fertilisation of ideas.
• In October 1998 the Devon party visited the Cape for a study tour to research and collect materials to support work back in their own schools. A video crew accompanied the party to shoot a range of material to enhance the curriculum resources being planned.
• In June to July 1999 a major exhibition / festival celebrated the outcomes of the work at the digital Media Education Centre, Exeter.
• April 2000. Publication of Tatumkhulu Afrika in District 6, a video recording of the celebrated poet talking about his life in District 6, reading two poems and discussing them with students in one the the Crossings partner schools in Cape Town
• April 2001: Publication of Crossings: Three Cape Town poets featured the work of Peter E. Clarke, Ingrid de Kok and Mike Cope in an anthology and accompanying video tape
• June 2001: Workshop visit to Devon schools by Peter E. Clarke and exhibition of his work at the Digital Media Education Centre, Exeter
• July 2001: 3 week visit by Jimmie de Villiers of Thandokulu High School, Cape Town, to work in St. Luke’s High School Exeter
• September 2001: Formal agreement signed between Robben Island Museum and DCS to pursue joint initiaitives on anti-racist education
• June 2002: Sandra Barrett of St. Luke’s High School, Exeter returns to teach in Thandokulu High School, Cape Town.
• September 2002: The Island: A video study guide published after DCS staff filmed with actor / playwright John Kani on Robben Island
• December 2002: Sad news is received that Tatumkhulu Afrika had died in Cape Town, aged 82.
• January 2003: Major international video conference to discuss approaches to anti-racist education jointly hosted by digital Media Education Centre, Robben Island Musuem and Anne Frank House, Amsterdam involving teachers from France, Holland, USA, South Africa, Germany and UK
• February 2003: Workshop visit to Devon schools by Garth Erasmus and exhibition of his work at the Digital Media Education Centre, Exeter
• September 2003: Publication of a major series of DVD / videos on Contemporary South African Artists featuring those with whom the project has worked: Zwelethu Mthethwa, Randy Hartzenburg, Garth Erasmus, Peter E. Clarke, Gill Trappler, and Emile Maurice introducing art from the Townships.
• February 2004: The animated films of William Kentridge used by Tiverton High School and Queen ELizabeth Community College, Crediton as the basis for their own animation productions. A series of workshops based on the films were conducted at the Spacex Gallery, Exeter, where the films were shown thoughout the Animated Exeter festival.
• March 2004: Beverely Naidoo launched a collaboration between Ilfracombe Community College and Thandokhulu High School with a video conference link and workshop from the Crossings project video unit on Robben Island.