New art school for children to open in town A

■■It is so well-known that some choral groups stage ‘singalong’ Messiahs, at which members of the audience bring along their own scores. ■■The final performance of the work with Handel was present was at Covent Garden on April 6, 1759, eight days before his death. RTY youngsters are being invited to join a new pop-up art school in Huddersfield town centre that will run for six months from January

The Children’s Art School, which already provides art clubs and workshops for children and young people from its base at Hope Bank Works in Honley, is expanding into premises in Byram Arcade, Huddersfield, with funding from Kirklees Council Arts in the Neighbourhood Scheme.

Director Chloe Williams says the aim of the school is to provide handson creative activities for children, from toddlers to teenagers, and it will run sessions on four days a week.

She believes art education is important for unlocking a child’s creative thinking skills and it is a myth that it has no purpose.

Chloe explained: “Art education is a crucial part in the ongoing success of our creative industries.”

And she sees art as a way to give children practical experience of designing and making.

She added: “There is an increasing concern about the amount of time our children and young people spend on screens and how they are less and less connected to their physical world.”

The Children’s Art School became a charity in 2015 and now has 70 youngsters taking part in regular sessions.

It will launch its Huddersfield timetable on January 23 and plans to provide a Little Art Club for pre-schoolers and a Junior After-School Club (8 to 11 years) on Mondays; Drawing for Teenagers on Wednesday evenings; a Little Art Club and Senior After-School Club (11 to 16 years) on Thursdays; and a Saturday Art School, with sessions for all ages.

Sessions will run in Unit 35 of the Byram Arcade (top floor) at varying times.

The cost will be between £6 and £8.50 a week, with parents expected to sign up for a half term at a time.

Places can be booked through www. thechildrensartschool.co.uk.

Details are also on Facebook.