London Arts Board and Education Extra, the national charity that supports after-school activities in schools, has awarded nearly Pounds 9,000 in grants to 27 London schools as part of their Extra Arts Awards Scheme.
The recipients, who were chosen on the basis of their after-school arts activities, have the opportunity of buying in the services of professional artists for further activities with the awards. Among the winners’ plans: Gwyn Jones Primary in Waltham Forest is bringing in a storyteller to run story and drama workshops during lunchtimes, and Northold Park Infants in Ealing is to work with the Unicorn Theatre. For more information about the scheme, contact Mike Walton on 0181 983 1061.
The Kids of Sherwood is this summer’s matinee production at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park. The new play for five to 12s is set in - you guessed it - Sherwood Forest, where a group of kids find the Wishing Oak and are transported back to the days of Robin Hood. Everyone’s having a wretched time. The Merry Men have been imprisoned by the Sheriff of Nottingham and poor Maid Marian’s been kidnapped and being forced to marry Sir Gaston. The kids have their work cut out for them, rescuing merry men, damsels and the like, but have brought some modern gadgets with them that help them win the day. The show runs until August 26. Tickets: 0171 486 2431.
Stuck in London this month with children and nothing in particular to do? You could do a lot worse than hike down to the Theatre Museum, which is running tours and costume workshops from now until the end of September on selected dates. A tour guide takes you around the Museum, followed by a chance not only to look but dress up in costumes and accessories lent by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre’s production of The Wind in the Willows. For dates and bookings, ring 0171 836 2330.
