The annual Big Draw Festival runs from 1-31 October, kicking off with a National Launch two weeks earlier. This year’s Launch takes place across Oxford on 19 September. We’re looking for keen volunteers to support the activities planned for the Bodleian’s Weston Library on that day, which are partly a response to the Marks of Genius exhibition, which closes the day after.
Volunteering Details
Saturday 19 September,
Volunteers start with a briefing session at 9.30 and finish at 5pm Every Drawing tells a Story Oxford Launches the 2015 Big Draw Festival Open to the public from 11am-4pm
Complete a free Walk & Draw Trail connecting Oxford’s treasures old and new with creative workshops at each stop. Join leading artists, scientists and illustrators in a programme designed to expand your ideas about drawing.
Draw Together with Philip Pullman and Chris Riddell before trying digital and robotic drawing at the Bodleian Libraries, X-ray drawing at the Museum of the History of Science, extreme drawing at the Story Museum, and much more besides.
Philip Pullman and Chris Riddell, the new Children’s Laureate, will launch the 2015 Big Draw Festival in the Weston Library, to be followed by a programme of activities across Oxford. We would be grateful for help to set up, distribute materials and clear away at 4pm.
The reward: lots of fun, good experience of public engagement, a Big Draw t-shirt and packed lunch!
Would you like to help?
We’re inviting illustrators and artists to show their love of drawing by joining in!
Drawing Together (with Chris Riddell) from 11-12.30 will be an ideal platform for this, or making drawings at any time of the day on our Visitor Book scrolls.
Beforehand …
you may wish to draw a framework a few days in advance on one of our 50 metre scrolls outlining the day’s activities, for the public to ‘put themselves in the picture’ on the scroll during the Launch.
If this appeals, it would be great to have your name and CV in advance.
OR on the day….
Please respond by telling us if you have a preference for supporting one of the following and we will try to match you up if possible:
Camera Obscura: capturing architectural views through this historic technique
Drawing Together: supervising and facilitating the 50 metre long Visitor Book scrolls – an open invitation to the public to draw alongside Chris Riddell (in the morning), and amateur and professional artists/illustrators.
Sketch for Survival led by artist Claire Duffy: inspired by John James Audubon’s book of birds in the Marks of Genius exhibition, an opportunity to get acquainted with nature, look at some of the world’s endangered birds and make postcards of those at greatest risk that can take flight and appeal for help
3-D Maps led by artist Catherine Watson: using map notations and conventions to build a 3-D collage map of Oxford
Moving Marks! with Angus Dick, 2-4.30: participants use Samsung tablets to create 5 images, making a simple but effective looping animation, drawing inspiration from Marks of Genius (using Animation Desk app available on android and iOS devices, which means that participants can do it on their own devices if they like).
Lino-cutting and Printing with Richard Lawrence
Masterclass with Adam Dant, 1.30-4.00: Dissecting the Bodleian through documentary drawing
If this appeals, it would be great to have your name and CV in advance to volunteer organiser Janine Freeston: janinef64@gmail.com