Welcome to Osun Arts Foundation

At "OSUN" We aim to project a culture that is very much alive and developing, using African treasures that are usually locked away in the glass cabinets of museums.

In line with official policies, using our Participatory Combined Arts Projects, we aim to bring children and all other people in Britain and throughout the world closer to African arts and culture; giving them the opportunity to use and inter-act with ceremonial art forms. Only through this active participation can they understand and fully appreciate the relevance and possibilities of African culture as the new millennium unfolds.

Our schools projects are always tailored to the exact needs of the schools and community centres involved through long discussion, and they always involve teaching a wide range of art and performing skills. We can work anywhere in the World to run workshops that will forever live in the memory of those involved.

The areas that we cover with our arts facilitators during workshops are visual arts, which include Tie-Dye, Batik, Mask Making and Pottery; Storytelling; Drama; Music and Dance; Performances.

Batik
Uses a resistant method of dying where wax prevents the dye from entering the fabric. Using representations of African motifs and images.

Music and dance

Music and dance forms are at the centre of African arts and culture. As a learning method for children - teaching them a selection of songs and dances in the original languages - this is the most effective and exciting part of the project. Here the participatory nature of our work is stressed. Pupils learn to play a range of musical instruments - from the famous Talking Drums to the African Xylophone. Dances and songs are then taught to the accompaniment of the strong rhythms of this music, with the drummers and dancers communicating between each other through the drumming and dancing steps.

Performance

A performance - accompanied by an exhibition of the children's artworks - is the culmination of the project. Before an audience of their friends and family the children show and celebrate all that has been learned through the project. Fully dressed in African costume and accompanied by African drumming they perform two stories drawn from the African tradition. This vibrant mixture of music, dance and song provides a unique and memorable event that the whole community can experience, enjoy and talk about for a long time.

Tie-Dye

Designs and patterns are created on fabrics with dyes. This is a simple and effective introduction to our visual arts that provides colourful fabric pictures that children can treasure.

Storytelling

The African Oral Tradition is one of narration, poetry, proverbs, jokes and riddles and this is central to our method of working. Literature from the ancient Yoruba Kingdoms, the Benin Empire, the Ashante, the Hausa, the Fulani, the Shona, the Fantes, the Nok, the Ndebele, the Zulu and Igbo Ukwu cultures are presented to the children. Encouraging them to tell these stories to each other is a useful prelude to their dramatisation of one of these stories.

Mask Making

Mask making and bronze sculpture are probably what Africa is most famous for in the west. We introduce children to representations of African masks and sculpture and help them to make their own masks using paper maché, clay or plaster. These are then painted for exhibition at the end of the project alongside all their other work.

Drama

The forms of drama used in Africa are different from the forms used in the west. In Africa a drama is usually inclusive of music and dance. Classes first listen to stories and consider the personalities involved. They later dramatise a selected story with supportive, song, music and dance.

Cooking

Pupils will attended a cookery session after being shown demonstrations by the artists. They will use a range of easy to learn techniques, combining indigenous herbs and spices to create bases for sauces, stews and other traditional dishes. The children will work with the artists to create a selection of delicious nutritional meals, catering also for vegetarians. Once the meal is prepared a table can be laid in the
fashion of a traditional African supper with moonlight stories narrated by
the artists.





	At "OSUN" We aim to project a culture that is very much alive and developing, using African treasures that are usually locked away in the glass cabinets of museums. In line with official policies, using our Participatory Combined Arts Projects, we aim to bring children and all other people in Britain and throughout the world closer to African arts and culture; giving them the opportunity to use and inter-act with ceremonial art forms. Only through this active participation can they understand and fully appreciate the relevance and possibilities of African culture as the new millennium unfolds. Our schools projects are always tailored to the exact needs of the schools and community centres involved through long discussion, and they always involve teaching a wide range of art and performing skills. We can work anywhere in the World to run workshops that will forever live in the memory of those involved. The areas that we cover with our arts facilitators during workshops are visual arts, which include Tie-Dye, Batik, Mask Making and Pottery; Storytelling; Drama; Music and Dance; Performances. Batik Uses a resistant method of dying where wax prevents the dye from entering the fabric. Using representations of African motifs and images. Music and dance Music and dance forms are at the centre of African arts and culture. As a learning method for children - teaching them a selection of songs and dances in the original languages - this is the most effective and exciting part of the project. Here the participatory nature of our work is stressed. Pupils learn to play a range of musical instruments - from the famous Talking Drums to the African Xylophone. Dances and songs are then taught to the accompaniment of the strong rhythms of this music, with the drummers and dancers communicating between each other through the drumming and dancing steps. Performance A performance - accompanied by an exhibition of the children's artworks - is the culmination of the project. Before an audience of their friends and family the children show and celebrate all that has been learned through the project. Fully dressed in African costume and accompanied by African drumming they perform two stories drawn from the African tradition. This vibrant mixture of music, dance and song provides a unique and memorable event that the whole community can experience, enjoy and talk about for a long time. Tie-Dye Designs and patterns are created on fabrics with dyes. This is a simple and effective introduction to our visual arts that provides colourful fabric pictures that children can treasure. Storytelling The African Oral Tradition is one of narration, poetry, proverbs, jokes and riddles and this is central to our method of working. Literature from the ancient Yoruba Kingdoms, the Benin Empire, the Ashante, the Hausa, the Fulani, the Shona, the Fantes, the Nok, the Ndebele, the Zulu and Igbo Ukwu cultures are presented to the children. Encouraging them to tell these stories to each other is a useful prelude to their dramatisation of one of these stories. Mask Making Mask making and bronze sculpture are probably what Africa is most famous for in the west. We introduce children to representations of African masks and sculpture and help them to make their own masks using paper maché, clay or plaster. These are then painted for exhibition at the end of the project alongside all their other work. Drama The forms of drama used in Africa are different from the forms used in the west. In Africa a drama is usually inclusive of music and dance. Classes first listen to stories and consider the personalities involved. They later dramatise a selected story with supportive, song, music and dance. Cooking Pupils will attended a cookery session after being shown demonstrations by the artists. They will use a range of easy to learn techniques, combining indigenous herbs and spices to create bases for sauces, stews and other traditional dishes. The children will work with the artists to create a selection of delicious nutritional meals, catering also for vegetarians. Once the meal is prepared a table can be laid in the fashion of a traditional African supper with moonlight stories narrated by the artists.
















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