Inspiring pupils for Meteor’s tenth anniversary

Hundreds of primary pupils from Tees Valley will have a sneak preview of Temenos, Middlesbrough’s new major art installation, to inspire them to create their own public art structures.

Located at Middlesbrough’s Middlehaven, Temenos will be officially opened in 2010 and will be a staggering 110m in length and almost 50m high.

Nearly 500 year six pupils will be visiting the University from Monday 6 July to Friday 10 July to take part in the annual Meteor Summer School. Meteor was first launched in 1999 to inspire local primary pupils to think about further and higher education, through a series of activities on and off campus, culminating in a summer school and a ‘mini-graduation’ at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Tees Valley Giants This year’s Summer School has the theme ‘Tees Valley Giants’ and is a collaboration with Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR) and the Arts Council England, North East.

The pupils will listen to an introductory talk from TVR Project Director Sean Egan about Temenos and be shown a model of the structure. They will then be split into six groups each day to collaborate and work with University staff in sequenced activities, with the eventual aim of creating their own giant model public art structures.

At the end of each day there will be a prize for the best structure. To help the young designers and engineers relax, staff from the University’s Sport & Recreation section will engage the pupils in brief motivational exercises, twice-daily.

All completed models will be on display to the pupils’ parents, families and VIPs in a showreel at Middlesbrough Town Hall, on the morning of their ‘mini graduation’ on Tuesday 14 July. The real models can be viewed at the University after the ceremony.

Exciting way to celebrate tenth anniversary Jo Bulmer, Schools & Colleges Partnership Assistant at the University, said: ‘This is a really exciting opportunity for the Meteor pupils as we celebrate ten years since the first set of Meteor graduations.

‘It’s a totally different summer school as we’re working in partnership with Tees Valley Regeneration and the Arts Council to help raise awareness of public art with the Meteor pupils and their families. Who knows, there may be a future Temenos amongst this year’s structures.’

Richard Buckley, Tees Valley Regeneration’s Director of Development added: ‘It is very fitting that Temenos was chosen as the inspiration behind this year’s Meteor Summer School. As the construction work continues on site and the first Tees Valley Giant starts to appear out of the ground, local school children have the opportunity to study and discuss the sculpture, the scale, the build and the impact on the surrounding area.

‘Temenos is destined to become an instantly recognisable, global landmark and the Meteor programme will allow pupils and partners to share ideas and reactions to public art and understand how something such as Temenos can become a significant and valuable part of a community. Teesside University has created a superb education programme and we are delighted to be working with them.’

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