Pop in the Box Children's Art Gallery

Pop in the BOX Gallery has been a very valuable vehicle for the public celebration of children’s creativity  and  for promoting the importance and beauty of children’s creativity to a broader community.  In 2009 just after the 1st year anniversary of the space  PoP in the BOX won  the 2009 Gallery and Museums Award (GAMA) .  

 

GAMMA (96 KB)

What is POP in the Box?

Pop in the box is Toowoomba’s first and only exclusive children’s art gallery. Showcasing our local children’s art in a significant shopfront in Toowoomba‘s CBD. The Gallery is located in the shop windows of the Kath Dickson family centre, strategically positioned on the corner of Ruthven & Russell Streets.

Who is it?

Play on Play is a local business designed to nurture, celebrate and support the bold, vivid and candid creativity innate in all children and promote the importance of creativity in the lives of every child.

Play on Play’s latest initiative to achieve these goals is the creation of Toowoomba’s first Children’s Art Gallery, ‘Pop in the Box’.

  

Pop in the Box Children’s Art Gallery has been created in collaboration between Play on Play and the Kath Dickson Family Centre and will be curated by Play on Play.

            

Pop in the Box Children’s Art Gallery is positioned on Russell Street and consists of three window spaces, Gallery 1, 2 and 3.

    

BENEFITS OF THE GALLERY

POP in the BOX Children’s Gallery can-

• give children a stage to showcase their creativity;
• showcase children’s creativity to a wider community;
• allow a wider audience to connect with children’s creativity;
• inspire, and
• contribute to beautifying the streetscape.

 

VARIETY OF SHOW OPTIONS

• purely children’s art either individual, school class or community groups either local or from elsewhere;
• adult artists collaborating with children, created through workshop with that artist;
• adult artist shown alongside children work inspired by that artist, and
• children from international settings.

Play on Play (PoP) looks forward to another  hectic and rewarding 2010, continuing our efforts to celebrate and support creativity within the community.

Through 2009 we have worked with a number of schools and organisations to design and build creative interactive installations, deliver lectures and conduct workshops. Some of these events include the Toowoomba Show, Hampton Festival, World Environment Day and Ergon Energy Flower Food and Wine Festival. Other projects and workshops have been created for organisations such as the Positive Learning Centre, Domestic Violence Week, Shine Lawyers, South Burnett Community Gardens, Downs Industry Schools Co-op, University of Southern Queensland, Speak Out, Creative Generations Minister of Arts Awards and Flying Arts Queensland.

After a well received Play on Play Exhibition in Nigeria, 2009 has seen our second Painted Bridges project undertaken. This involves the creative collaboration between children living in Nigeria and children living in Toowoomba.
During 2009 Play on Play also received funding from the Sydney Myer Foundation to run a Pilot program called PoP ALIVE at Harristown Primary school. POP ALIVE has just begun and will run through fourth term of 2009. It is a creative self development program designed to help students at risk of disengagement with the education system to realise their dreams and potential and to aid their involvement and success within school curricular.

PLAY ON PLAY Creative Workshops

2010 will seen the continuation of the afterschool creative workshops were we will wintess many interesting collaborations, lots of explorations, learning, mess and FUN.

Please see call 46 338 400 or Moyalia on 46 338 418 for information on PLAY ON PLAY CLASSES FOR 2010
or email mbazyar@kathdicksoncentre.com.au
 

2009 exhibitions included:
The gallery shows have rotated on average every two weeks and have included:

The gallery shows have rotated on average every two weeks and have included:

NAPCAN Exhibit – artworks created to celebrate NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION WEEK.

LOVE in ACTION – artworks by children from Siem Reap, Phon Penh, Cambodia.

BEAUTIFUL GATE – artworks from AIDS related orphanage, Zambia.

HOLY NAME photographic – photographic artworks by Holy Name students.

BOULIA KIDS – created by children living in Boulia during Play on Play Flying Arts workshops.

Mt. LOFTY HIGH SCHOOL – a selection of artworks by senior students.

WEST SPECIAL SCHOOL – an exhibition of sculptural works.

FOSTER KINSHIP WEEK – collaborative paintings by foster children and their foster parents.

DARK AND LIGHT – Artworks created by local children and curated by Department of Family services
         to create awareness of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MONTH.
NATIONAL CHILDREN’S WEEEK – A selection of collaborative paintings by Toowoomba children.

POSITIVE LEARNING CENTRE- A selection of student works
NAIDOC WEEK- A selection of works by local indigenous children
PAINTED BRIDGES- Creative collaboration between children living in Toowoomba and Nigeria

 

 
PLAY ON PLAY would like to take this opportunity to thank the Kath Dickson Family Centre for all their ongoing support and belief in what we do.

‘LETS PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER AND SEE LIFE WE CAN MAKE FOR OUR CHILDREN’ Sitting Bull