The CTAF 2017 Educational Programme Features Free Art Workshops for Children and Their Parents

The Cape Town Art Fair (CTAF) has partnered with the V&A Waterfront and Lalela Project to present a series of four “Art of Listening” workshops that are free for children and their parents. Open to all, the workshops take place on Saturday 18 February 2017 at the Watershed, which is located opposite the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront.

Participants can choose between a 10h00, 12h00, 14h00 or 16h00 session and no prior booking is necessary. The sessions form part of the official programme of events of the CTAF, which runs concurrently at the nearby Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 17-19 February 2017.

The workshops will be led by Lalela educators and invited artists, and will enable children (of all ages) to communicate and depict what they hear through the medium of art. Lalela understands that the power of the art is to connect with children on an emotional, mental and spiritual level.

“Research has shown that educational arts are closely linked to academic achievement, social and emotional development, and civic engagement,” says Lalela. Research has also indicated that arts education not only improves the lives of students, increasing their academic, social, mental and economic wellbeing, but that is does so over a long-term period. Furthermore, arts education is a key indicator of success in life.

“The arts are usually the first subject to be cut from school when there is a shortage of resources. This is a pity because art plays such a critical role in a child’s developmental journey and it is important to foster it. It is why we are so committed to the Lalela Project. We have made significant strides since we registered the company as a non-profit in South Africa in February 2011,” says Oliver Nurock, Events and Relations Manager for Lalela Project.

Lalela is active in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg in South Africa; northern Uganda; and the South Bronx in New York City, USA. The NPO provides an ongoing after-school arts education programme for at-risk-youth. This programme is intended to spark creative thinking and awaken the entrepreneurial spirit of youth. Lalela’s aim is to help encourage innovative thinking and grow entrepreneurs as well as create job opportunities.

By partnering with Lalela for the fair’s 2017 educational programme, the CTAF is making this opportunity widely available to all. Says CTAF’s Chief Operating Officer, Laura Vincenti: “Lalela Project provides children with the opportunity to learn, grow and express through art. Arts education and the accessibility thereof is an important component of CTAF, which is intended as an event for everyone. So we’re thankful to both Lalela and the V&A Waterfront for partnering with us to make these amazing art workshops freely available to children of all ages from all walks of life!”

For more information on Lalela, visit www.lalela.org or follow @Lalela Project on Facebook and Twitter.

ENDS

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