Over the last year Iniva Creative Learning has been delivering a series of artist led workshops using materials from the Stuart Hall Library collection that aim to celebrate cohesion, build pride in the community and help people, young, old and everything in between to realise their potential. Excitingly for Iniva this programme is enabling us to develop new community relations and partners by welcoming new groups and individuals to the library.
Workshop Details
On Monday 10 February 2020 artist Aleesha Nandhra and Iniva welcomed 8 students from Pimlico Academy into the library to create Zines linked to their final A Level exam pieces. Using the Stuart Hall Library collection as source material and working with paper folding, collage and drawing, the students explored, broadened and developed their ideas around the theme of ‘Change / Stability’
19 December 2019 A group of 12 ESOL students took part in a workshop led by artist Bhajan Hunjan. Facilitated by Hassan Vawda, the students used Iniva’s Emotional Learning Cards to open up conversations, broaden vocabulary and explore contemporary art. The group used collage and drawing to create booklets that spoke about something important to them. This was a fantastic opportunity to welcome a new group into the library and inspired in depth, important conversations.
11 June 2019 We were very pleased to welcome members of Open Age to the library for a special tour and discussion on the collection. Open Age support those over 50 to sustain active mental and physical health through workshops and classes. Given time to explore the new space the elders selected some incredible books to talk about including ‘Extreme Beauty’, ‘Colours of Vanishing Tribes’ and ‘Street Photographs by Shirley Baker’. Their choices gave rise to riveting discussion including fascinating first hand accounts of the Nicaraguan revolution. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Open Age to develop more workshops in the near future.
Artists Aleesha Nandhra and Hassan Vawda represented Iniva at #MyWestminster Day on Paddington Recreation Ground at the end of June, delivering a community led zine making and mono-printing workshop in the park for families. Forthcoming workshops in the new year, include collaborations with Pimlico Academy, Mosaic Community Trust and more.
The programme of workshops was kicked off at the end of May 2019 with some serious beats and lyrics laid down by members of ETAT (Encouragement Through the Arts and Talking) in a sound and hip hop inspired workshop that has since seen the launch of a 12″ vinyl EP (SOLD OUT) and a limited edition artists print. The workshop was led by artist and musician Shepherd Manyika and supported by Iniva facilitator Hassan Vawda.
Artist and illustrator Aleesha Nandhra led a day of activist zine making workshops at Caxton Youth Organisation in Abbots Manor. Caxton works with disabled young people who live in the City of Westminster to develop independent living, educational, health and social skills in order to promote inclusion, participation and effective citizenship. Aleesha led a group of young people in mono printing and collage, creating imagery that will form a new zine for the library collection. The workshop used books selected from the Stuart Hall Library such as Rock Against Racism and monographs of Chila Burman and Lubaina Himid alongside the Emotional Learning Card set “What do you feel?” to inspire and spark the young people’s imaginations.
We are proud to be supported by #MyWestminster and The Art Society to make these workshops possible.
For more information about our education programme please contact 
