Whitehall Primary School in Bristol have been nominated by Arnolfini to join a handful of school groups selected from around the country to visit the new Tate Modern at a special preview this Thursday at Bankside in London
Some 3,000 school children from across the UK will be the first members of the public to see the new building. Welcomed by artist Bob and Roberta Smith, the children will be able to explore the new building and displays, and to be inspired by modern and contemporary art from around the world.
We selected Whitehall Primary because of the close relationship we have built with them over the past few months, and because of their open and forward-thinking approach to contemporary art.
As one of Arnolfini’s member schools, Whitehall Primary has taken part in artist-run workshops, most recently a workshop based on pirates and journeys across the sea (linked to our John Akomfrah exhibition Vertigo Sea) facilitated by artist Lily Keale.
A group of year 5 pupils also took part in workshops with us and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery to record responses to works from our current exhibition Art From Elsewhere. The content that they produced is available on audio pens in our gallery spaces to give audiences an insight into the work from the perspective of the children involved.
We are also in the very early stages of working on a public art commission for their school through our on-going Primary Capital Programme.
Tate Modern will open their new building on 17 June.
