Community
Discover was developed with, and responds to, the changing needs of our local community. The Story Trail and Garden were designed by children working in partnership with architects, designers and landscape gardeners.
Our Community programme gives opportunities for children and adults to take part in the arts. In particular we believe in the importance of providing space, resources and time for children and adults to create and share stories and cultural experiences together. Current projects include Hopla - a programme to support young parents and their children, holiday projects for children with physical and learning disabilities, family learning programmes, and the Credit Suisse 500 Families programme ensuring 500 of the most disadvantaged families in East London have free access to Discover for a year.
Project Focus
Connecting Stories
From 2005 – 2008 Discover is exploring the links between Newham’s diverse communities. Using stories as a starting point, the programme is investigating both the differences and similarities between communities and their cultures, and how stories are passed on from one generation to another. At the end of the first year a CD of Polish Roma and Bravanese Stories was produced. During the second year we are working with Bengali and Albanian families to produce an interactive CD Rom for Key Stage One children. The final year will result in an exhibition in Discover’s newly refurbished basement.
"We tell stories because children need to put themselves in other people's shoes... Children in the future can share an experience I'll never have again and they will never have at all."
[Bengali mother at Sheringham]