Last month around 300 Ipswich school students enjoyed learning more about what it’s like to follow a career path in the arts through workshops in the pop-up Call Me Ted art exhibition in The Buttermarket thanks to a collaboration between the organisers and the Thomas Wolsey 550 project.
Call Me Ted organisers produced unique posters for every Ipswich Town home game last season. They staged an exhibition of all the posters in the former Super Dry shop in The Buttermarket and were happy to host visits from students. Four of the 19 artists who produced the posters took part in workshops with students. At each of these workshops, pupils were able to ask questions of the artists and, after choosing their favourite poster, use that artwork to inspire their own creative offering.
Call me Ted was the brainchild of brothers Richard and Steve Haugh and their friends Kevin Bennett and Andy Mortimer. The 19 posters have been used in ITFC programmes and Ipswich Central reproduced giant-sized versions of several of them to display in the windows of town centre premises. Ipswich Central also helped the Call Me Ted team to secure the temporary exhibition space in The Buttermarket.
The Wolsey 550 team coordinated the student visits as part of its programme to develop confidence and communication skills in primary age students and to provide innovative careers experiences that help broaden the aspirations of year nine and ten students.
Education and opportunities Lead with TW550 Hannah Houghton said: “I believe seeing the artwork, learning about the artists and sharing their own designs has definitely left the young people feeling more connected to their town and the club.
“We especially loved students talking about their favourite moments of the football season, using the posters to trigger conversations and inspiration.”
Hannah added “Our involvement has demonstrated that a love of the town’s football club is an excellent way of getting children engaged in art. One student told us they loved Ipswich town and go to all the home games with their dad, they’ve always loved sport, and now they’ve discoverd a love of art as well.”
Lee Walker from Ipswich Central said: “The Call Me Ted project was the perfect fit for us alongside our Added Time campaign, and, whilst the football season may have not ended how we all wanted, it has allowed us both to create moments that will last forever in the minds and memories of fans young and old.”
The four artists leading the workshops were
Tom Armstrong
Joel Millichip
Lily Hammond
Sam Peet
Schools which took part
Ranelagh Primary School
The Meadows Montessori School
St Margarets Primary School
Ipswich Prep School
St Helens Primary School
Ipswich Academy
St Joseph’s College
Stoke High School
Ormiston Endeavour Academy
The day was one of dozens of immersive Wolsey Workplace Encounters organised by the team at the Thomas Wolsey 550 Project. This innovative career programme helps connect students with prospective employers and workplaces across sectors ranging from legal firms to photographers and introduces them to career options they may not even know exist. Students nominate themselves for places on the sessions offered so ensuring they have experiences that match their passions and interests.
The programme has been made possible thanks to a community grant from Suffolk County Council’s £2 million Ipswich Investment fund,
