A university is helping a campaign to relight school kilns and introduce children to clay and ceramics.

The faculty of arts at the University of Brighton is launching Firing Up in the south-east.

It will provide an ambassador, a technical demonstrator and five students to work with professional ceramists, teachers and children in up to five secondary schools to teach children in Years 9 and above.

Heading the programme for the university will be Alma Boyes, sculptor, ceramicist and senior lecturer in the school of art, design and media.

She said: “Ceramics is a subject that is rarely taught in secondary schools despite huge benefits that children receive from learning with their hands.

"Firing Up will raise awareness of the importance of clay in our everyday lives, support schools to use clay creatively and confidently, and encourage children to view ceramics as a viable career option.

“This project offers a fantastic opportunity for teachers and pupils to engage with ceramics as a means of expression and to experience ceramics professionally as a future career path.

"It will also enable students on the faculty’s 3D Design and Craft courses to have an opportunity to work with established artists within an educational context and to share their experience of pursuing ceramics professionally through higher education.

“We are proud to take an active role in facilitating the success of this initiative.”

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