The best work from children who took part in The Big Art & Storytelling Tall Ships Project for the Falmouth to Royal Greenwich Tall Ships regatta 2014.

It all Started with One Painting...
‘Tall Ships and Small Ships’ by John Dyer

John Dyer, the artist in residence for the Falmouth to Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta, had run previous art projects to celebrate Darwin 200, Global Gardens, Girlguiding Centenary and the Tall Ships Regatta 2008. Working with John Frankland who had created a storytelling project for Tall Ships 2008 and Shop For Theatre that placed professional actors to perform, ‘stories, poems and plays to delight and distract’, in small spaces such as shops and in the back of cars.

John Dyer's painting inspired five professional writers, Paul Farmer, Maxwell Golden, James Graham, Damien Dibben and Dea Birkett to interpret the painting and create their own story, poem or play. The painting together with the inspired professional writing providied the creative stimulus for children from across the UK and beyond to make their own paintings and pieces of creative writing for the project and engaged thousands of families in the Tall Ships Regatta 2014.

Falmouth Art Gallery offered free creative workshops to both schools and community groups in the Gallery and as outreach in schools. This directly inspired 1300 children in 18 schools to connect with the project and to be motivated to respond. It also demonstrated the power of the Arts to directly engage the local community with the whole event.

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall hosted the project launch and final Exhibition and prize-giving event. They also displayed an exhibition of 200 of the best children’s paintings. This exhibition was also hung at the Gyllyngdune Gardens in Falmouth and the Heritage Centre in Greenwich.