Update following a meeting with Teignbridge District Council Leader

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TAAG directors met with Jeremy Christophers on Tuesday 20th November and discussed many of the issues that have concerned the volunteers and supporters of the Community Art Centre currently based in Northumberland Place, Teignmouth within the Brunswick Street Development area. 

Following on from this very frank discussion TAAG directors will now be meeting with NHS representatives. 

Jeremy Christophers said that it was still too early for TAAG to have certainty for the future as planning was at a very early stage and nothing was ruled in or out.

Future of TAAG - update - Thursday October 25th 2018

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Radio Devon conducted interviews at TAAG on Tuesday about our request for some certainty on the future an the fact that we are not included in the current negotiations re the potential impact of the Brunswick Street / Northumberland Place redevelopment.

The interview was broadcast early on Wednesday morning and was followed by a response by the leader of Teignbridge District Council, Jeremy Christophers.

The main content from us was that we feel that as Teignbridge District Council are meeting with potential developers and the NHS behind closed doors we are unable to contribute important facts about what we would like to see happen for the future.

TAAG have been running a successful Arts & Community Centre in the building for 8 years and have an annual footfall of over 40,000.

We are very concerned that because the building is always referred to as dilapidated and an old garage showroom people will believe that and not realise that the work we have done plus the work we would love too be able to carry out has been costed and looks viable.

The result would be a much improved building, fit for the future and with more facilities.

The reason that we have not done more to the fabric of the building is twofold. Firstly we have no certain future so we could be throwing money away on improvements only to be given notice to leave. Secondly without either the benefit of a lengthy unencumbered lease or the ability to purchase the freehold we are not able to apply for the sort of grants we woful.d need to carry out the work required.

In response Jeremy Christophers, Leader of Teignbridge Council said that they were looking at a new building and pointed out that TAAG did not pay rent for the existing building. We have offered several times to pay rent for what we have but this has not been taken up and when you think of the added value TAAG has given for the past eight years we feel we have given far more to the town than what would have paid in rent.

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Two young Italian Ladies in England - Sunday in Bath

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Yesterday we went to Bath by train, famous for its beautiful architecture and history ( http://bath.co.uk/baths-historic-buildings ).

We walked along Kennet and Avon Canal (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/kennet-and-avon-canal ), it seemed like a jungle.

After this “long” walk we had a packed lunch. Here there are a lot of museums, but we visited the Holburne Museum ( http://www.holburne.org/ ).

Two young Italian Ladies in England - Saturday in Plymouth

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Last saturday we went to Plymouth with the others students. We took the bus from Dawlish and we changed at Newton Abbot, then we arrived in Plymouth at 11:30 am.

At the beginning we visited the centre of the city where there are a lot of shops and stalls. There were a lot of people and street performers.

Then we had our packed lunch sitting on the lawn near Plymouth Hoe. 

Two young Italian Ladies in England - Painting with Angie

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Yesterday wehad a workshop with Angie. The main things were recreating some images on paper with pastels. We decided to recreate the sea near a lighthouse.

It was so interesting because you need to create your own colours by mixing them together.

Angie is so funny and kind to us and the others students. In the previous workshop we used the same materials, but other subject matter like eyes and the beach.

We blended blue colours like midnight blue, turquoise, sky blue and persian blue.

Two young Italian Ladies in England - Dartmoor on top

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On the 25th of September,  Liz took us on a long trip to Dartmoor. We climbed a very high rock, called Hay Tor. A Tor is a granite outcrop of rock. From there we could see an incredibile panorama andTeignmounth in the distance. Liz showed us Dartmoor Prison, a dark building in a small town in the middle of nowhere (Princetown). During the trip we saw a lot of cows, sheep, horses and ponies grazing freely. The sight took you breath away.

Two young Italian Ladies in England - Printmaking with Sarah

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Hello!

Today we went to a printmaking workshop with Sarah and the other “students”. There are a lot of different types of printmaking because every student has their own ideas, so itwas very interesting. Sarah is a kind person, who always helps you when you need some suggestions. One of the “students” is Mei Lim and she has an open studio with Sarah and two other ladies: Sue Williamson and Joanie Johns. We visited her studio on a previous day.

Printmaking is easier to do than to explain.

If you want to know more, click the link : http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Linocuts

Two young Italian Ladies in England

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Hi everybody,

We want to talk about a beautiful day in Paignton. Our tutor Liz took us to Peter and Vera’s house with an amazing garden where they explained how to make raku sculptures with clay and ceramic.

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At the beginning they showed us their vast garden composed of flowers of all colours and many types of herbs. Vera showed us the storage-room where there are the materials useful for making sculptures (for example: clay and glazes). When the sculptures are ready they put them into the kiln at 1000 degrees for 30 minutes. Then to cool them they put the sculptures into the sawdust to make them black. At the end, as is typical in England, we had a cup of tea accompanied by bread pudding and raspberry tart.

If you want to know more about Raku:  www.veniceclayartists.com/the-raku-pottery-technique/