There will be news on performances and shows and what to take your children to see. A great opportunity to meet new faces and share ideas and practice!

To find out more and book your place please email inspired@takeart.org

DanceNet provides an opportunity for those teachers to network with professional dance practitioners and graduates to share skills and see a professional show.

This event will link to the Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company performance at The Octagon Theatre which starts at 7.30pm. Discounted tickets are available for those participants who attend DanceNet.

To book: inspired@takeart.org 01460 249450 www.takeart.org

Teachers, early years foundation stage coordinators and practitioners will use natural and projected light to develop space adventures and storytelling in this excellent training session, taking place  on the 17th & 18th of June.

Each session follows the performance of 'Spot' by La Baracca, taking place at 11 am in each venue. Please click here to find out about the show.

To book the training event please email inspired@takeart.org or call 01460 249450

An introduction to this project will be given at the DramaNet event held on 25th April. Schools can use the opportunity to focus on specific groups eg G&T students, or to raise attainment for boys, or as an after school project. Tickets will be available for the Festival.

Cost: Free to schools taking part (parents, carers and families can buy tickets for the Festival from the Merlin box office)

More info to come...

To book email inspired@takeart.org or call 01460 249450.

The project includes two initial sessions: one in Sedgemoor and one in South Somerset to introduce a dance and drama themed project.

These sessions will give initial ideas and starting points to perform at the July Platform. After this, staff should feel equipped to create their own pieces with their students. A second combined session will follow on 3rd June to help teachers to develop their ideas further. All school groups will then come together to share their work and offer mutual support. Additional support at your school is available if requested.

The event is free for schools taking part (parents, families and carers can buy tickets for the platform event from the Octagon Theatre Box office).

To book email inspired@takeart.org or call 01460 249450.

The session will include a practical workshop led by Nick Brace of Actiontrack Performance Company, followed by an opportunity to share good practice and an introduction to the Secondary Schools Drama Festival, which takes place from the 26th April at the Merlin Theatre, Frome.

The Chelsea Hotel will take place at The Tacchi-Morris Art Centre after the DramaNet session and there are discounted tickets available to participants (£5).

Inspired's Shared Practice Networks are local events designed to bring creative, early years practitioners and professionals together. We'll share ideas, meet others in similar position and get to know what's happening nationally and locally in the field of early years creativity. They are a chance to share ideas and to get to know about creative projects that could be happening right on your own doorstep.

We hope the events be fun and will always feature inspiring ideas to take back to your setting.

When a big storm whips up the sea, two very different creatures are left stranded in an isolated rock pool, far from the open water. As their little pool starts to drain away, Prawn and Crab don’t have long to find a way of getting on and getting home. Funny, tender, exuberant, partially submerged theatre from award-winning company Inspector Sands.

Inspector Sands' hit shows Hysteria and If That's All There Is have toured extensively in the UK and internationally. Shows currently in development include Mass Observation, A High Street Odyssey and A Life in 22 Minutes. For more information about Inspector Sands please visit: www.inspectorsands.com / @Inspector_Sands

Commissioned by Farnham Maltings and Arts Partnership, Surrey in association with Take Art. Supported by the Arts Council England. Produced by China Plate. With thanks to artsdepot.

Free Twilight Creativity Training Sessions

Early Years practitioners may also be interested in taking part in one of two free training sessions taking place at both Chilcompton (5 March) and Bridgwater (6 March), directly after the venue's performance of Rock Pool. To find out more please click here.

Hundreds and hundreds of dancers, from youth dance companies, school groups and local dance groups will travel from all over Somerset and the South West to be part of an annual extravaganza that has grown so big, we are now running it over four nights and two venues. 

2013 will be the ninth year of Spring Forward and this time there will be three performance nights in March at the Tacchi Morris Arts Centre in Taunton and one performance night in May at The Octagon Theatre in Yeovil. We anticipate that over 400 young people will be involved from over 30 different dance groups.

You can get your tickets to any or all of the four nights by contacting The Tacchi-Morris Art Centre or The Octagon Theatre (see below).

Do you want to take part?

Spring Forward is for dancers aged 11-21 years old and any group can apply. For example if you run a dance group in Somerset, if you have a dance club or GCSE, BTEC or A Level group, or if you are a young person who would like to bring a group, you are all elligible to take part. 

As Spring Forward is a Take Art Dance event, the focus is on groups from Somerset but many travel from outside the county to perform and anyone from the South West is welcome to apply. 

For more information and to apply for this year’s Spring Forward please contact Katey Leader – katey@takeart.org

You can also visit our Spring Forward project pages.

Photo by ‘Beata Kosc Photography’

So we know Somerset under 5s are going to love Spot because ‘Spot’ is a very special stage light. 
A light that shines and expresses himself, draws shapes and colours, illuminates the sun in the yellow, the sea in the blue and the big wide sky in the lightest of brightest blues.

One of Europe’s iconic Early Years theatre companies, La Baracca, comes to Somerset this June with a funny, playful and dangerously delightful show designed especially for 1 to 4 year olds. Guaranteed to widen small eyes with wonder. Bring your children too (£3 per child)

There will be a 'Light Constellations' Training Session For Early Years Practitioners after both shows. Click here to find out more.