Self-portraits created in stained glass by students from a Belfast school are to go on display as a permanent fixture.
The glass tiles, created by year nine and 10 students at Malone Integrated College, under the guidance of visual artist Kerrie Hanna, will be forged together to create a colourful bespoke window made up of a series of individual panes.
The new window will go on display at the school in September.
It is the final element of a two-year art project the students have been engaged in as part of the Creative Schools Programme, a cross-government programme funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland through National Lottery funding, the Education Authority and the Executive Office through Urban Villages Initiative.
Malone College was one of 11 schools located in identified urban village areas awarded funding in 2011. Each of the schools received up to £15,000 of funding to develop an arts-led project which would connect with the school curriculum and support student development.
The pupils at Malone College have had the opportunity to step outside of their normal school activities to take part in specially devised drama and art sessions led by professional artists and focused on encouraging creative learning and improving student confidence.
With 26 different languages spoken by students within the school, a focus of the project has been on celebrating cultural diversity and promoting inclusion.
Art and design teacher Lynsay-Erin Mercer has led on the programme and said the experimental approach has made a real difference to students in the wake of Covid, promoting positive self-expression and encouraging new creative ways of thinking and learning.
She said: “We wanted this project to be a collaboration, with input from myself as the teacher, as well as the artist and the children.
“We discussed ideas and what emerged was that the children wanted to look at their identity and some of the different cultures represented here within the school.
“We explored portraiture and looked at pattern development from around the world and the children worked with Kerrie to create the stained glass.
“The project has been a real success.
“The children have learnt new skills, different to what they would generally do in class, and it has also been good for my own professional development.
“I’ll be able to take what I have learned through to other classes and year groups.
“It’s been a really worthwhile experience and the children can all say, with pride, that they have been a part of something really special.”
Director of Urban Villages Joan O’Hara said: “The Urban Villages Initiative is delighted to be able to support this innovative project through the Creative Schools Partnership Programme.
“The work the students are involved in will help them develop a wide range of skills through creative learning.
“Having this beautiful stained-glass piece as a permanent installation within the school building showcases and celebrates diversity and inclusion.
“This will encourage students to share their voices not just within school but wider, in their local community and will provide new life experiences, help generate new thinking, new viewpoints and new ideas which is at the heart of building good relations.”
The 11 schools taking part in the Creative Schools Partnership Programme are Lisneal College, Belfast Boys’ Model School, St Joseph’s Boy’s School, Blessed Trinity College, Ashfield Girls’ High School, St Cecilia’s College, Mercy College Belfast, St Vincent’s Centre, Belfast Model School for Girls, Malone Integrated College, and St Colm’s High School.
