This schools showcase is a celebration of artworks made in April 2023 by primary, secondary and college students from the eight academies that make up the Summit Learning Trust.  

The project involved students working with Birmingham-based visual arts duo Hipkiss & Graney, who delivered a series of creative workshops in schools to coincide with the Coronation of King Charles III. The sessions were designed to encourage learners to think critically about art and engage in dialogue about our cultural history and collective futures.  

Inspired by the artists’ interest in ecologies and sustainable communities, students considered how they are connected to each other, the land and the environment, whilst also exploring the relevance of monarchy within our culture today as society engages more with eco-science and environmental issues. Students designed and created bunting and banners using sustainable materials, painting on signs and symbols to communicate their messages and concerns about social and environmental issues important to them as young citizens today as they navigate significant changes on both global and local scales. 

Free Family Activities 

Hipkiss & Graney invite families to join them for free creative activities at Ikon Gallery on Saturday 24 June, 11am-3pm (no need to book, just drop in). Families can use a range of textile and collage materials to create banners inspired by the natural world, and to share their own environmental messages. 

Free Activity Packs 

Ikon and Warwick Arts Centre, together with artists Hipkiss & Graney and Navkiran Kaur Mann, have created a schools activity pack, encouraging learners to engage in creative activities that use poetry and banner-making to explore themes around cultural history, interconnectedness and the environment. Download the free pack here. 

About the Artists 

Hipkiss & Graney are an artist duo based in Stirchley, South Birmingham. Through workshops and performances, they deliver projects that explore ecology and sustainable communities. Hipkiss & Graney’s work employs games, storytelling and music to go on adventures with fellow participants to achieve fantastical and humorous outcomes.