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Rainbow-coloured creativity packs delivered to our Expecting Something families kick-start a new block of artist-led sessions for this Spring. Full of open-ended materials to help fuel imaginative play and creativity, the packs will be used during Expecting Something sessions facilitated remotely by Starcatchers artists – live and interactive as well as pre-recorded. Expecting […]

6 April 2020

Shadowing Starcatchers artists

Dancer and choreographer, Mhairi Allan, received a bursary to shadow Starcatchers artists as they delivered our Creative Skills programme in Aberdeen. Here she reflects on her experience and the contribution it has made to her development as an early years artist. ‘Create a sense of wonder’ was a phrase often used throughout the Creative […]

2 April 2020

#WeeInspirations

Starcatchers is launching a new series of Wee Inspiration idea cards for parents at home with young children. These are fun, creative ideas to engage little ones without a lot of kit, stress, nor pressure to ‘achieve’ anything. They are inspired by artists who work across Starcatchers’ different areas of work including Creative […]

26 March 2020

Updates in extraordinary times

23rd March 2020 A message to all our friends and supporters from Starcatchers Chief Executive Rhona Matheson I hope you are all staying safe and well during this difficult time. I just wanted to share an update with you about how we at Starcatchers are responding to the Covid-19 situation and what […]

23 March 2020

Every step we take together

Kinship families in North and South Ayrshire have worked with music and movement artists to create a music video in celebration of their kinship community. Sound Kinnection was an 8-week community engagement programme that began with a Burns Supper in January 2020. Over the following 4 weeks, during artist-facilitated sessions with musician Fraser […]

16 March 2020

The power of arts-based research methods in early years

Despite a growing culture of ‘listening to children’, opportunities for young children to be meaningfully involved in developing the services and policies that affect them remain limited. Researchers from Strathclyde University have been exploring whether the arts can help ensure our youngest citizens have a voice.

10 February 2020

An explosion of dance, colour and sound

Bring together a dancer, some music, brightly coloured paint with the fearless imaginations of very young children. Mix them up and what do you get? “Something that’s unique, probably chaotic and unpredictable but bright, bold and very beautiful in its own way” says Starcatchers Associate Artist Katy Wilson. As part of her research […]

4 February 2020

Space for Imagination

It’s not unusual for people to associate ‘drama’ with performance, but with very young children the focus is on creating opportunities for exploration and imaginative play, says artist and theatre maker Heather Fulton.

17 December 2019

A World of Play and Make Believe

Connections between children and puppets can be extremely powerful, says Simon Hart, Artistic Director of Puppet Animation Scotland. They provide a supportive context within which a child can safely explore their own agency and self-awareness.

16 December 2019

Rhythm is innate

Nurture children’s innate rhythm through music during their earliest years, says musician and educator Fraser Stone. It’s an opportunity for them to stamp their beauty on the world.

13 December 2019

Arts strengthening intergenerational bonds

An intergenerational arts project enabling care home residents and nursery children to work with professional artists and be creative together has been resoundingly positive for both groups, strengthening community bonds, improving wellbeing and raising staff expectations about what participants are capable of. ArtFelt, a unique collaboration between Starcatchers and Luminate, Scotland’s Creative Ageing Organisation […]

4 December 2019

Moving matters

Creative movement provides wonderful opportunities for young children to make independent choices and express their thoughts, feelings and ideas. Touch and movement are our earliest senses and provide learning experiences which have a huge influence on development and wellbeing, says Skye Reynolds, dance and creative movement artist.

2 December 2019

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