News
Hidden Drawers
Hidden Drawers is the outcome of a research project by artist Sarah Casey, which identifies shared practices in drawing and costume conservation.
The works exhibited test new forms of drawing which explore the visual, poetic and conceptual understandings of delicacy. Over the past three years Sarah Casey, who is Lecturer in Sculpture and Installation at Lancaster University, has been making visits to the dress collections at Kensington Palace, working with their curators to observe how intimate and personal items of underwear are stored, handled and viewed. In the emergent works, the drawn mark manifests some of the curatorial concerns around these objects, specifically the potential for care or destruction latent in light and the human touch.
Sarah's work will be on display in the Clore Learning Centre at Kensington Palace from January to May 2013 and access is by appointment via kensingtoneducation@hrp.org.uk
Please find below a link to a copy of the catalogue for the exhibition.
Hidden Drawers catalogue PDF
New schools programme April 2012
Kensington Palace is now re-open after a £12million development project. We're delighted to be launching exciting new schools sessions as part of this re-opening. Bring your KS1 and 2 classes to explore all the curious tales of this really royal palace.
Click on the image to download the KS1 and 2 schools poster or go to the school and college visits page to find out more.
Come and help us encourage learners of all ages to be curious at Kensington!
We are looking for enthusiastic and friendly people to join our education volunteers’ community at Kensington Palace.
Kensington Palace has undergone an exciting and innovative £12million transformation project. We now have a new Clore Learning Centre at Kensington with fantastic new facilities and hope to welcome more school groups, families and adult learners to the palace.
As an education volunteer, you will be joining the education team at Kensington Palace delivering a range of learning activities for all ages. Our aim is to encourage our learners to come and be curious at Kensington. We work with learners from 5 to 90 years old; primary and secondary school students, GCSE and A level students, family audiences and adult education learners.
If you are interested in applying for this role, please complete a volunteer registration form and return it to Sarah Levine, Apartment 45, Hampton Court Palace, KT8 9AU or email it to Sarah.Levine@hrp.org.uk
Forms are available to download from our website – www.hrp.org.uk or paste this link into your browser: http://www.hrp.org.uk/aboutus/workingforus/ourvolunteers. Please put on your form that you’re interested in getting involved as an education volunteer.
For more information please download our call for volunteer advert
Past Projects
Love, duty, power, transformation, secrets and magic
As part of the Creative Quarter event with Exhibition Road Cultural Group, students from Northbrook College (Sussex) and St Marylebone C.E. School (Westminster) came to Kensington Palace and created short films, taking a theme from the exhibition as their inspiration.
Returning for a sixth year, this free event for 13-19 year olds is a unique chance for young people to learn about their prospects in the creative industries.
Organised by the Exhibition Road Cultural Group (ERCG), Creative Quarter provides a chance to meet professional artists, designers and scientists – as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students – and to take part in free drop-in activities, workshops, talks and demonstrations.
Under the direction of a film maker from Chocolate Films, students explored the Enchanted Palace capturing shots relating to their theme. After the workshop, Chocolate Films edited all the shots together into this set of 6 beautiful and evocative short films.
I’d like to say a big thank you to all the students who took part in the project, you should feel very proud of your work. I’d also like to say thanks to Ben and Mark from Chocolate Films as well as James Jones Morris for all their hard work and enthusiasm.
To view the films please go to the HRP You Tube site
Jenny Wedgbury, Education Officer, Kensington Palace
Artist in Residence at Kensington Palace
May - September 2011
We're delighted to announce that we have recently appointed artist Natalie Ryde to take up a residency at Kensington Palace
During the recent building work on the palace fragments of historic wallpaper have been found hidden behind cupboards and panelling under plaster, panelling and behind cupboards. We have found fragments dating from the 1790’s to the 1940’s, giving a fascinating glimpse into the historic decoration of this part of the palace. There are regency blue stripes, bright orange floral patterns, Chinese inspired traces of bamboo lattice as well as pin print hand-printed designs.
The wallpaper fragments were found on the ground floor rooms of the palace, rooms which used to be inhabited by high-status servants and housekeepers. These cryptic unfinished patterns form the basis for our current Artist in Residence programme at the palace. We are delighted to announce that we have recently recruited artist Natalie Ryde to conduct a residency at the palace from April – September where Natalie will be working on her own commission as well as with our learning audiences to create work inspired by the wallpaper fragments.
To see examples of Natalie's work and images from the project pleas go to our HRP learning blog and flickr account.
Design Quest
September 2010 - July 2011
HRP Education have been working in partnership with the Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts on DesignQuest, an exciting and innovative project sponsored by the Burberry Foundation which was aimed at encouraging young people to learn about costume and design, as well as to have a go at creating their own sartorial masterpieces.
The project ran from November 2010 and involved 330 students from years 7-9 from nine London schools and featured visits to our very own Kensington Palace, including the amazing Enchanted Palace exhibition, as well as an opportunity to handle items from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.
This all served as inspiration for students’ own designs which they then went on to complete for a celebration event which took place at the Banqueting House earlier this week.
In attendance was the Duchess of Cornwall who was able to talk to many of the students involved. Costume created during the project was modelled by students from RADA and shown in all its glory on the catwalk during the event.
For more information about the Design Quest project please go to our HRP learning blog
Map Makers Project
June - July 2010
This project looked at the history of the local area around Kensington Palace. Year 5 students from Fox Primary (RBKC), worked with the education team at the palace to create an interactive website with information about buildings and public spaces in the borough. Their research and art work focused on the connections between these buildings and public spaces and Kensington Palace itself.
Students also worked with staff from the Local Studies Library at Kensington Central Library as well as illustrator David Atkinson.
Please explore the website at www.palacemapmakers.co.uk
Kensington Palace Portrait Project
April - May 2010
From April – May, a group of Year 10 Art and Design students worked with photographers, Chris King and Alex Drago, to create their own portraits in hidden and unused parts of the palace.
Students explored themes of image, identity and transformation through the work of photographers connected to Kensington such as Lord Snowdon and Cecil Beaton, as well as other portraits in our collection.
The students designed, curated and posed for their own portraits, taken on a large format camera in the palace. An exhibition of the students work was held at Kensington Palace on 28th May.
Wimbledon College of Art costume show
Friday 30 April 2010
16.00 - 17.00
From bejeweled bats, caged princesses and wild-child princes Wimbledon College of Art students have been taking inspiration from the Enchanted Palace at Kensington to create their own fantastical costume designs.
The education team, Front of House team and WILDWORKS theatre company worked collaboratively with final year BA Costume Design and Interpretation students to help them represent the stories of Kensington through chiffon, sequins, velvet and wax!
We celebrated the outcomes of the project with a costume show, led by the students, at Kensington on Friday 30th April.
Information about projects
If you would like to register your interest in taking part in any of these projects or events, please email or call the education team on E: kensingtoneducation@hrp.org.uk T: 0203 166 6626
