Tue. Nov 12th, 2024

February half term at QUAD in Derby

There are activities for children and families over the February half term at QUAD in Derby. Inspired by QUAD’s current exhibition, V.O2 GRAVITY and QUAD’s 3D season, there will be a selection of events and activities for all ages.

Two free family workshops offer a chance for families to be inspired by digital arts and optical illusions. Digicraft: Family Workshop is an artist-led drop-in session working with a range of digital and visual art skills to make a piece of artwork together to take home and also to interact with online afterwards. Digicraft: Family Workshop is free and takes place in QUAD on Friday 21st February from 10:00am until 12:00pm, it is drop-in and there is no need to book.

I See I See: Optical Illusion Workshop is a free workshop exploring optical illusions and their history with Artist Katie Petraitis. I See I See: Optical Illusion Workshop takes place on Friday 21st February from 1:00pm until 3:00pm. The workshop is free, but booking essential through QUAD Box office.

Older children to be left unaccompanied at ‘KidsQUAD’ and ‘DigisQUAD’ two-day workshops exploring 3D over half term. KidsQUAD: Adventures in 3D Animation Workshop, specifically for children aged seven to eleven years, is a chance for children to bring their own 3D world to life by designing, making, animating and scripting 3D ‘clay-mation’ figures. KidsQUAD: Adventures in 3D Animation Workshop takes place on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th February from 10:30am until 12:30pm, the cost is £20 for both sessions and places need to be booked in advance.

DigisQUAD: Make Your Own 3D Action Figure, specifically for children aged twelve to sixteen years, is a chance to create a detailed 3D scan of yourself before editing it in 3D software and adding props and costumes. Work with digital artist Darius Powell to become a Superhero, Astronaut, Cyborg, Princess or Warrior! The models will be printed out afterwards using QUAD’s 3D printer. DigisQUAD: Make Your Own 3D Action Figure takes place on Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th February from 1:30pm until 4:00pm the cost is £30 for both sessions and places need to be booked in advance.

The Exhibition V.02 GRAVITY is on display over half-term in QUAD Gallery until Sunday 23rd February. V.02 GRAVITY is an interactive audio and video installation featuring visuals, projection mapping, surround-sound and artworks that invite you to become the controller of a giant 3D A/V immersive and participatory environment. Other artworks on display in the exhibition include 3D themed artists IPads apps and a 3D printer. Gallery visitors will have the opportunity to be scanned in the 3D body scanner and printed as a 3D artwork that will also be included in a specially created virtual world, viewable through an Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset.

Free 3D Printing and V.O2: Meet the Artists Drop-in Sessions take place in QUAD Gallery every Saturday until 22nd February, from 10:00am until 12:00pm. The sessions are a chance to meet the V.02 artists for an informal tour of the exhibition, see the 3D printer in action and be digitized to appear in the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality world.

Outside of the exhibitions, there are regular events that also take place over half-term. Every Saturday in QUAD, Lego Saturday is a chance for children (and grown-ups!) of those aged three and above to come and have a play with Lego in the Family Friendly Resource area outside QUAD Gallery. Lego Saturday is free and takes place from 11:00am until 4:00pm, all children should be accompanied.

A Family Friendly Valentines Disco, aimed at families with children aged from 0 up to 5 years, is a chance to bring little ones for their first disco! Join in the fun in a safe child-focused environment organised by QUAD’s Listen Love Learn group. Siblings up to 9 years are also welcome and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Family Friendly Valentines Disco takes place on Saturday 15th February, from 1:00pm until 3:00pm, tickets are £2 for one child and one adult, with additional tickets for children or adults at £1 each, available through QUAD Box office.

Listen Love Learn is a programme of free creative activities for families with children up to five years, taking place in QUAD every Tuesday. Listen Love Learn offers a supportive environment to learn new skills and share experiences with focused sessions for young parents, babies, toddlers, mums, dads and families together. For details of weekly Listen Love Learn sessions and times please see:  www.derbyquad.co.uk/category/arts-health or contact Mandym@derbyquad.co.uk

In QUAD Cinemas, Frozen (U) will be showing daily as a ‘Cine Kids’ Family friendly screening.

In the film, Kristoff and Anna set off on a mountainous journey to find her missing sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in an eternal winter. With difficult conditions, mystical trolls and a snowman named Olaf, the two race to save their kingdom. Please check QUAD website for daily screening times. All tickets are £3.50 for Cine Kids Club members, Cine Kids membership is a one-off fee of £12 and covers the whole family.

 For more information or to book places for any of the events please call QUAD Box office on: (01332) 290606 or see: www.derbyquad.co.uk

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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