Gabrielle Paananen was able to get so much out of her Award and we really enjoyed reading about all her experiences. We have included some snippets below, To read the Full Report Click Here.

“I volunteered during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where I worked Front of House at Venue 40. This was a great way to be part of the festival, work as part of a team and see more than thirty different shows. Working at the venue also enabled me to learn more about the intricacies of organising and running an international festival venue.”

“I spent a week in Devon being trained by Andrew Sinclair, a multi award winning sculptor whose work has been displayed in organisations and houses throughout the globe. The training was based around animal anatomy and how to bring the creature to life through the shape and movement of the muscles. This was fantastic knowledge to gain as I now have a good basis to further my skills in this area and use them in creature design.”

“I completed my Taxidermy Training in Guisborough with Dave Hornbrook, a Specialist & Accredited Member of the Guild of Taxidermists. Over a week a I learnt the art of preparing and mounting the skins of both birds and mammals. Dave taught me how to produce a mannequin using both traditional and modern techniques, about anatomy, how to assemble and pose the body, finishing and creating habitat.”

“This trip was a true game-changer for me. It has enabled me to explore and develop skills as a maker and performer and immerse myself in other worlds in ways that would not have been possible without BBM/PACT support. I will spend years processing and exploring the things I have learnt, the perspectives I have gained and the skills I have developed. The connections I have made with practitioners will be invaluable into the future. I now have a network of contacts of people from around the globe.”

10th April, 2017