Biggest Learning Opportunity in the World?

Would you like to look inside a special box which stores the memories of an amazing event?

LIFT’s highly skilled team of artists have been working with seven schools across London exploring the possibilities of theatre through the LIFT Living Archive and using the Olympic Games as a catalyst to create their own special event.

LIFT’s project ‘And The Winner Is … London’ forms part of ‘The Biggest Learning Opportunity on Earth’, A New Direction’s Olympic-themed 2010/11 Enquiry Schools programme. This is an innovative London-wide partnership programme exploring the value of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a learning opportunity for young Londoners, and is taking place in 150 schools across London.

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Wembley Primary School

Powerful images from the LIFT Living Archive grabbed the attention of pupils from Wembley Primary School. Collaborating with LIFT artists, the children used recycled materials to construct Guardians of the seven Olympic values which they proudly introduced to the mayor of Brent.

A group of four people walk around the school, the girl at the front carries a large handbag.

The Compton School

Taking inspiration from the unusual setting of the ‘Urban Dream Capsule’ show, LIFT’99, year 8 pupils from The Compton School in Barnet devised a promenade performance and audio piece about the Olympic announcement in July 2005 and the London bombings the following day.

Chestnut Grove School

Working with the A Level Art students at Chestnut Grove School in Wandsworth, Dan Scott, Eddie George and Sue Mayo worked with the students around the idea of them creating an Archive of themselves.

An orange box with the word RESPECT printed on blue tisse paper, containing an old punishment book

St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School

Inspired by the performance of Buchettino (LIFT 01) and the school’s fascinating archive, children from St Mary Magdalen’s Catholic Primary School in Lewisham developed a site-specific performance using sound, found objects, large cupboards, rhyme and storytelling.

Bunting in the foreground and handmade flags in the background

The Elmgreen School

A year 7 class from The Elmgreen School in Lambeth have been working with LIFT’s team of artists to invent their own countries and devise a global citizenship ceremony for visitors from a local primary school.

A group photo with the young participants and their models

Winchmore School

Seventeen budding dramatists from Winchmore School in Enfield have been experimenting with sound and voice to create a radio play about a character’s epic journey to find the Olympics.

Inside a willow structure woven with blue plastic strips, objects and flags hang in plastic envelopes

Winston Way Primary School

A year 5 class from Winston Way Primary School in Redbridge have transformed their roof garden with an Olympic Dome, nicknamed ‘The Twigloo.’ The interactive installation brings together found objects from the 206 countries competing in the Olympics and invites the audience to listen to a soundscape of the children’s ideas about home.

A woman stands next to a line of blue, red and white ribbon hung across a roof garden.

The Artists

Our team of artists have been kept on their toes, building seven distinct projects inspired by the Olympic Games and the LIFT Living Archive. Using their range of skills they have helped the seven participating schools to create diverse events ranging from outdoor installations and interactive performances to storytelling and radio shows.