The Market Drayton School’s Calendar Project Story
Market Drayton School’s Calendar Project was set up in 2014 in collaboration with 12 local Primary Schools and the Grove Secondary School. with the objective of developing and celebrating school children’s artwork of all ages, culminating in local public exhibitions and a painting chosen from each school to feature annually in a printed Calendar. Since 2014 ,the project has evolved and has continued to grow in strength from year to year.
From 2022, over 2000 children/students in local primary schools have taken part each year in art workshops, run by our team of volunteers, with a minimum of 10 children’s paintings, from all age groups, chosen from each school to be displayed in Public Art Exhibitions.
Feedback from school staff and members of the community have reported that the quality of the primary children’s artwork and levels of confidence have shown significant development since the team have been running the workshops.
We make no charges to the schools. From the outset, local businesses have generously sponsored the printing and publishing costs of the Calendar. All revenue generated from calendar sales, alongside grants and donations, directly fund the running of the school workshops and public exhibition activities.
Every child in each school benefits from the proceeds, which pays for the nominal fee to our local resident professional artist and purchase of art materials used in the primary school workshops. Grove Secondary School Art Department do not participate in the workshops and were given a £1300 donation towards the purchase of a replacement kiln.
Public Exhibitions
Every year during October half term, we organise free entry public exhibition days in the Main Hall, Grove School to showcase up to 14 shortlisted paintings aged 4 -11 year olds from each local primary school and students from the secondary school. On Awards Day they are all presented with a certificate by the Mayor of Market Drayton . For the month of November the exhibition moves to be displayed in the Art Gallery in the Festival Centre, free entry to visitors during opening hours
Each year we also invite a local adult arts creator to showcase examples of their work. These have included paintings, craftwork, pottery, photography and poetry.
Exhibition Preview Evening
As a gesture of thanks, we invite local dignitaries, our business sponsors , supporters and members of the participating schools' staff every year, as an opportunity to view the full exhibition prior to it being open to the public. During the evening our guests are served wine and refreshments with entertainment by local choir 'Little Voices' .
Primary School Calendar Paintings 2026
