AS PART of a major public art project which is set to take over Basingstoke over the summer, pupils from 10 primary and secondary schools have been getting their hands dirty in preparation.
Over the bank holiday weekend, school pupils will be putting the finishing touches to their mini BookBenches.
These will be part of the Sitting with Jane project, which is being held across the town to celebrate 200 years since the death of Jane Austen.
The idea of getting schools involved in the project, developed by Destination Basingstoke in association with ‘Wild in Art’ and sponsored by The Gazette, is to give the younger generations a chance to explore the authors work in an artistic way.
Among the schools selected to take part in the project will be Chawton CE Primary School, located in the village that Austen grew up and wrote six of her novels – four of which were published while she was still a resident.
Marnel Junior School, Rucstall Primary School, Cliddesden Primary School, The Priory Primary School, North Waltham Primary School located just a few miles from Steventon where Jane Austen was born and lived 25 years, Overton C of E Primary School, The Costello School, Brighton Hill Community School and Daneshill School will all be taking part.
Managing director at Destination Basingstoke, Felicity Edwards, said: “The schools’ involvement has been key, we want to use the Sitting with Jane event as a catalyst to encourage young people to enjoy reading and their local history.
“Designing the benches has complemented lessons as well, the inclusion of literacy, history and geography has enabled pupils to gain a real depth of understanding about Jane’s family origins, where she grew up and the local heritage of Basingstoke – the inspiration for so many of her novels.”
The schools’ BookBench designs will be on display in Festival Place from tomorrow until Friday, June 2.
At the end of the exhibition the mini BookBenches will return to their respective schools’ libraries and entrances as a reminder of the significance and contribution Jane Austen had to literature.
To find out more about the Sitting with Jane project visit sittingwithjane.com
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