• The Hive

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“By teaching children about bees and the important role that bees fulfill within our environment we can inspire the next generation to preserve and protect natural habitats, essential not only for our wellbeing as a nation, but also the production of honey and to the survival of the humble British bee,” Bill Oddie

What is the project?

To celebrate the bumble bee we have commissioned the environmental artist Emily Tracy to design a large-scale, site-specific outdoor sculpture to represent a beehive.

The structure, entitled “The Hive”, will measure approximately five metres high. Contained within this structure will be a honeycomb of hexagonal tiles, each tile designed and decorated by a London primary school.  In addition to being displayed on London’s South Bank in the week commencing 7 September, the sculpture will also be integrated into the closing highlight of the Thames Festival, the Night Procession on the evening of Sunday 13 September.

Designed to dovetail with the National Curriculum, the project aims to encourage children to learn about bees, and how they live and work together. The beehive has long been a symbol of industriousness that embodies the work ethic and the importance of working together as a co-operative. The project also draws attention to the significance of the bee in an environmental context, charting the fascinating history of bees and investigating the reasons for their rapid decline in numbers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

During May, June and July artists work for half a day in each school, with a group of Year 4 or 5 pupils. The workshop introduces children to scientific drawing, giving them the opportunity to look closely at the anatomy of bees, and also to the concept of working together to produce an artwork. After observing a range of images of bees, both photographs and drawings, children experiment and develop their drawing skills by drawing each part of a bee's anatomy. These drawings are then photocopied and reduced in size to just over life size. Gold leaf is added to the drawings, then the finished drawings are collaged into honeycomb panels which are then taken by the artist and added to the final sculpture. 

The original drawings are mounted to form a collaborative artwork and left as a record of the project in the school.

The following schools are taking part:  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Lyonsdown School
Osidge Primary School
Northside Primary School
Independent Jewish Day School
Claremont Primary School
St. Stephen's Catholic Primary School
St. Stephen's Catholic Primary School
St. Michael's East Wickham CE (VA) Primary School
Christ Church CE Primary School
Roe Green Junior School
John Keble CE Primary School
St. Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School
Buxlow Preparatory School
Farnborough Primary School
Southborough Primary School
Darrick Wood Junior School
Burnt Ash Primary School
Burnt Ash Primary School
Perry Hall Primary School
Perry Hall Primary School
The Highway Primary School
Clare House Primary School
Blenheim Primary School and Nursery
Bickley Park School
Scotts Park Primary School
University College School - Junior Branch
St. Christopher's School
Christ Church CE Primary School
St. Joseph's RC Junior School
Monks Orchard Primary School
Forestdale Primary School
North Primary School
Beaconsfield Primary School
Eversley Primary School
St. John's CE Primary School
Starks Field Primary School
George Spicer Primary School
Chase Side Primary School
Woodhill Primary School
St. Olave's Preparatory School
Hawksmoor School
Nightingale Primary School
Shacklewell Primary School
William Patten School
Wormholt Park Primary School
Melcombe Primary School
Queen's Manor Primary School
Muswell Hill Primary School
Bruce Grove Primary School
Highgate Primary School
St. George's RC Primary School
Longfield First School
St. Anselm's RC Primary School
Pinner Wood School
Engayne Primary School
Edwin Lambert School
Scotts Primary School
Parsonage Farm Primary School
Pyrgo Priory Primary School
Suttons Primary School
St. Martin's School
St. Martin's School
Charville Primary School
Newham Junior School
Bourne Primary School
Coteford Junior School
Forge Lane Primary School
Crane Park Primary
Belmont Primary School
St. Lawrence RC Junior, Infant and Nursery School
William Tyndale Primary School
William Tyndale Primary School
Copenhagen Primary School
Ashmount Primary School
Oxford Gardens Primary School
Marlborough Primary School
Fox Primary School
St. Luke's CE Primary School
Rosendale Primary School
Streatham Wells Primary School
Fenstanton Primary School
St. Saviour's CE Primary School
Richard Atkins Primary School
Reay Primary School
Allen Edwards Primary School
Woodmansterne Primary School
St. Bernadette's RC Junior School
St. Augustine's Catholic Primary School
Rushey Green Primary School
John Stainer Primary School
St. William of York RC Primary School
Cooper's Lane Primary School
Stillness Junior School
Horniman Primary School
Sir John Cass's Foundation Primary School
The Study Preparatory School
The Study Preparatory School
Merton Abbey Primary School
Hollymount Primary School
St Peter & Paul Catholic School
Ursuline Preparatory School
Nelson Primary School
Southern Road Primary School
Curwen Primary School
William Davies Primary School
St. Francis Catholic Primary School
Star Primary School
Star Primary School
Ranelagh Primary School
St. Antony's Catholic Primary School
Godwin Junior School
Cleveland Junior School
Goodmayes Primary School
Woodlands Junior School
The Vineyard Primary School
Meadlands Primary School
Denmead School
Dulwich Hamlet Junior School
Lyndhurst Primary School
Lyndhurst Primary School
Lyndhurst Primary School
Hollydale Primary School
St. George's Cathedral RC Primary School
Albion Primary School
Robin Hood Junior School
John Scurr Primary School
Virginia Primary School
Stepney Greencoat CE Primary School
Cayley Primary School
Mayflower Primary School
Harbinger Primary School
South Grove Primary School
Mission Grove Primary School
Henry Maynard Junior School
Gwyn Jones Primary School
Yardley Primary School
St. Mary's RC Primary School
West Hill Primary School
Hall School Wimbledon - Junior Department
Hall School Wimbledon - Junior Department
High View Primary School
Millbank Primary School
Westminster Cathedral RC Primary School
St. Mary Magdalene's CE Primary School
Garden House School

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