During February half term the Sixth Form Art, Drama, Music and Textiles students visited New York, USA, and it was incredible. We had a jam packed holiday with a wide range of sightseeing activities, a cross section of arts experiences and walking (we averaged 30,000 steps on one occasion).

On the first day we took our first subway to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island which we travelled to by ferry. We then went and saw the 911 Memorial and walked around Manhattan sightseeing. In the evening we had an amazing time ice skating in Central Park, surrounded by skyscrapers lit up at night. 

On day two we started the day walking through the streets to Radio City. We were lucky to have a private tour backstage and see where everything happened for performances and productions, as well as meeting a Rockette! We were able to look and learn about their sound system and the acoustics in the hall, as well as see the costumes worn by the Rockettes over the years. In the afternoon we went shopping where we were able to buy gifts and souvenirs to remember the trip.

For our evening activity we watched a Broadway show – ‘Moulin Rouge’ which was very atmospheric, encompassing all avenues of the Creative Arts from acting and lighting to music and set design. We even saw Boy George live on stage who made reference to Karma Chameleon. 

On the third day we participated in a theatre workshop at Pearl Studios NYC where we worked with our instructor Spencer Dean on improvisation. The afternoon was spent at the Guggenheim Museum, a beautiful art museum and building located on 5th Avenue. We then climbed up the Empire State Building and took many photos of the landscape we saw around us. Our evening was spent at the world famous Ellen’s Stardust Diner where the waiters and waitresses sing and dance around the restaurant as they serve you, encouraging you to join in, many of them making it to Broadway. 

On our last day we visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and we were able to see many paintings and sculptures by world famous artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Kandinsky and Malevich. We even had a surprise catch up with Miss Brunskill! Then it was sadly time to say goodbye to New York and fly home.

LVI Art students