TWO Tavistock residents? innovative ?stone-carrying? project has secured a coveted BBC bursary award. Caroline Keane and Chanda Nyerezani?s traditional African drumming and stone-carrying project aims to illustrate the rich diversity and heritage of other cultures and the insights these offer in relation to the West Devon environment. The project is one of 12 winning applications to the BBC?s Breeze scheme which promotes up-and-coming creative talent. Having secured the bursary, they will be given a one-week paid placement, working with media and arts professionals to develop the project. During the last few weeks, Caroline and Chanda have been visiting several primary schools in the Tavistock area, introducing the children to traditional Zimbabwean storytelling, drumming, dancing and themed artwork during a series of multi-cultural workshops. Caroline, who is also deputy mayor of Tavistock, said: ?Winning this prestigious award is very exciting and having the BBC publicity and website input is going to make a big difference to the stone-carrying project.? Caroline said she hoped other local artists and musicians would join the project and help take it forward. Children and adults recently took selected stones to a small ceremonial event at Merrivale stone circle ? next spring, Caroline and Chanda will be taking their own stone to a variety of schools and community centres in a circle around Dartmoor, culminating in a dawn chorus at Merrivale.
