Pupils from two high schools in Cardiff are learning about the city’s Iron Age and Roman heritage through a range of creative activities.
The CAER Roman ‘Diff Fusion project, led by academics at Cardiff University, has seen a collective of young people from Cardiff West Community High School and Fitzalan High School coming together for a series of weekly discovery activities exploring the fascinating history that’s just on their doorsteps.
It is hoped the project, which brings together three University projects – CAER Heritage, Community Gateway and Creative Cardiff, along with community development organisation Action in Caerau and Ely (ACE), and Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum of Wales, will succeed in forming new friendships and an ongoing inter-community youth forum as well as inspiring the young people in their studies.
Sessions include a trip with special access to explore artefacts from Ely’s Roman 2000 year-old villa, excavated nearly 100 years ago and now stored in museum archives, along with co-created temporary art installations at Ely’s Roman Villa and Cardiff Castle, experimental archaeology activities such as making Roman cosmetics at the CAER Centre and a heritage video game designing jam at Grange Pavilion.
Using these experiences as inspiration, students will then work with a project artist commissioned by Creative Cardiff to co-create an artwork and performance later this autumn.
