Last year support was given by ExeDFAS members, through their committee, to the Topsham School for their very successful South American Art Week with a visiting artist.  This year we have made it possible with our funding for two Budleigh schools, Drake's C of E Primary and St. Peter's Primary to enjoy similar support from a printmaker and a willow sculpturist respectively.  The feedback from the schools to DAISI (Devon Arts in Schools Initiative) was very appreciative: "A brilliant day, thank you so much.  The children were really positive and the work was of really good quality - good enough to sell, which we shall be doing later this term for schol funds.  Without ExeDFAS the project could not have gone ahead."  Members were very appreciative of the AGM exhibition of photographs of the children at work and of their results.

It is good to know that financial help from our group has enriched the creative exerience of well over 150 primary school children in the past two years.  In the coming year we plan to offer support for older students at Exmouth Community College.  We are also hoping to bring pleasure to the lives of young carers in Devon, perhaps by providing for an Arts Activity day for them.
For many months committee members have debated on how we can support yet another age group - post-graduate young artists.  Having taken advice from Art College Lecturers we have now offered a travelling scholarship of £250 to a young Topsham man who has recently graduated with a good Fine Arts Degree.  He is naturally delighted and over the next few weeks will be considering how best he can use this bursary and informing us of his plans.
                                                               Margaret Butt

Last year the committee of ExeDFAS made a Young Arts grant of £500 to Topsham School. This enabled years 5 and 6 to enjoy the support and expertise of two artists during the school's Art Week in January 2009.

The children were very excited and enthusiatic about the project and thoroughly enjoyed the week.  Parents and staff were most appreciative of the generous support of ExeDFAS.