Creative fun with animation stars

Enter a magical world created by some of the UK’s most imaginative and award-winning artists and animators. Meet Morph, celebrated early star of Aardman Animations, watch friends become skeletons and create your own animations.

The world-famous Aardman Animations, creators of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, offer a series of Animation Stations, interactive zones for visitors to experiment and create their own animation using the software and props provided.

Alongside this will be a display featuring Morph, the animated clay character who made his TV debut in 1977 in BBC children’s art programme Take Hart.

The exhibition also features several animation techniques from other commissioned artists.

See your face come to life as it flies around with wings with Chris Squires’ Wing-Face Anima.

Enter an imaginary world full of animation with David Urwin’s The Nature of Imagination.

Be the star in your own film with Mark Hewis’ and Eleanor Meredith, BAT Studio and The Workers’ absorbing and evolving animation films.

See Spacecadets’ inflatable skull projected with Phenakistoscopes, and Michele Panegrossi and Aye Aye’s playful installation of origami paper in Invisible Cities.

The AniMotion exhibition also offers a series of workshops for children aged six to 13 with established artists in the February and March school holidays, from £2 per child. Work with author and illustrator Liz Million and learn about everything cartoony in the Cool Cartoon Club.

Join artist Ellie Meredith to create giant charcoal drawings and see doodles come to life in the Giant Drawing Animation Workshop. Helen Piercy is also holding a stop motion animation Master class.

Continuing the arty fun, children are invited to come and play with Tony and Picasso in The Boy Who Bit Picasso by United Artists.

The first Family Sunday show of The Civic’s spring season, there will be storytelling, music and lots of chances to make art, introducing one of the 20th century’s most influential artists through the eyes of a young boy.

Don’t dress up though, it could get messy!

AniMotion is in The Civic Gallery from Saturday to March 26. It is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm (last admission 4.45pm), and admission is free.

The Boy Who Bit Picasso is at The Civic on Sunday and Monday and the show is recommended for age four and over.

Box office: at the theatre, call 01226 327000 or go online at Barnsley Civic