'Museums at Night' - Norwich Castle

I am a History of Art student at the University of East Anglia in a love affair with contemporary art.

When I received an email back in December with the opportunity to work alongside other young art lovers as part of a collaborative inspired by Jeff Koons, it was a dream come true. After the Koons Collaborative was formed, we found ourselves swept up in the magic of this highly influential and often controversial figure in the art world. Together we have planned a stimulating programme of events to accompany a world class exhibition here in Norwich. After months of training and advice from professionals in all fields of the art industry, our ten-strong team have planned three exciting events that aim to encourage young people to engage with thought-provoking art. The first event in our programme is 'Museums at Night' on Saturday the 16th of May at one of the most beautiful locations in the East of England - Norwich Castle.

So what will be happening this Saturday? Alongside the amazing selection of Jeff Koons’ work, we have planned an array of exciting activities including Koons-inspired arts and crafts, accessible to all age groups, music and flash mobs from the City College’s dance troop. You can also have your photo taken in our Kitsch booth, however there is no guarantee you’ll pull off the outlandish, consumerist costumes!

Working on this project has been invaluable to me as an art historian and I’ve made many friends along the way. I have learnt a huge amount from immersing myself in the Jeff Koons world and getting up close and personal with pieces such as Caterpillar (with Chains) (2005), was more overwhelming than I could have imagined. This process has taught me about the need to leave your comfort zone and I am on my way to understanding the unfamiliar scene of marketing and PR.

Most importantly, I hope you can join us this Saturday! You’ll find me creating Koons-themed head gear, experimenting with vibrant paper windmills, or more likely having a boogey on our astro turf dance floor, where there will be a live band and DJ sets inspired by the artist himself.

-- Louisa Brown