Author: communications

FINDING Creativity and Connection After Modern Slavery

Posted on October 21, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

FINDING Creativity and Connection After Modern Slavery

Finding creativity and connection after modern slavery - Art Is Freedom participant creating art work

Art is Freedom is a powerful initiative developed by the charity Hestia, offering survivors of modern slavery a platform to express themselves creatively and reclaim their voices. Delivered in collaboration with a range of partners, the project culminates in an annual exhibition marking Anti-Slavery Day.

Earlier this year, thanks to support from multinational law firm Ashurst, Create was proud to collaborate with Hestia to deliver a series of painting workshops led by our professional artist Alba. These enabled 16 participants to explore the theme ‘Seen and Heard’ through visual art.

One participant, who remains anonymous, shared their reflections on the experience – from learning new artistic techniques to rediscovering a sense of purpose and pride.

CREATIVITY AND INSPIRATION

“I took part in choosing the theme this year with Hestia. So I really wanted to create something to respond to ‘Seen and Heard’. [I was] inspired by loads of things around me.”

The painting workshops encouraged creative experimentation through a wide range of techniques and materials.

“Alba introduced us to many techniques – we used different types of paints and brushes and created our own brushes and collage. I liked that Alba has so many tricks up her sleeve. She has so many tools – her warm-up sessions always amaze me. It makes us interactive and it opened up my horizons. I’ve never thought of using shaving foams or natural materials to [make art]. I had loads of fun.”

Exploring art in new ways offered more than just creative insight – it sparked joy, imagination and discovery in a space designed for healing and connection.

THE POWER OF CREATIVITY

Art is often a mirror – but it’s also a tool. For those dealing with trauma, it can provide a vital sense of identity and achievement.

“[Being creative] proves that I have the ability to do something else and really to achieve something for myself. I’m proud to see my work in all these different venues.“

It makes me feel like [my life] is not all about dealing with my legal case all the time.

ART IS FREEDOM Participant

Equally important was the chance to build community with others who shared similar experiences.

“[The other participants] have so much thought and they use colours differently and [have] different expressive tools. I like the vibe, people doing things together. I’m really looking forward to seeing how people grow.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF HESTIA

Through Hestia, survivors of modern slavery are not only supported practically, but emotionally – and creatively.

“Hestia has been [helpful] in so many different ways, like financial support, training and art [programmes]. It completely changed my life and it made me feel useful again.”

A CONTINUED NEED FOR SUPPORT

While modern slavery affects people of all ages, over 50% of referrals into the National Referral Mechanism each year are adults – meaning more than half of potential victims are adults with complex recovery needs.

Art-based programmes like Art is Freedom offer vital spaces where survivors can heal, express, and rebuild identity beyond their experiences of exploitation.

Create is proud to collaborate with Ashurst and Hestia on Art is Freedom, ensuring that survivors are not only supported, but celebrated for their courage, creativity and resilience.

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AN INTERVIEW WITH FUNDER JOHN LYON’S CHARITY

Posted on October 16, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

AN INTERVIEW WITH FUNDER JOHN LYON’S CHARITY

changing:minds 2025 showcase, visited by funder John Lyon's Charity

“We knew the projects would work because they’re being delivered by a trusted organisation.”

John Lyon’s Charity (JLC) is a grantmaker transforming the lives of children and young people by creating opportunities to learn, grow and thrive through education. Since 2013, Create has been proud to partner with JLC to deliver high-quality creative projects across London.

Through this long-standing collaboration, we have launched major programmes such as changing:minds, community:matters and inspired:arts, reaching disabled young people, young carers, care leavers and refugees in JLC’s priority boroughs. We spoke to Anna Hoddinott, Senior Grants and Communications Manager at John Lyon’s Charity, about the impact of our partnership – and why creativity matters more than ever.

SHARED VALUES, CREATIVE VISION

“There’s a lot of synergy between JLC’s values and those of Create. Create strives to evolve constantly, develop and hone its offerings. We see the value in Create’s approach and methodology: projects cross a multitude of different artforms and can be adapted to various audiences with various needs.

“Create has a passion for interrogating its work and striving to be the best that it can be, combining diverse artforms, passion, drive, high-quality practitioners and rigorous evaluation all in one place. If a funder wants to fund really high-quality projects, then Create gives a lot of options.”

building new programmes with trust at the core

Create’s long relationship with JLC has led to the co-design of key programmes including changing:minds, which embeds creativity and financial literacy, and community:matters, which brings creative workshops to young people in vulnerable circumstances. For JLC, that level of collaboration is based on deep trust.

“We have known Create for a considerable amount of time, which has enabled us as funders to believe in its ability to have the right impact and outcomes.

Create’s openness and flexibility to develop programmes targeting priority groups and locations for JLC made the charity an ideal partner.

Anna Hoddinott, Senior Grants and Communications Manager at John Lyon’s Charity

“This flexibility put Create in a really strong position to secure funding for new projects: we knew the projects would work because they’re being delivered by a trusted organisation.”

CREATING LONG-TERM IMPACT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

At the heart of this partnership is a shared belief that creativity should be participant-led, empowering children and young people to shape their own experiences. As Anna explains:

“The positive impact starts from the beginning. Participants can choose the artform that most resonates with them, giving them agency over their experience. This element of co-creation is really empowering and gives a greater impact because participants know that they are taking part in something that they have chosen to do.

“It’s really important that the participants are not delivered to, but delivered with. That really comes across with the work that Create does; participants are encouraged to find their own way through projects, while being supported to engage as much as they are able.

“The projects I have visited are always really engaging for the participants. All of the young people seem to be really enthusiastic.

“On the whole, the impact on participants is huge. And not just in the moment, but also long after the end of the project, instilling confidence, a sense of wellbeing and all the positivity that engaging in arts projects can bring.”

Why CREATIVITY MATTERS

Like Create, JLC recognises that creativity plays a fundamental role in education, emotional health and society at large – especially at a time when access to the arts is under threat.

“Creativity is fundamentally important for everybody. I think it’s important that creative arts are included in school curriculums, but they are so often overlooked in favour of more academic subjects.

“Having access to creativity and cultural capital can boost everybody’s mental wellbeing, helping people thrive emotionally, professionally, and in relationships.

Creativity gives a mirror to see yourself reflected and a window to view the world through different perspectives.

Anna Hoddinott, Senior Grants and Communications Manager at John Lyon’s Charity

“Being able to access creativity leads to a really well-rounded society with really healthy and grounded people within it.”

A MESSAGE TO FUTURE FUNDERS

When asked what she would say to other funders considering supporting Create, Anna’s answer was simple:

“Do it! It’s difficult to find organisations that deliver such a range of activities, specialising in working with so many different participant groups, with such quality.

“Create gives funders the confidence that their support will be used thoughtfully, rigorously and with great impact. You’d be supporting work that truly changes lives.”

A huge thank you to John Lyon’s Charity for funding changing:minds, community:matters and inspired:arts.

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Our:Stories – Drama, Storytelling and Reading at Pentland Field School

Posted on October 7, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

Our:Stories – Drama, Storytelling and Reading at Pentland Field School

Participants on our:stories exploring storytelling through sensory play.

At Create, we believe that reading, writing, storytelling and drama aren’t just school subjects – but powerful tools for confidence, identity and belonging. However, for many children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) these opportunities don’t always feel accessible or meaningful.

According to recent data, just one in three children and young people aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time in the UK- and reading enjoyment among this group has fallen to its lowest point in 20 years. SEND pupils are among those least likely to report reading for pleasure, yet they stand to benefit the most from high‑quality creative literacy programmes.

That’s why our:stories, Create’s project with SEND schoolchildren across London, is so important. Over six weeks in June and July 2025, artist James Baldwin delivered drama and storytelling workshops at Pentland Field School, a special school for SEND pupils. We caught up with Leah, a teacher at Pentland Field, to hear about how the project impacted students.

Engaging with Storytelling

Leah described how the pupils explored storytelling through song, drama and creative writing together:

“They have been supported each week to make choices about creative words they would like to use and about story sequencing. They have also been using art in different mediums and incorporating drama and storytelling into each session to create their own stories, which has allowed them all to be creative and do their own thing.”

Despite challenges, such as forming letters or full sentences, the sensory and multi‑modal nature of the sessions made it accessible and meaningful:

“When I’ve looked at some of the pupils’ work, I can see that they might not have formed every word or every letter, but having those different textures and different bits to be hands‑on with means they’re still being part of that creative process [and that’s] really important to them.”

Building Confidence and Connection

For many of the students, this was a chance to step confidently into performance and group work in ways they hadn’t before. Leah observed:

“A lot of our pupils haven’t got independent creative thinking skills, but in some of the work that I’ve seen, I can tell that they have used their own language… Confidence is a big thing. You can see that [the pupils] are so confident to get up and dance and sing and shine in front of all of those people.”

Coming together with other classes also helped students feel more themselves in front of peers, she noted:

They have definitely opened up more, and coming together with another class shows that they’ve got the confidence to be themselves in front of others.                  

Leah – community partner

Reading and Writing for Pleasure

One of the goals of our:stories is to foster enjoyment and ownership in reading and writing – not just proficiency. Leah shared moments where older students particularly surprised her by embracing creative writing:

“[The pupils] love stories and storytelling, but I think for some of the older, more mature boys to be proud of creative writing was something that I had never seen from that cohort before… They really had ownership of the story.”

She emphasises that the balance between structured writing and creative freedom is important:

“The pupils need a balance between getting things done on paper and having that creative freedom to be able to take a break, get a bit loose, and allow that to all come together.”

Looking Ahead: Embedding Creativity

The impact extended beyond the workshops themselves. Leah reports that teachers and staff are inspired to embed elements of our:stories into their classes permanently:

“We are going to start embedding [this learning], and think about that level of creativity [when teaching] reading and writing.”

Why It Matters

Over 19.6% of school pupils in England have identified special educational needs (SEND).

Reading enjoyment among 8‑18 year olds is now at its lowest level in decades: only 32.7% say they enjoy reading in their free time.

These statistics show the scale of the challenge – and why work like our:stories is so essential. Not just for skills, but for identity, wellbeing, voice and connection.

Funded with the support of the St Paul’s Schools Foundation [via The Mercers’ Company].

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Meet Maisie, a young carer from Nottingham

Posted on October 7, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

meet Maisie, a young carer from Nottingham

As the Chetwode Foundation’s grant period supporting Create comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the impact this funding has had on young carers across the UK – including through our inspired:arts project in Nottingham, delivered in partnership with TuVida East Midlands.

Over three days in April 2025, a group of young carers came together to explore visual art in a joyful, supportive space – giving them a much-needed break from their caring responsibilities, and the chance to connect with others through creativity.

A Space to Create and Connect

Led by professional artist Anna Clarke, the young participants worked across painting, sculpture and mixed media, experimenting with everything from spray paint to feathers and recycled materials.

Maisie, aged 11, was one of the participants. For her, the workshops were an opportunity to try something new, express herself, and simply have fun:

“We did an art project where we did loads of different activities – sculptures with eco-friendly materials, [making] our own jumpsuits with paint, and flicking paint to create a marble effect. We used buttons, diamantes, feathers and, my favourite, spray paint!”

She particularly appreciated working alongside other young carers she didn’t know before:

“Sometimes it’s nice to work with people you know but sometimes it’s nice to work with people that you don’t really talk to.”

Understanding Life as a Young Carer

Maisie helps care for her 16-year-old brother, who is epileptic, non-verbal and has severe autism:

“If my mum’s busy I’ll help him. I’ll make him toast, drinks, [help] with his iPad. I’ll make sure he’s alright when she’s gone.

Sometimes his behaviour is challenging because he can’t tell my mum what he wants. If he’s got a headache, he gets angry and my mum has to use a helmet to protect her face.

If he’s up all night making loud noises, it’s hard to sleep because he’s right below me.                   

“sometimes I don’t get as much sleep as I probably should.”

Maisie – inspired:arts participant

Her experience reflects the reality for many young carers across the UK – often carrying significant emotional and practical responsibilities at home while navigating school, friendships and growing up.

That’s why spaces like inspired:arts matter. They offer creative respite, reduce isolation and support wellbeing.

Creative Confidence and Emotional Wellbeing

Maisie found the creative challenges rewarding and stimulating:

“[I felt] very imaginative because [the project] makes your brain think hard. You have to be very precise to be able to build a sculpture, otherwise it’ll just look a bit messy. It makes me [happier] when I get to do art.”

Thank You

The grant from the Chetwode Foundation made it possible for us to deliver this high-quality, multi-artform project in Nottingham. It enabled young carers like Maisie to take part in joyful, hands-on creative activities, build new friendships and social confidence, and enjoy meaningful respite from the demands of their caring roles

Thank you for helping us create these life-enhancing moments.

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A STORY WORTH SAVING: ANIMATION, FINANCIAL SKILLS AND EMPOWERMENT FOR CHILDREN IN CARE

Posted on September 30, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

A STORY WORTH SAVING: ANIMATION, FINANCIAL SKILLS AND EMPOWERMENT FOR CHILDREN IN CARE

Animation elements from the care leavers.

Learning how to manage money is an essential life skill – but for many young people in care, access to that knowledge is limited. As they move towards independence, they often face adulthood earlier than their peers, with fewer support networks to fall back on. In fact, 39% of care leavers aged 19‑21 are not in education, training or employment, and a third become homeless within two years of leaving care.

That’s why Create’s change:matters programme exists: to build creative confidence while embedding financial literacy in engaging hands-on ways.

TELLING STORIES THROUGH ANIMATION

In May 2025, Create artist Chloe Cooper delivered a three-day stop-frame animation project with care-experience young people in Ealing. Jamilla*, a young person in care, used her creativity to craft a film about a man who wins the lottery, overspends and ends up being evicted:

The moral of the story is to show that things can happen unexpectedly and to always save as much money as possible.

JAMILLA – CHANGE:matters participant

CONFIDENCE, CONNECTION AND CREATIVITY

Through animation, Jamilla developed both technical and interpersonal skills:

“With animation, you need a lot of patience, because it’s very time-consuming. But it is actually very worth it and fun, I really enjoyed it. It’s rewarding watching it, and just knowing that all of your hard work [has been] put into a film.”

The project also helped Jamilla build social confidence:

“[I’ve enjoyed] getting to know new people, and I’ve gotten really close with them. When I first came, I was really shy. Then I built up a certain amount of trust with them, I could tell them lots of things.”

Now I can talk freely and that helped build my confidence a lot, because [usually] I don’t like meeting people.

JAMILLA – cHANGE:matters participant

Art as an emotional outlet

Jamilla spoke powerfully about the value of creativity for her mental health:

“I love art, it distracts me from everything that’s going on in my brain, and things that I don’t want to think about, and it locks [me] in to this one thing I want to get done. It’s just my creativity, my mind on a piece of paper, turning it into a story, that’s what I really like about it.

“Being creative gives you a chance to listen to your body, listen to your mind, just get away from any negative things. It helps you think more positively, it gives you a break. We also had some music on, we were singing whilst doing the work, which I found was really fun and [created] a nice, calm environment.”

learning FOR LIFE

From budgeting to understanding needs vs wants, Jamilla took away valuable life skills:

“I learnt that [money] can run out, that this economy is expensive because of the cost of living, and that we have to save money. I also learnt that you get more money from saving money, which I never knew.

“We ordered pizza, and we had to find the cheapest way [to do it]. I learnt about using a calculator and [figuring out] how much people wanted and how many slices we were going to get. We found the best worth [for] our money – we even had leftovers!”

OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Jamilla reflected on the lack of support for young people in care and how projects like change:matters can make a lasting difference:

I’m very grateful for this opportunity.

JAMILLA – cHANGE:matters participant

“This is my first time doing something like this, and I wish that there were lots more opportunities for other people in care, because we don’t get taught most of this stuff.

“We are most likely going to end up living in a semi-independent household, so we’re going to be living by ourselves at a really young age, and I think it’s really important for us to know all of this information from the start.”

Thank you to Chartered Accountants’ Livery Charity for funding this project.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity

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CREATIVITY AND CARE: BUILDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH CONNECTION

Posted on September 30, 2025 by - Stories, Blogs

cREATIVITY AND CARE: BUILDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH CONNECTION

A drawing by a care leaver

Across the UK, nearly 83,000 children are in care, many of whom have faced significant trauma, loss or instability. As these young people navigate complex systems and transitions, opportunities to build confidence, connect with others and develop life skills become vital. At Create, we know the creative arts can play a powerful role in nurturing these outcomes.

This was highlighted through our community:matters project with Brent Council, where children in care and care leavers explored drama and music workshops.

finding belonging through drama

Over three days in April 2025, Create artist Sophie Bentinck Craff led immersive drama workshops with a group of care-experience young people.

One participant, Naomi (18), shared the impact:

“Because I have autism and possibly ADHD, I already have lots of pent-up energy that I can’t get rid of. So having an outlet [in drama workshops] to do that, where it’s safe and controlled, it does help and also it is just really fun.”

From games like Wink Murder to creating characters and costumes, the workshops became a space for creativity, expression and connection.

“We’re all of a similar age, we have these little check-ins [with each other] and it’s good hearing about how other people have been doing.”

Navigating the care system often involves uncertainty and disruption. For Naomi, the chance to meet peers who shared similar experiences was hugely important:

“The system Is very constricting in a way, so these events where we can get together with other people who have gone through similar stuff are really important.”

Being here, [we are] able to have a community.

naomi – community:matters participant

Music as a tool for healing

Meanwhile, Lakshmi (23), a care leaver, took part in six weeks of music workshops led by Create musician Noga Ritter. With no previous experience beyond playing guitar, Lakshmi learnt to write lyrics, harmonise and use music software to record original work:

“[Now] I know about different voices and high and low harmonies. When I’m playing guitar, now I can put my vocals [over] it. [I’ve learnt] that I can create music. I can create lyrics. They don’t need to make sense – you can take a few words, bundle them together and go for it.”

The workshops also provided space to unwind during a stressful exam period:

“It felt amazing and relaxing [to write and record a song]. Recently I had my exams so it was a difficult period but coming here was tension-free. These two hours every week have really helped to calm my mind.”

And, critically, they helped Lakshmi reclaim a long-held creative dream:

“I wanted to sing and dance [when I was young]. And it didn’t [happen] because obviously I had my household situation and there were some financial issues as well. Now I’m looking for a job and I don’t have a chance to do creative [activities].”

“I appreciate that [Create] has done this for me because I have not been able to create since childhood.”

lakshmi – community:matters participant

At Create, we’re proud to work alongside care leavers to co-create spaces where they can express themselves freely, build confidence and find joy in connection.

community:matters Brent Council is funded by John Lyon’s Charity.

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CREATE CONVERSATIONS: CREATIVITY AND WELLBEING

Posted on September 18, 2025 by - News

CREATE CONVERSATIONS: CREATIVITY AND WELLBEING

A snapshot from our recent Create Conversations online discussion on Creativity and Wellbeing, showing all four panel guests.

On 20 May 2025, as part of Creativity and Wellbeing Week, we brought together leading voices from research, policy and the arts for a vital conversation exploring why creativity is essential to health and wellbeing – and how we can ensure everyone has access to its life-enhancing benefits.

Moderated by Dr Jenny Elliott OBE, the event featured powerful insights from:

  • Prof Ioannis Bakolis (King’s College London), an international expert in public mental health and population health policy.
  • Dr Jess Bone (University College London), whose research investigates how creative and cultural engagement supports mental health in young people.
  • Nicky Goulder MBE, Founding CEO of Create, who shared perspectives from two decades of delivering participatory arts projects with marginalised communities.

Together, they explored the growing evidence base around creative health, challenges in access and inequality, and how cross-sector collaboration can ensure the arts play a central role in a healthy, inclusive society.

There is a huge amount of evidence that the arts can be used to promote good health

DR JESS BONE

Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, practitioner or someone with a passion for creative wellbeing, this conversation is full of timely insights and calls to action.

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PRISONERS ON CREATE PROJECTS WIN 14 PRESTIGIOUS KOESTLER AWARDS 2025

Posted on September 3, 2025 by - Stories, News

PRISONERS ON CREATE PROJECTS WIN 14 PRESTIGIOUS KOESTLER AWARDS 2025

We’re thrilled to share the exciting news that participants on our prison projects have been recognised with 14 Koestler Awards – a huge achievement that celebrates the extraordinary creative talent and courage of those we work with.

These awards are presented by Koestler Arts, a charity that shines a light on the creative work of people in the criminal justice system. Each year, thousands of entries across artforms are judged by industry professionals, with the very best receiving Bronze, Silver, Gold and even Platinum Awards.

This year, we’re incredibly proud that participants across our Inside Change and Free Inside projects have been honoured with awards in categories ranging from radio drama and hip hop to poetry.

Platinum & Gold Awards for Powerful Radio Plays

Our highest accolade this year – a Platinum Award – was awarded to Soul Mates, a radio play created by women at HMP & YOI Low Newton during Inside Change. This thought-provoking piece showcases the exceptional writing, collaboration and performance skills developed by participants across four days of intensive workshops.

The radio play Selling Sally from Inside Change at HMP & YOI Low Newton earned a Gold Award, further highlighting the rich storytelling and bold creative voices nurtured during this programme.

[Projects like Inside Change] are very important because people can come into custody and feel like they have nothing. So, when these opportunities come, it’s nice for us to try something new and learn along the way.

– Participant, Inside Change 

Poetry and Performance Earning Bronze

A collection of poetry entitled I Need, I Want, I Am, created during Free Inside at HMP & YOI Low Newton, was recognised with a Bronze Award in the Poetry Collection category.

Another Bronze Award went to End of Time, a piece of original music in the Hip Hop, Rap and Grime category, created at HMP Cardiff during our Inside Change project. This track reflects not only musical skill but emotional depth and self-expression.

Highly Commended and Commended Success

Four radio dramas developed through our Inside Change programme were recognised in the Radio Play category. Big Boots to Fill, created at HMP Cardiff, and Not Quite Right, written at HMP & YOI Styal, both received Highly Commended Awards. Meanwhile, Ice Diamonds, also from HMP & YOI Styal, and Happy Hour, created at HMP Bronzefield, received Commended Awards.

Each of these productions showcase the powerful storytelling, collaboration and emotional insight nurtured through Inside Change, a project that uses radio drama to develop financial literacy, communication and creative skills within prison communities.

Six untitled photography works from HMP & YOI Low Newton also received Commended and Highly Commended Awards.

[Inside Change] is something different and you learn something new. I really enjoyed it. I liked writing the scripts and talking on the microphone. It’s built up my confidence a lot.

Participant, Inside Change

At Create, we believe that creativity is a human right. These awards demonstrate the power of the arts to break down barriers, build confidence and allow people to tell their stories in their own words. For people in prison, this opportunity can be life-changing – helping to develop skills and support rehabilitation.

We’re incredibly proud of all of our participants, and extend our thanks to the talented professional artists who led these projects with such care and commitment.

We’d also like to thank Koestler Arts for continuing to recognise the creativity within prisons, and the many funders and prisons who help make this work possible.

And finally – a huge congratulations to this year’s Koestler Award winners. Your voices matter, and we’re honoured to help share them with the world.

Nicky Goulder MBE, Founding Chief Executive

Thank you to Santander Foundation for funding Inside Change.

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CREATIVITY WITHOUT LIMITS: CELEBRATING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BRENT MENCAP

Posted on August 31, 2025 by - Blogs, Stories

CREATIVITY WITHOUT LIMITS: CELEBRATING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BRENT MENCAP

At Create, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to express themselves, build confidence, and feel seen. That’s the driving force behind our community:matters project with Brent Mencap. This empowers young people who have learning disabled through creative arts workshops designed to nurture connection, imagination and self-belief.

In April 2025, our professional writer Autumn Sharkey delivered three days of storytelling workshops with young people at Brent Mencap. What emerged from those sessions was not just a collection of colourful posters, poems and planets – but a galaxy of ideas, teamwork and growth.

SELF-EXPRESSION THROUGH STORYTELLING

Lola and Ian, staff members at Brent Mencap, described the vibrant creativity that unfolded over the week:

“The young people have done a lot – colouring, cutting, sticking … there’s even been poetry involved,” Lola shared, “They’ve made their own planets and each planet has their own song. They’ve put them on the solar system and created posters!”

Although the group was a mix of familiar faces and first-timers, it quickly became a united creative space.

“If you walked into that room, you wouldn’t know who was who,” Ian explained. “They’ve been reassuring and helping each other. It’s all been positive feedback.”

The result? Nine totally unique planets, each with its own identity – just like the young people who made them.

taking part in the activities helped me to clear my head after a busy day

(You can still send your works to communications@createarts.org.uk or tag us using #CreateWeek!)

CONFIDENCE FOR LIFE BEYOND THE WORKSHOP

As always with Create projects, learning was woven seamlessly into the creative process. From group collaboration to problem-solving, communication to reflection, the participants were building skills with every activity.

“These workshops are so carefully crafted and well-led that things flow, without any obvious ‘learning’ happening,” Ian shared. “But when you reflect on the young people’s skills, you realise all the learning is embedded in a whole load of fun.”

For some participants, the impact was especially powerful. Fred*, who has autism and learning disabilities, made remarkable progress in just three days.

“He went from being really uncomfortable and phased out, to taking part for a small time, to joining in the whole group with sculpture and dance. The progress he made is phenomenal.”

Ian – community partner

THE RIGHT TO BE CREATIVE

Lola put it simply: “Everybody should have the chance to be creative. Why shouldn’t disabled young people?”

Creativity, for these young people, is more than an activity – it’s a way to connect, grow and advocate for themselves.

“I’ve seen what has been achieved with these young people in giving them the confidence to participate, to create things, to stand up for themselves and fight for their rights,” she added. “And it’s just amazing.”

Ian agreed: “Humans are inherently creative beings … the higher the quality of creative input, like the [artists] that Create bring to workshops, the more of a difference it makes. They know what capacity lies in any of us – and how to reach in and pull it out.”

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Thank you to John Lyon’s Charity for funding this project.

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UNLOCKING CREATIVITY IN HARROW: CHANGING:MINDS 2025

Posted on August 31, 2025 by - Blogs, Stories

UNLOCKING CREATIVITY IN HARROW: CHANGING:MINDS 2025

At Create, we believe that every child – including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – deserves access to high-quality creative opportunities. That’s why, with the support of John Lyon’s Charity, we’ve been delivering our multi-artform programme changing:minds with pupils at all five special schools in Harrow since 2019.

Designed to enhance confidence, communication and creativity, changing:minds takes our professional artists into special schools to co-create engaging projects with children and their teachers. This June, our artists led transformative projects across the arts (including animation, drama, music, photography and printmaking) at: Alexandra School, Kingsley High School, Shaftesbury High School, West Lodge Primary School and Woodlands School. These projects sparked imagination and connection in powerful ways and culminated in an inspiring showcase that spotlighted the students’ incredible talent.

EXPLORING SOUND AND SELF-EXPRESSION AT KINGSLEY HIGH SCHOOL

At Kingsley High School, our musician John Webb led a six-day music residency, inviting pupils to explore instruments, use music apps like ThumbJam and express themselves with their voices and bodies.

Teacher Sanjeetha saw meaningful breakthroughs:

“They’ve been exploring different instruments, using the iPad app, using their voices. One student didn’t want to touch the instruments at first – and then he played. That was a breakthrough.”

Her colleague Mary added:

“It’s not just sitting in a circle and banging percussion instruments. It’s been more involved than that.

The smiles and laughter showed everyone wanted to be there.

Mary – community partner

Over the years, students at Kingsley have also explored dance, drama, painting and puppetry through changing:minds. The long-term legacy of the programme is clear:

“It gives children an opportunity they don’t normally have,” said Sanjeetha. “It takes a lot of confidence and courage to be up on stage.”

And the benefits extend beyond the students:

“When specialists come in and share their creativity,” said Mary, “teaching assistants take ideas back to the classroom.”

CONFIDENCE AND CREATIVITY ON STAGE AT ALEXANDRA SCHOOL

At Alexandra School, our drama artist Martin Murphy delivered a six-day drama project, helping pupils unlock their imaginations through physical movement, storytelling and performance.

Teacher Krupa watched her class grow through the challenge:

For some children, acting is difficult, but they’ve really grown in resilience and pushed on. They’ve worked together as a team and created something that’s completely their own.

KRUPA – community partner

The project also offered valuable inspiration for teaching:

“A lot of the drama skills and storytelling can be used in PE and English. The children don’t get the chance to do anything like this otherwise.”

Krupa described the joy of watching the students celebrated for their creativity:

“They’re never on a stage like that normally. I think it increases their confidence – it’s brilliant.”

THE LASTING IMPACT OF CREATIVE LEARNING

Whether through the chime of a bell, the flap of imaginary wings or a shared moment of laughter, the impact of changing:minds is lasting. By embedding creativity into the school environment, the programme nurtures confidence, communication and a sense of possibility for both pupils and staff.

We’re deeply grateful to John Lyon’s Charity for its continued support. With its help, we’re making creativity more accessible for children with SEND and building a legacy of inclusion, imagination and joy in Harrow.

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