During February 2023, Create artist Poppy Love-Oldham led a visual art project with young carers in Dorset. The project enabled the young carers to take a break from their caring responsibilities, have fun, learn new skills, build relationships and express themselves.
We spoke to Harriet, a young carer from Dorset who took part in the project.
EXPLORING ART
“I took part in the art project. The first day we learnt how to make different things out of clay; we made some flat shapes first where we could put stamps in. Then we made some 3D stuff afterwards, so I made a tealight. We also did some printing.
“I’d never learnt about most of these artforms before. I particularly enjoyed cyanotype where we cut out sections of paper and put it in the sun, then watched it change colour. I get to do art at school, but these were all new types of art for me. Poppy, the artist, helped us by explaining everything clearly.
DISCOVERING COMMUNITY
“If you’re stuck on something, someone else could have a different point of view… You can all say your opinion.”
“Although I was really apprehensive about meeting people, it was really nice to work together. We all got to create art and help each other. I was nervous that people would judge me or not listen, because I’d never been to a young carers project before. Everyone shared their opinions and supported one another – it was really nice! I learnt that if you’re stuck on something, someone else could have a different point of view and you can all say your opinion.”
taking a break
“Being creative helps you wind down.”
I’ve found that being creative helps you wind down a little bit. If something is going on, it helps you escape. Taking part in this project has helped me meet other people like me and have a break from my caring responsibilities. I loved just being able to sit down, relax, and be creative.”
*Names have been changed to protect participant anonymity.
We work with young carers across the UK, providing creative opportunities that enable them to find supportive communities and discover their potential. inspired:arts is one of our flagship projects, enabling young carers to experience a variety of creative artforms, build their confidence, enhance their wellbeing and express their feelings through art.
In February 2023, young carers from Uxbridge took part in a three-day photography project with professional artist Sam Ivin. During the project, participants got experimental with photography and connected with each other through creativity.
We spoke to Jack*, a young carer who took part in the project.
“With the help of (artist) Sam, we’ve been doing photography and learning how to create art from it. This has involved exploring different mediums, like polaroid pictures and masks. It’s been nice to have the opportunity to learn all of this from a professional artist. I’ve enjoyed that even when there’s a specific task we’re doing, we still get our own sense of freedom within it.
“BEING CREATIVE HAS HELPED MY MENTAL HEALTH”
Creativity has really helped with my mental health, especially doing art with other people. It’s helped me take my mind off of everything and focus on something else for a little while.”
“I’ve learnt that even if it takes time, I can actually do stuff and I shouldn’t be giving up as quickly as I sometimes do. We’ve been working as a group and helping each other. I’ve loved learning the group’s ideas and styles and then using them to influence my own. I’ve learnt that it’s so much easier to create art than I first thought, and it’s been really fun to get involved. I’ve also learnt that you don’t need the most expensive cameras to make good art.
“Being creative felt good because sometimes everything is stressful, especially as I have assessments coming up. It’s been nice to be able to do something else besides that. Creativity has really helped with my mental health, especially doing art with other people. It’s helped me take my mind off of everything and focus on something else for a little while.”
*Names have been changed to protect participant anonymity.
Young carers from Hackney participated in our inspired:arts visual art project with Create artist Liz Jackson. The project – delivered as part of our ongoing partnership with Jackson’s Bread – incorporated the theme of wellbeing into a series of visual arts activities, including collage and tie-dye.
inspired:arts gives young carers vital time to do something for themselves, connect with others and a chance to express themselves through creativity.
Young carer Nadia* (11) shared her experience taking part in the project.
MY LIFE AS A CARER
“I care for my two little brothers, as I am their older sister. I first started caring when I was eight years old. As much as it’s my parents’ responsibility, it’s sometimes my responsibility as well. My life as a young carer is different because I have more opportunities to do stuff, like go out on trips and meet new people. Being a young carer has helped me gain skills others my age may not have.
“During the Create project we’ve been creating collages and learning about wellbeing and how we should look after ourselves and our mental health. I enjoyed making the collages because there were a lot of images I found that really represented me, like space themed pictures and cats. We used tie-dye to make our own books, and we made some charms to add to our books. We were shown step-by-step how to make the book to be homemade.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVITY
I learnt a lot, and it was really nice working with the rest of the group because I made friends.
“It felt good to do art because I’m really creative. People always tell me I have a big imagination. The staff and teachers were there to help me when I needed them, and Liz [Create Artist] would help me if I was stuck, because some of the things I found tricky to complete. I learnt a lot, and it was really nice working with the rest of the group because I made friends.
“Being creative is important because not everyone has the chance or time when they’re at home. They might have siblings to look after. Opportunities like this give people the chance to let their mind rest. It gives young carers a chance to be free and be a child while they still can.
*Names have been changed to protect participant anonymity.
Create wins Children & Young People Now Highly Commended Young Carers Award
Last night, Create’s work with young carers was recognised with a prestigious Children & Young People Now Highly Commended award. We were selected – along with category winner Carers in Hertfordshire (congratulations!) from a shortlist of five amazing organisations, and we are delighted to see our work with young carers recognised in this way.
Our Director of Programmes, Kristian Sakulku and I attended the ceremony, an evening that celebrates the work of those working with children, young people and families across the UK. At a time of huge societal challenge, it was so good for our sector to be able to let our hair down for an evening. The event’s celebratory tone was set from the start with a vibrant performance by South London Samba which received rapturous applause. Kristian and I were delighted to see the arts front and centre and the young performers were amazing! The evening was compered by actress, author and former CBeebies presenter, Cerrie Burnell.
The Children & Young People Now Awards have become the gold standard for everyone working with children, young people and families. Now in their 18th year, these awards are a great source of pride and recognition for all those who strive to improve the lives of others. They raise the profile of projects and initiatives to funders and the general public, and showcase learning and best practice from across the country. Crucially, entrants must be able to provide evidence that what they have done has had a positive impact on young lives. There were more than 500 entries, from which 117 were shortlisted for the 24 awards.
SO WHAT DID WE WIN?
The Young Carers Award for ‘the initiative that has done the most to support children, young people or young adults up to 25 who care for a family member or friend with an illness, disability, mental health problem or addition.’
We were Highly Commended for inspired:arts, the collective name used within the application for our extensive family of young carer programmes: inspired:arts, art:space, change:matters, community:matters and creative:me, that give young carers a break from their caring responsibilities and enable them to develop new skills and peer support.
To have been recognised for our work with young carers (one of seven strands of our work across the UK that uses the creative arts to empower the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable children and adults), amongst so many other outstanding organisations and individuals, is a real privilege. Knowing that we were selected not only by a panel of 18 adult judges but also by a panel of 10 young judges – placing young people at the centre of the process – was particularly meaningful.
People Need To Create and we are deeply committed to raising awareness of the empowering qualities of engaging in the creative arts. To have been acknowledged with this Children and Young People Now Highly Commended award is a wonderful recognition of the deep commitment to our work with young carers shown by our funders, our dedicated staff team and the inspirational professional artists who deliver our programmes.
To read about our work with young carers, click here.
Create’s 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner at Mosimann’s raises £50,923
Last night, our 20th anniversary Gala Dinner at Mosimann’s raised £50,923 (net of costs) for Create’s vital work of bringing the creative arts to those who need it most.
Our Gala Dinner at Mosimann’s has been an annual event since our first anniversary in 2004, bar a three-year hiatus due to the global pandemic! It was so good to be back for this flagship fundraising event that included a Champagne reception and six-course dinner. A raffle and silent auction gave dinner guests the opportunity to give much-appreciated funds in support of Create’s vital mission. They were also inspired to make numerous generous donations.
The funds raised will enable us to continue reaching the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people across the UK, promoting wellbeing, building confidence and bringing joy through the power of the creative arts.
This year, the Gala celebrated the impact of 20 years of sparking creativity while focusing on our ambitious plans for the next five years, including the newest strand of work with children looked after.
In her speech, Founding CEO, Nicky Goulder shared the heart-breaking story of an eight-year old child whose life went into rapid decline after her mum died and she was taken into care. One of 100 children who are taken into care every day in the UK, she became one of the estimated 103,000 children who are currently looked after in the UK’s care system.
We launched our new our:voices programme in response to this need. Nicky explained that we now work with dedicated staff at four councils, charities and care homes to give children looked after access to the power of creativity:
“When I visited the project a few weeks ago, I saw for myself the incredible impact of this project. Twelve children were creating music with two of our professional musicians and our project manager. We had created such a safe space that many of the young people opened up about their lives and the reason for being in care. It was moving to see the support that they provided for one another.”
“In the first piece they created – All Shades of Grey – they reflected on their experience of being in care including being bullied, lack of sleep, crying; anxiety, “hiding inside your cocoon” and “building walls to hide behind” but also their hope that “It’s going to get better”.
Their second piece – Dream Big – expressed their dreams and aspirations: “I want to be a photographer” / “I want to be an architect”; “I want to play for PSG” / “I want to be an author” / I want to work at Costa / “I want to be a dog owner” / “I want to be an artist” / “I want to look after old[er] people” / “I want to be a PSHE teacher” “In the chorus, they talk about closing their eyes, little things that inspire them, things that make them feel endlessly free.”
This story is one of many showing just how vital the creative arts are for children who face challenges in their lives, providing them with tools for self-expression, giving them a voice, and enabling them to imagine a better future.
We would like to thank Anton Mosimann OBE, Mark Mosimann and the staff at Mosimann’s for making the Gala Dinner possible, to all who bought tables and donated items for the silent auction and raffle, and to everyone who supported the raffle and auction on the night. Your generous support will enable us to follow our Big Dream of ensuring that everyone has access to the life-enhancing power of creativity.
Prisoners on Create projects win three prized Koestler Awards
I am very pleased to announce that prisoners who created radio plays as part of Create’s Inside Change project in 2022/23 have won three prestigious Koestler Awards.
The prizes are awarded by Koestler Arts, a charity dedicated to awarding, exhibiting and selling artwork by prisoners, detainees and secure patients.
Inside Change enables prisoners to explore financial literacy through radio drama. Working with our professional drama artist and sound engineer in a series of high-quality creative arts workshops, they write, perform and record a radio play centred around personal finance issues. This helps them to develop their financial capability, which aids transition back into society on release. Where possible, plays are broadcast on National Prison Radio so that other prisoners can hear them.
“This project has definitely been one of the more productive things I’ve done since I’ve been in jail. I feel like I’ve come away from this with actual knowledge that will help me in the future.”
Harrison, Inside Change Particpant
Out of the Woodwork, a play written and recorded by prisoners during summer 2022 with our drama and sound artists, was given a highly-coveted Bronze Performance Award by Koestler Arts. Two other performances, Crop Circle and Tiger Castle, produced during autumn and winter 2022, were respectively highly commended and commended by the judges.
At Create, we believe that everyone should have access to creativity. The creative arts have a unique ability to improve our wellbeing, confidence, and mental health. Creativity enables us to express ourselves and imagine new possibilities. And on our Inside Change project, prisoners learn crucial new skills to help them on release.
We are delighted to see the artwork created by prisoners recognised with these Koestler Awards, which again proves how vital and important this work is.
As ever, I am hugely grateful to the funders, artists and Create staff team for making these innovative projects possible, and to the prisons that welcome us through their doors.
Vast majority of Brits think creativity is important to wellbeing, new study finds
93% of Brits think having the space and freedom to be creative is important to their wellbeing, according to a new survey by Create and bakery brand Jacksons of Yorkshire.
The survey, which looks at the nation’s attitudes to the arts and creativity, found that two thirds (68%) of Brits consider themselves to be art lovers, with 20% of the 2,000 polled admitting that they love exploring their creative side through art, music and drama. Despite being an art loving nation, however, 84% wish they were more artistic with one in three (30%) keen to develop their creative side further, but unsure how to go about it.
The research marks the launch of the Feeding Creativity campaign, a partnership between Jacksons and Create promoting the importance of the creative arts. The campaign will be featured on three million loaves of bread across the UK, supporting our creative arts programmes that connect, empower, inspire and upskill people who don’t normally get the chance to be creative.
The positive impact of creativity on personal wellbeing is evident from the survey, with people reporting a variety of positive emotions. The study found that 50% of us feel happy and 49% relaxed when being creative, with 31% feeling content and 30% free.
The survey also found that 44% of Brits consider Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh the greatest artwork of all time. Banksy’s Girl with Balloon came in close second place with 42% of the vote, followed by French sculptor Augustine Rodin’s most famous work, The Thinker, in third place.
Our CEO Nicky Goulder said:
“It is clear from the research that Brits not only love great art but also understand the value of creativity.”
“People need to create. Creativity impacts wellbeing, emotional and mental health. It builds skills, brings joy and reduces isolation. It allows us to think differently, to express ourselves, and to be heard. It raises aspirations and – according to industry leaders including the World Economic Forum – is a core skill for business.
“There is significant evidence for the role that arts and cultural engagement play in improving health throughout life. It is shocking to think that many don’t have the opportunity to explore their creativity and create their own masterpieces whether it be through writing, painting, drawing or the performing arts.
“Too many are denied the vital benefits provided by the creative arts, and it is often the most disadvantaged children and adults in society who are the most excluded.
“We need to ensure that everyone has access to the life-enriching power of creativity.”
Despite 31% agreeing that creativity is a crucial skill in life and 25% claiming to be at their happiest when they are being creative, one in four (26%) say they haven’t had the opportunity to do anything in the creative arts space since they left school.
A third (30%) say they simply don’t have the imagination, while 28% don’t have the time to explore their creative side. A lack of inspiration (28%) and money (27%) are also barriers when it comes to being more imaginative.
And the average Brit undertakes a creative pursuit – such as writing, drawing, photography or dancing – three times a week.
Create partners with bakery brand Jacksons for nationwide “Feeding Creativity” campaign
First-of-its-kind campaign launches this week on three million loaves of bread across the UK, supporting Create’s mission to promote the importance of creativity and a series of creative arts projects to enhance the lives of young carers.
As the UK’s leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts, we are delighted to be partnering with Jacksons of Yorkshire for a multi-channel campaign called ‘Feeding Creativity’. The campaign highlights the essential role creativity plays in the lives of children and young people, and the value of widening access to the creative arts to people of all ages.
“Feeding Creativity” campaign loaves, in shops from 26 July
Building on years of supporting children’s breakfast clubs in its hometown of Hull, bakery brand Jacksons is using its largest marketing campaign to date to support the arts. Three million promotional loaves will land across all major retailers and independents from 26 July until the end of November. Through purchasing a loaf, brand fans can win an art-themed family trip to London, art packs for their local school and more.
Year one of the ‘Feeding Creativity’ partnership with Create is focusing on children’s art and young carers. Jacksons is sponsoring five of our creative arts projects with young carers, led by our professional artists, with support from Jacksons’ employees who will volunteer on site.
Our Founding CEO, Nicky Goulder commented:
“2023 marks Create’s 20th anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than to partner with a household brand to raise awareness of our work on a national scale.”
“Our young carers programme felt like a fitting way to kick off the ‘Feeding Creativity’ campaign. There are an estimated 800,000 children and young people who are carers in this country. Many of them are marginalised, miss school and are twice as likely to report anxiety than the general population. We’re committed to giving these young people time out from their responsibilities to participate in high quality creative experiences to express themselves, build skills and boost their confidence and wellbeing. We can’t wait to work with Jacksons, welcome the team to our sessions and begin a long-standing partnership with the brand.”
Head of marketing at Jacksons, Dan Reeves said: “For many years we have supported schools here in Hull with bread donations for breakfast clubs, and are working with the charity Chefs in Schools to help improve lunches at schools across in the city, but we felt we could do even more by partnering with Create.”
The campaign, the first of its kind for Create, and the largest Jacksons of Yorkshire has embarked on since the brand launched in 2012, is being supported with PR, social media activity, and experiential roadshows across the summer.
Twenty years ago today, on Monday 7 July 2003, Create was “born” at my dining room table.
In so many ways, the world is vastly different now from the one in which Create emerged and there are certainly challenges and opportunities that I couldn’t have imagined back then.
But my vision on starting the charity – of a world in which everyone has access to the educational, social and life-enriching benefits of the creative arts – has remained unchanged. So too has the charity’s mission: of using the creative arts to connect, empower, inspire and upskill society’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable people, raising aspirations, building self-esteem, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing (though we may articulate this slightly differently today than we did 20 years ago!).
Create’s first ever project, Shake an Egg, took place on the charity’s 10th day of existence, 16 July 2003. Two open-air music workshops in central London brought together vulnerable young people with members of the business community; and infants from a nursery school with children from a primary school. Led by four of our professional musicians, the project was interactive and fun, giving the participants access to collaborative music making using body percussion and egg shakers. One of the children told us: “It was enjoyable and funmaking up rhythms in two groups and adding something in ourselves”; while a teacher commented: “The children had a great deal of fun shaking the eggs and making rhythms; and the teachers learned about creative musical activities.”
Looking back, I can see so many of the central tenets of Create’s projects today in that very first one: giving vulnerable participants access to inspirational professional artists; encouraging and incorporating participants’ ideas into the creative process; bringing different groups of participants together; skill-building; collaboration; enhancing confidence; upskilling partner organisation staff; and – of course – having fun.
In the independent organisational evaluation that we commissioned from Partnership First last year, a review of 19 years of Create including a survey and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, 92% of respondents said Create fully met or exceeded its aim to connect, empower and inspire participants; while 100% of funders rated Create’s impact as excellent or good. This may explain why British Land, which funded that first Shake an Egg project back in 2003 is still one of our key funding partners 20 years later.
There have been so many highlights over the years that it’s hard to know which to share in a retrospective piece such as this.
Storybook illustration by one of the fathers in prison who took part in our Inside Stories project
Having a passion for the power of storytelling to connect people, and wonderful memories from my own childhood of the magical, topical stories that my own Dad used to tell us on long car journeys, a project that is particularly close to my heart is Inside Stories. At the core of this project is connecting fathers in prison with their children, a key component in reducing the likelihood of reoffending. Under the guidance of our professional artists, fathers work in pairs to write, record and illustrate original stories for their children, which they then set to music as a group.
I challenge anyone to attend the special family visit in prison, when the dads share their stories and music with their children, and not be deeply touched by the vulnerability of the men, and the tenderness of their stories. As one mother told us: “Kyra misses her father greatly. He always used to tell her stories at bedtime, and words cannot describe how much having this story written by her father and being able to hear his voice has helped.” That the work created on this – and our other prison projects – has been recognised with 104 Koestler Awards since 2012 is the icing on the cake.
Young carers from across London take part in the Lord Mayor’s Show
Another very special moment, back in November 2018, was giving a group of 30 young carers from across London the opportunity to take part in the Lord Mayor’s Show and have their voices heard. Before the show, they worked with our professional artist to create mobile sculptures and banners inspired by the theme ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today’. Their fantastical creations, which imagined eco-friendly buildings and celebrated sustainability, technology and creativity, formed a walking float. One young carer reflected: “I liked meeting different young carers from across London. My favourite moment was seeing the Lord Mayor and hearing my parents cheer for me. Being in the Show made me feel proud of myself, happy and appreciated.”
Two central tenets have been there at the heart of our work at Create from the beginning.
The first of these is Relationships: with our inspirational participants and partner organisations; with the incredible professional artists who deliver our projects supported by our team of Project Managers; with the wide range of dedicated funders without whom none of our work would be possible; and with our talented Create People: Patrons, Trustees, staff and volunteers.
The second tenet is Creativity. Because People Need to Create. Creativity impacts wellbeing, emotional and mental health. It builds skills, brings joy and reduces isolation. It allows us to think differently, to express ourselves, and to be heard. It enables us to learn about ourselves and others in new ways. It inspires, empowers and raises aspirations and, according to industry leaders including the World Economic Forum, it is a core skill for business.
Twenty years ago, people needed to create. Today, more than ever, people need to create. During COVID lockdown, people turned to creative hobbies to help them cope with stress, isolation, anxiety and – for many – time on their hands. Creative-thinking also enabled organisations and individuals the world-over to stay connected and find new ways to work. Here at Create, we launched Create Live! within two weeks, pivoting to a Zoom delivery mechanism that enabled us to take 921 creative workshops to our participants in their homes that reduced isolation, built skills and enhanced wellbeing.
I am proud of the passion, commitment, drive and energy that our incredible staff team has shown over two decades. I am inspired by our pool of inspirational professional artists who have delivered 13,319 workshops across the UK that have enriched and enhanced the lives of 43,678 disadvantaged and vulnerable people. I am delighted that year after year, 99% of our partner organisations have rated their Create programme “successful overall”. And I am humbled that our work has been recognised with 120 awards since 2012, including Charity of the Year (2020) and Digital Transformation of the Year (2021).
Above all, I am thankful to the incredible children and adults that we work with, who inspire and motivate me every day.
20 YEARS OF CREATE
Watch our 20th anniversary retrospective film, looking back over 20 years of sparking creativity.
Create CEO Nicky Goulder wins “Arts Innovator” Award
It is fitting that, as we celebrate 20 years of Create, our Founding CEO Nicky Goulder has won a woman&home Amazing Women Award. The awards celebrate women who have made a real difference to our world: pushing boundaries, saving lives and shining a light in their fields.
Celebrated as the ‘Arts Innovator’, this award recognises the positive impact Create has had over the past 20 years and Nicky’s role in making that a reality. Nicky founded Create in 2003, and has overseen its growth to become the UK’s leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts.
Asked about what winning the award means to her, Nicky said:
It feels very special to have 20 years of our work at Create validated in this way. As founding chief executive, I recognise that at least part of that success is down to me, which makes me feel very proud!
Nicky Goulder, Founding CEO of Create
You can read the whole article from woman&home magazine below: