art:links is Create’s national project with older people including older carers. The project works to reduce isolation and promote wellbeing through the creative arts, empowering participants to stay active, develop new skills and make friends.
Between May and June 2021, members of Age UK Islington took part in creative writing workshops via Create Live!, our online delivery mechanism. The project was led by our artist and writer Linden McMahon together with Nurturing Talent artist Rhys Cook. It was funded by Masonic Charitable Foundation and The Mercers’ Company.
Meet Corrinne
Corrinne (60+) is an older carer based in Islington who took part. She spoke to us about her caring duties and how being creative has added more colour to her busy life.
“I look after my 94-year-old father, who I spend the best part of two days a week with. He’s in quite poor health. He has leukaemia and other serious health issues, so going to support him is quite trying. It can be challenging because he has dementia too and wants to hold on to his independence.
“There’s been a lot of stress since my mum died a year and a half ago. I do think I have lost myself somewhere because you just spend so much time thinking and doing for other people. You’re continually catching up on yourself. My health isn’t 100% either. I’m still recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome with depression going on in the background. To have this chance is like a lovely breath and change to the rhythm of life.
“I think it’s important to be creative because it just takes your mind off the monotonous and tedious everyday. It’s so refreshing. It really is good for you to do that.”
Corrinne
“I joined a Create project about creative writing, which is based on a mixture of non-fiction and fiction. It’s about creativity, which is basically just a pull-out from yourself, about things that sometimes you don’t even know are there. With the correct tools, you can discover things about yourself that you didn’t imagine were there, and that’s why I have loved it. You can go from the oblivious to the sublime. Really, you can go from real life to sci-fi to the mythical. It encompasses virtually anything. I think creativity is fuelled by so many things like your background, your personality, your life experiences, everything. It’s really therapeutic because you just release something.
Two images from the project with Age UK Islington
“It was great working with Linden and Rhys. They are a great team. Linden is very encouraging, very nurturing, makes everything easily accessible, and Rhys just backs them up on that and adds their input as well. The balance was perfect. I never felt threatened, never felt under pressure. It was great.
“Working with other older carers was very enriching because we’re all from such different walks of life and going through different stuff, but everyone was good-natured and kind to each other. We critiqued; we didn’t criticise. It’s a lovely group to share with and to brainstorm with, and to share humour with.
“I think it’s important to be creative because it just takes your mind off the monotonous and tedious everyday. It’s so refreshing. It really is good for you to do that. Even if you only get a chance to walk to the park it’s great because for me, I absolutely love just to observe and take in nature. Otherwise, I think your mind would get overwhelmed with thoughts, stress, problems and just take you away.”
Reed Smith: “Create is a fantastic organisation and you seem to be getting better and better”
We have been working with Reed Smith since 2008, running creative arts projects together across London. Currently, our work focuses on adult carers and adults with mental ill health.
As a corporate partner, Reed Smith not only funds these projects but also sends volunteers to take part, benefiting both the participants and Reed Smith staff.
Here we chat to Carole Mehigan (pictured above), Responsible Business Manager EMEA at global law firm Reed Smith, about the value of these projects to the organisation and participants.
“Putting a sprinkle of creativity in people’s professional lives helps them to develop as a person and helps them to realise that there’s more to them than just their professionalism.”
Caroline Mehigan, Reed Smith
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST PROJECT WITH CREATE?
I started working with Create on a project called creative:u~turn, which supported vulnerable women within the community in and around Bethnal Green. It resonated with us because it was such a sensitive area, focused on women who had gone through a huge amount of trauma. It was a lovely way to connect with women who felt completely isolated, traumatised, and unsure where they fit in the community. We saw them develop and, as they got used to our volunteers, their confidence started to grow, and they started to connect with the volunteers.
WHICH PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
I wanted to find projects where we could have both male and female volunteers attend. We decided to support adult carers. It was a really good opportunity for all our volunteers to get involved, it was local, and it was working with people who give so much of their time to others – whether family members, or friends – and they just don’t have enough time for themselves. That’s taken off really well, and we’ve been working with that particular centre for a number of years now.
Recently Create wanted to partner with a MIND centre. Mental health is a very big thing within our firm. We have a mental health task force. Even before the pandemic, we were keen on making sure people understood how to look after their mental health and wellbeing. So when the project came along, and we were able to sign up for that, it was kind of a no-brainer.
HOW DOES VOLUNTEERING ON CREATE PROJECTS HELP REED SMITH’S STAFF?
Coming from the corporate world, being very professional about everything, then to find that you have a creative side to you, and to see that in the form of something you’ve made, and to see the benefit you provide to the project, and the results that come out of that, the volunteers are very proud of that. And they should be, because they have contributed to that end result, not just for themselves but for the participants as well. It’s good to see our volunteers proud of what they’ve done, what they’ve accomplished outside their comfort zone. They also get to meet people they wouldn’t get to meet in normal circumstances.
When you put an added bit of creativity into the skill-based staff, it helps that person to develop even more. For me, putting a sprinkle of creativity in people’s professional lives helps them to develop as a person and helps them to realise that there’s more to them than just their professionalism. Creative people can be very innovative, they can look at a bigger picture. Rather than just seeing black and white, they can see the grey areas.
“Businesses put a lot of emphasis on professionalism – but we need to look after our staff. What better way to do that than doing something creative?”
Carole Mehigan, Reed Smith
HOW DO YOU MARK THE END OF A PROJECT?
I thought it would be a nice end to the project to make the adult carers feel special for few hours, a bit like they’re royalty or celebrities. So we decided to host an event in our London office over a couple of hours.
I organised taxis to pick up the adult carers from the centre, they were dropped off outside our building, then bought into one of our conference rooms. Create brings some of the project work so they can see a display of their work and take it home with them as well. I organise a lunch, and we sometimes have a kind of cinema performance, where we show on screen what the activity was. And then I say a few words, Create says a few words, and the centre manager might do that as well. And then we give them certificates and gifts. Taxis then take them back to the centre.
WHAT DOES BEING CREATIVE MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY?
Reading was my big thing when I was a kid. I love reading and I love writing. When I’ve gone through various traumas, I found writing a really good way to express myself. I’ve always loved dancing. I’ve danced since I was able to walk and talk. I take part in a massive global dance called Ceroc. It helps your mind, body, soul, the whole thing. Also singing – I found singing later in life. I started singing with the Reed Smith choir when we put on Christmas concerts. That then got me involved with a local choir.
That helps me release tension, relax, forget about my mental illnesses. The dancing, the singing and the writing have helped. I’ve gone back to knitting as well. Last year I got re-diagnosed with bipolar depression, complex PTSD, severe anxiety and OCD, which is a large amount of stuff to be dealing with in one go. I had a mental breakdown last year. I ended up in the Priory psychiatric unit for five weeks. Coming back out, getting back into the work I do, and in particular the creative stuff, has really helped me. Continuing with our creative projects is something I really want to make sure we do in the firm because I know personally how beneficial it can be.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE THINKING OF BECOMING A CORPORATE PARTNER WITH CREATE?
I would encourage them to do it. Working with Create you have such an expansive and wide variety of support that you lend to the community. There are lots of different opportunities that can align with corporate partners who are looking at particular areas that they can help within the community.
You work with young people right across the board to elderly people. Your projects are amazing. Your artists are incredible, the way they bring stuff out of people, whether it’s the participants or the volunteers. Create is a fantastic organisation and every year you seem to be getting better and better. It has been amazing to watch your growth and the amount of support you’re providing to the wider community.
I really think that as a corporate organisation, we put a lot of emphasis on our professionalism and our jobs, but we need to look after our staff, and what better way to do that than doing something creative?
Create shortlisted for Charity Times award: Digital Transformation of the Year 2021
Our Founding CEO Nicky Goulder writes about Create being shortlisted for the Charity Times award: Digital Transformation of the Year, in time for our 18th Anniversary.
We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for the prestigious new Charity Times award: Digital Transformation of the Year.
The Charity Times awards recognise, celebrate and promote best practice
The awards recognise, celebrate and promote best practice in the UK charity sector and this new award “is designed for charities who are able to evidence a total overhaul of their digital operations throughout the pandemic. We are particularly looking for charities who, prior to March 2020, had very little digital experience, and those who have transformed a number of physical functions into successful, virtual operations. Charities that can show a sustainable use of digital, rather than temporary solutions, will be prioritised”. The winner will be announced at an award ceremony on 9 September.
Going into lockdown
I can still remember Tuesday 24 March 2020 as though it were yesterday, the day when Create’s office – in an eerily silent Moorgate – was locked by the landlord. As I walked home across London Bridge, not knowing when I would be allowed to return, my head reeled: we had entered lockdown; every Create project had been removed from the diary; and our participants were facing months of unrelenting loneliness and hardship.
Zoom is now so familiar that it seems almost impossible that I had never heard of it back then. And we had certainly never delivered a project digitally. But all that was about to change.
During the next fortnight, we researched, consulted, designed, piloted, safeguarded and launched an entirely new way of working – Create Live! – which led to the busiest year in Create’s 18-year history. During 2020/21, we designed and delivered 59 projects/938 workshops across the UK that connected, empowered, inspired, upskilled and enhanced the wellbeing of 1,303 disadvantaged and vulnerable participants.
“Taking part in Zoom workshops is a lifeline.” “I don’t feel so alone.” “I’ve felt more upbeat and positive.” – Create participants
Create staff and artists at an online workshop
It’s been a year of huge challenge and change for everyone. But our Create Live! project concept has enabled us to deliver high quality, live, interactive, collaborative, creative workshops with groups of participants in the safety of their homes that are fun, build skills and reduce isolation. And we have been able to reach participants for the first time who are unable to access workshops in-venue.
We have continued to innovate our delivery, including a telephone music project connecting older people who were unable to access video conferencing; and a Virtual Gala with our Patron Dame Evelyn Glennie and young carer Abi that raised vital funds for our work
Evelyn Glennie at our Virtual Gala
Tomorrow – 7 July 2021 – is Create’s 18th anniversary and being shortlisted for this award to coincide with this important milestone in our history is wonderful recognition of the commitment, passion, determination and drive of everyone who is involved in Create: our staff, our professional artists, our Trustees, our volunteers, our funding and community partners and – above all – our participants.
I feel hugely privileged to lead a charity that constantly goes the extra mile for our participants. For me personally, the incredible children and adults who we work with continue to inspire and motivate me every day.
First Sentier Investors: “Create are one of the best partners we work with”
We launched our partnership with First Sentier Investors (FSI) in 2018, an investment firm based in the City of London. Through the partnership, FSI has funded projects and sent volunteers to support our team in workshops, both in-venue and online.
Here we chat to Adrian Hilderly and Sarah Mahomed Ross (pictured), both on the Charity Committee, about their experiences of partnering with us, and the value of creativity to them and their organisation.
Why did the first sentier investors team choose to partner with us?
Adrian: We felt a strong cultural affinity with Create. We’re very much about sustainability and being responsible members of our community. Partnering with Create, which does good work in the local community, was really important to us. We were also thinking about how we could develop our volunteering programme.
Sarah: The way Create touches lots of different parts of society was really important, because that resonates with our employees. Through the volunteering and the programmes we’ve funded, we’ve worked with people from all different walks of life, different age groups, different abilities. And everyone at First Sentier can relate to one or more of those groups. So that’s been really important.
CAN YOU GIVE US A FLAVOUR OF THE EXPERIENCES YOU’VE HAD VOLUNTEERING ON CREATE PROJECTS?
Sarah: The projects have been very varied. One was with a group of older people at Chamberlain House in West London. Then I’ve been to JFK Special School in East London – there was an amazing energy there. And I’ve been a volunteer over the last year with young and adult carers. It has been a really positive experience. I’ve met people I would never have met, which has been really enriching.
Adrian: I did one in North London, with a group of carers. It was brilliant. Now we’re doing a photography project. What was really impressive is that, of the charities and organisations we partner with, Create was by far the quickest and most efficient at moving to remote sessions during the pandemic. It was really impressive how quickly the team adapted and were able to move forward.
“The Create team works with you to create a targeted, bespoke programme to put your funding to work in the areas where it can make the greatest difference, and to help co-ordinate meaningful opportunities for volunteering.”
Sarah Mahomed Ross, First Sentier Investors
WHY IS CHARITY VOLUNTEERING IMPORTANT FOR First Sentier Investors?
Adrian: It’s fundamental to what we do. We’re trying to make volunteering part of our day-to-day. We have a set of values around care and community, and we’re trying to build how we define that. Part of the core of what we do is responsible investing. We like to invest in companies that share our long-term ethos. Volunteering is definitely part of that. How can you present those values if you’re not actively doing it yourself?
Sarah: Partnering with organisations such as Create gives our employees the chance to try volunteering, if they’ve never done it before, in an organised way. We get pretty much wholly positive feedback. And we have quite a generous annual volunteering leave now – three days per person.
HOW DOES IT BENEFIT YOUR ORGANISATION FOR STAFF TO VOLUNTEER?
Sarah: It’s very different from what we’re doing day to day. You’re working with people you might not meet, you’re learning different skills. You’re seeing things from a different perspective, as well as hopefully giving something back.
Adrian: It’s important for each of us and our firm to understand the world outside our little bubble. I’m sure it makes people we work with a little bit more rounded and our firm a bit more rounded too. Volunteering takes us out of our comfort zone in a good way. You’re meeting people you’ve never met before, doing something completely different to what you do. It’s good to challenge ourselves.
IS CREATIVITY IMPORTANT FOR YOU PERSONALLY?
Sarah: I’ve been knitting and crafting since I was a kid, and I painted for many years. I think creativity is really important. There needs to be a mix of that, even in financial services; we need to be creative thinkers. And also from a wellbeing perspective: for me, having the time to do some sewing or knitting in the lockdown, it just quietens my mind. You can see, having taken part in Create projects, how important that is, to have that respite.
“Of the charities and organisations we partner with, Create was by far the quickest and most efficient at moving to remote sessions during the pandemic. It was really impressive.”
Adrian Hilderly, First Sentier Investors
OVERALL, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF First Sentier Investors’ PARTNERSHIP WITH CREATE?
Sarah: It’s a fantastic partnership. The way the funding is deployed, and the programmes are devised, there’s obviously a lot of work behind that to match what we’re funding, and to align it with investing in the community. I’m really pleased that I’ve been able to be a part of it over the last couple of years.
Adrian: I totally agree. Create is one of the best partners we work with. They’re really easy to work with, and they drive the agenda. It makes it very easy for us, because you’re clear about what your objectives are. Not everyone’s like that. And then you deliver on what you say you’re going to do. So when we check back to see if last year worked, we’ve got good evidence to prove that, and the evaluations you send through to us are great for us internally.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE CONSIDERING PARTNERING WITH CREATE?
Sarah: I would definitely recommend Create as a charity partner. It does so much good work in many areas of our society, supporting disadvantaged groups and individuals. The team takes the time to work with you to create a targeted, bespoke programme to put your funding to work in the areas where it can make the greatest difference, and to help co-ordinate meaningful opportunities for volunteering. We really enjoy working together and look forward to our future collaboration.
creative:together is our multi-arts project delivered with LGBTQ+ young people aged 16 to 25. Following two successful in-venue projects in 2020 in partnership with equality charity METRO, we returned to deliver two further projects during the pandemic via Create Live!.
The first ran from January to March 2021, exploring the theme of “Pride and Protest” through zine-making, led by our writer Linden McMahon. The second, delivered during April and May, was a visual arts project delivered by our animator and visual artist Lily Ash Sakula. Both were made possible with funding from Greater London Authority via Groundwork.
Meet Kay
To mark Pride Month, we spoke to Kay (name changed), who enthusiastically joined both projects, about their experience of taking part, and what it means to live as an LGBTQ+ young person in the UK today.
“I knew that I was queer my whole life. I didn’t realise there was a word for it, or that other people were also queer until I was maybe 11. People seemed to think that queer kids didn’t exist, and that it’s just adults. I felt quite strange as a child and I didn’t know what my future was going to be like. My childhood was definitely impacted by what I now know to be Section 28 because its effects didn’t just disappear in 2003.
“I think it’s beneficial to have specific time to draw. It helps me with accepting how my mind is and with liking my mind”
Kay, LGBTQ+ participant
“I think it was difficult for me to trust adults because I knew from a young age that they were telling me something that isn’t true and I still find it quite hard to trust authority figures. When adults in TV shows would say things like, “be yourself”, and all that stuff, I felt like I wasn’t included in that. When I was figuring out what I was feeling might mean in society, I started getting very depressed. I was around 12 or 13. My secondary school was also very homophobic, I used to get bullied a lot for my sexuality and also because I’m autistic. No one did anything about it, because if somebody was being homophobic, the teacher would not say anything at all. They would just say: ‘You’re too young to talk about that.’ The difference between being queer in school and after leaving school is very big.
“I remember the first time I was at METRO. I didn’t realise how much this was something I needed. I used to feel a lot more abnormal and isolated before.
“I took part in two Create projects. We did zine-making during the first one with Linden. We looked at different zines and we did a series of creative things. We were talking about Pride and Protest. We’re now doing a visual arts project with Lily. We started doing drawing activities. We went on Google Maps and we saw Antarctica and outer space and drew things from that. We also did some mark-making. We looked at different worlds and then we drew our own worlds. We looked at some characters as well and how those characters could perhaps represent the spectrum of the group. We also designed new leaflets. I learned about the importance of doodling and drawing just as a way of playing. When we were drawing parts of animals, it made me think about noticing different parts and different details.
“I think it’s beneficial to have specific time to draw. It helps me with accepting how my mind is and with liking my mind. I also don’t usually do things with other people, but I like drawing with other people. It’s less lonely to see what other people do with the same prompt and get more used to collaborating.”
Artwork created during our zine-making project with LGBTQ+ participants
Isy Suttie: “I’ve been bowled over by what I’ve seen Create do this past year”
Writer, comedian and actress Isy Suttie became a Create Patron after presenting our BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal which aired on 20 September 2020, raising £37,909 towards our work with young carers. As part of Create’s 2020/21 Impact Report, she shared with us the importance of creating during the pandemic and why she is passionate about the work we do at Create.
None of us could have predicted what has happened in the past year, and we’re yet to see the extent of the pandemic’s effects on the less visible, less life-and-death aspects of us as human beings, like creativity. How meeting up with someone for a coffee can spark a thought which leads to a new creative endeavour. How travel to a new environment can ignite a different part of our brain, which affects what we might feel like making. I’ve found that the smallest, most innocuous thing – overhearing something a stranger says which sticks in my memory, for example – can inspire. And we’ve had a lot less of that stuff for a year, so we’ve been forced to be more resourceful in our search for inspiration and motivation.
“When I am creating something and I’m completely absorbed in it, I don’t feel alone. It’s like a friend in my pocket.”
Isy Suttie
I’ve been bowled over by what I’ve seen Create do this past year, having not experienced any of its workshops in ‘real life’. Working in what are surely extremely trying circumstances for any creative venture, when I’ve watched the workshops over Zoom I’ve quickly forgotten we’re not all in the same room, such is the kindness, skill and (undoubtedly meticulous) preparation that’s gone into things. Nobody is left out, and the tutors give due attention to each person’s work: everyone feels valued. The Young Carers’ Action Day was a prime example of this. The young people involved spoke so confidently and passionately about the works they had produced in the Create workshops, it moved me to tears.
When I am creating something and I’m completely absorbed in it, I don’t feel alone. It’s like a friend in my pocket, a warm thing bursting with its own energy. I have felt this more keenly in the past year, when I’ve been unable to meet up with other people to share thoughts about what we’re working on, or even sit side by side knitting together or writing in silence, knowing the other one is there if we want to bounce ideas off each other. Projects have begun to serve a slightly different purpose – to be a source of solace and sheer escapism in a more intense way than when I can freely see others.
Create has always played a large and very valuable part in its participants’ lives, and I imagine its role has become even more important in the past year. When we are surrounded by uncertainty, we want constants – and Create has managed to stay a constant in its participants’ lives and routines. I am sure that when its participants look back on the pandemic, the time spent creating with Create will be something that brought them both joy and strength, perhaps even a lifeline.
As part of Carers Week 2021, we’re spotlighting the important, often overlooked work that young carers do.
The vital care that young carers provide for vulnerable loved ones comes at a cost to their education, social development and mental health. Research suggests 27% of young carers aged 11-15 miss school or experience educational difficulties; 68% are bullied and feel isolated at school. 23% feel their caring role has, at least once, stopped them from making friends. According to the report published by Carers Trust in July 2020, 40% of young carers say their mental health is worse since Coronavirus; 69% feel less connected to others. Some now care for as much as 90 hours a week.
At Create, we know the creative arts can have an invaluable impact. Our projects enable young carers to take a much-needed break from their caring responsibilities. The projects also give them a chance to spend time with other young carers, reducing feelings of isolation and enhancing wellbeing, while empowering them to develop new skills, build self-esteem, increase confidence and enjoy themselves.
This Carers Week, meet Frank (12), Matthew (14) and Latisha (15) – three young carers who took part in different Create projects, both online and in-venue.
Meet Frank (12)
“I care for my mum. She has osteoporosis and can break her bones easily, and my dad had to leave work to become her carer. When my dad’s out it’s my responsibility to look after my mum.
“I think I’m more grown-up than other children because I’ve learnt more life skills. I know how to cook. If my dad’s out and I’m hungry I can make jacket potato cheese and beans or something. I’ve learnt it all in the space of a year.
“Through the workshops, I’ve realised that music is really fun. It’s tricky at the start but when you get the hang of it, it’s nice.
“Create helps young carers because these opportunities to be creative would normally cost a lot of money. If there’s not much money and you only have money to pay the rent or the bills and get food for the week then you can’t do it. Create gives young carers the opportunity to do this and it’s really special. It makes young carers happy.”
Meet Matthew (14)
“One of my brothers has ADHD and one of them has autism. My mum has Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, which means she has too much spinal fluid, which basically squeezes her brain.
“It was very fun to do something creative. It’s a nice change because, obviously, I don’t do many creative things at home. I don’t have the equipment or usually the time. It’s definitely also very educational.
“I think it’s important to express yourself, especially as a young carer. There are a lot of built-up emotions, especially if your parent, for example, is going through something difficult and you don’t want to burden them with your problems. Doing stuff like this is a nice release.”
Meet LATISHA (15)
“I care for my mum who damaged her spine in a road accident. Since then, she has been in constant pain and requires a lot of help around the house, including cooking, washing and tidying up.
“At home I don’t usually have the chance to be creative. I do my chores like cooking and that’s all there is time for.
“Being able to get out is the hardest thing. Coming on projects like these, the other young carers know what it’s like. When my other friends ask me to come out, often I say ‘No because I have to look after my mum.’ They think I’m always looking after to her and eventually they just stop asking. They don’t really understand.
“That’s why it has meant so much to me to hang out with the other young carers. With Create, I’ve been able to do animation, song-writing, photography, sculpture, dancing, so many things that I would never have done if I wasn’t a young carer and didn’t have this support.
“I don’t think the general public are aware of everything we have to do. I don’t think they understand how much time we spend caring, how much we miss out on and the toll it takes on us.
“I think projects like these are really important because when you’re a carer, you can lose a sense of yourself. You spend all your time looking after someone else. Projects like these help you understand more about yourself.”
All of the children featured in the photographs in this post are young carers who have taken part in Create workshops, but are not Frank, Matthew or Latisha.
The viral tweet that reminded the world you can’t do art wrong – Edie’s fundraising story
In April, many on Twitter, including celebrities such as artist Grayson Perry, Paul Stanley from the rock band Kiss and actor Henry Winkler, took notice of a drawing by six-year-old Edie. This featured a woodland scene captured in bright colours and bold lines. It was shared by Edie’s mum Gemma after the budding artist was told by a teacher that what she had created was “wrong”.
As the drawing quickly became famous, Gemma and Edie opened an Etsy shop to sell prints of the piece online, donating the proceeds to support our creative arts projects with disadvantaged participants.
We spoke to Gemma about the story behind the viral tweet, the support that Edie has received online and why they picked Create as their chosen charity.
“I am absolutely amazed by the response and was not expecting this at all. It has restored my faith in humanity.”
Edie’s mum Gemma
“Edie was attending an art club and came home quite upset because the person running the workshop said she had done her painting wrong. He apparently had said that she painted the sky wrong and told her ‘you can make that better’.
“As her mum, I felt upset by this and took to Twitter because I have a few ‘arty’ friends on there that I hoped would offer a few words of encouragement.
“When I first sent out the tweet and we got to 100 likes, we did a little video to say thank you and it just snowballed! I honestly didn’t think it would go viral! It came as a surprise to me as I initially thought that maybe 10 or 20 people would like it. Now we’re selling copies of Edie’s drawing worldwide!
“I am absolutely amazed by the response and was not expecting this at all. It has restored my faith in humanity, in a way.
“People were asking for copies or offering us money for the original, which of course I would never sell. I wanted people to have copies, but I never wanted to profit from my daughter in any way. It seemed wrong to me. That’s when we went looking for a charity that gave back to communities through art.
“I did a quick Google search and to my shock, a lot of local art schemes had been cut due to lack of funding. Then I found Create and I read about what you do and who benefits from the charity. It seemed like a perfect fit.
“I feel it’s important to create as it’s one of the best forms of self-expression. I love to be creative in different ways like writing or sketching something. It’s good to switch off and immerse yourself in a project. It really helps me to relax and be more mindful.
Create artist Rachel McGivern on supporting creativity and wellbeing in community settings
To mark Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2021, we spoke to our visual artist, Rachel McGivern, about her experience of delivering creative projects in community settings, particularly our creative:tandem project with patients at Snowsfields, an adolescent mental health unit in South London.
“I’ve always really enjoyed art. Even at school, it was the subject where I could just have a bit more freedom and explore creativity. When I was at university studying illustration, I realised I really enjoyed working with people and exploring creative activities. I feel like I get quite a lot from facilitating workshops, such as the conversations, meeting new people and seeing different points of view.
“My work falls within the umbrella of visual arts. I don’t work in one art form, I kind of spread out. That might be printmaking, weaving or sculpture. I work very much with groups, thinking about how we can share these skills, have an engaging experience with different participants and support their wellbeing. I took part in Create’s Nurturing Talent programme a couple of years ago. That was a really great experience. It taught me how to work with different community groups and helped me gain an understanding of the needs of each group and to bring that into my participatory practice.
Rachel McGivern talks about delivering arts projects in community settings
Supporting creativity online via Create Live!
“I’ve enjoyed delivering online workshops with Create during the pandemic via Create Live!. It’s a whole new way of working. I’ve had to readapt some of the activities and think about how they can translate online. Since I’m quite materials driven, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of thinking about using everyday things and making things in new ways using items from the recycling bin. Adapting my approach to bring that to different groups has been a really positive experience.
“I think creativity is really valuable to everyone. It gives us the time and space to explore an idea without the pressure of it being anything other than an idea and enjoy just the free flow of it.”
Rachel McGivern
“The creative:tandem project at Snowsfields Adolescent Unit was really interesting. Although we were working online, it almost felt like we were in a studio setup. Everyone was having a little bit of conversation, but very much getting on with their own personal project and exploration of the same activity, and being able to take it in any direction that they wanted to, facilitated by the staff on site. You could use the same equipment and the same materials in totally different ways. For the weaving session, for example, one of the participants preferred wrapping instead of weaving; another really liked the actual process of weaving as more of a structured thing. They created this massive loom and started weaving on that. We also had a session where they decorated their own bags with some fabric sprays and stencils, based on this idea of putting your own stamp on an item.
“The technology made it a bit difficult for me to have a direct conversation with the participants, but it felt like we were communicating through making. One of the young people was leaving the centre the day the bag decorating session took place so they were really happy to be able to take something away. Another described the sessions as ‘beautifully calm’, which was very nice.
“I think creativity is really valuable to everyone. It gives us the time and space to explore an idea without the pressure of it being anything other than an idea and enjoy just the free flow of it. I think some of the activities I do have an outcome, because it’s really nice to have that as a memory; but mostly, I’m really interested in the process, and the experience of making something. That’s why I love workshops. It’s more about the time and space to experiment and do something, try something new, challenge yourself and feel that pride of learning something new. It brings so much happiness.”
Rachel McGivern talks about her experience of working with Create
Creativity & Wellbeing Week 2021 – a conversation with Jenni Regan from london Arts and Health
Jenni Regan is CEO of London Arts and Health, and curates the annual Creativity & Wellbeing Week festival. We spoke to her about the Week, and why she believes creativity is important for health and wellbeing – for us as individuals and society at large.
“Art is for everyone and is a fantastic preventative measure against ill health.”
Jenni Regan
Can you tell us about Creativity & Wellbeing Week – who it’s for, its purpose, who is involved?
Creativity and Wellbeing Week (17-23 May 2021) is in its 11th year this year. It started as a small festival for the arts and health sector and has grown into a UK-wide celebration of the power of creativity on wellbeing. It showcases many brilliant organisations and artists, and provides a chance for the public to try out creative activity. The festival is run by London Arts and Health, and the Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance came on board in 2019 to take the festival UK-wide.
Can you tell us a little about London Arts and Health?
The charity started out as a small, member organisation. We’re still dedicated to our members, who are mainly arts and health practitioners but are now an Arts Council “National Portfolio Organisation” and the leading sector support charity in London. We advocate for arts and health, work with policy makers, and bridge the gap between the arts and health worlds. We have worked on increasing the resources we offer over the past year, producing a number of digital tools to support our members. The coronavirus pandemic was incredibly hard for many of them.
Why do you think Creativity & Wellbeing Week is important?
Primarily it’s a chance to put arts and health in the spotlight and highlight some of the fantastic work going on across the UK. It’s a great leveller and puts grassroots organisations on the same stage as the larger, better funded cultural institutions. The benefits of creativity on wellbeing are still not as well-known as factors such as exercise and eating well, and we want everyone to be able to experience what it can do to support a healthier and longer life.
We know that those who face barriers to accessing arts and culture are often the same people who would benefit greatly. You don’t have to be a ‘creative’ person to benefit from taking part, and you don’t have to have an illness or disability. Art is for everyone and is a fantastic preventative measure against ill health.
How is creativity linked to wellbeing?
Over recent years, there has been a growing understanding of the impact that creative or cultural activity can have on health and wellbeing. Accessing the arts and culture – and more generally working with our own creativity using our imaginations – can improve our health if we have diagnosed mental or physical health problems. But it is also good for our health and wellbeing more generally, and for the health of our communities and society.
The arts can reduce stress and increase social engagement as well as providing opportunities for self-expression. Many describe it as a mindful experience or an escape from everyday life. It’s not just about the activity: people tell us that taking part combats loneliness and isolation. Taking part in creative activities can also help us make more sense of our emotions and the world around us and can encourage us to build our own narrative.
What does creativity mean to you personally? Has it had a particular impact on you and your wellbeing?
I am a bit of a convert! I always thought that art was not ‘for me’. After all, as a straight-A student I scraped by with an E in my GCSE art. But of course, creativity is not about being ‘good’ or painting masterpieces. My creative passion is writing, I write fiction and as well as publishing a couple of books I now also use writing for my own wellbeing and try to write something daily.
Are you involved in any personal creative projects at the moment that you’re excited about?
I am writing the second draft of my latest book, which has clearly been influenced by my job! I usually write thrillers but this has turned into a heart-warming story where nobody dies. It also involves an abandoned asylum and the discovery of an outsider art collection in the basement.
I’ve also been running Writing for Wellbeing sessions for the past few months. I’ve been volunteering to support asylum seekers in London over the past year and these sessions include some asylum seekers and people from my local area. The way we all view subjects such as travel and friendship are so different and we are all learning from each other. This has become my regular way of having a bit of escape as I am a full participant.
How do you feel the pandemic has affected people’s attitudes towards art and creativity?
It’s really interesting how people have quite naturally turned to creativity during the pandemic, particularly during the full lockdown, when people were asked not to leave their homes. All the usual coping strategies such as exercise and nature were suddenly not available to people, and so we saw them taking part in online drawing classes, lockdown choirs and watching culture from the sofa.
For many, lockdown has made it easier to take part in creativity. Those who find it hard to leave the house have been able to take part from the comfort of their homes. Of course the pandemic has also highlighted the digital divide. Cultural organisations have responded by offering physical creativity packs for some sections of society.
Do you feel that art and creativity are given enough space in our culture? Is it championed enough?
Definitely not. This is really highlighted by the recent government proposal to halve the funding for arts subjects in further education. We have also seen a continuing decline in secondary school arts provision.
We know that arts subjects are not just a ‘nice’ addition to the curriculum, they encourage self-expression and creativity and can build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity. Studying arts subjects also helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us.
In 2019 the arts and culture industry grew by £390m and was worth £10.8bn a year to the UK economy. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on this, and it’s even more important that we invest in the next generation. We also have a huge issue of diversity in the arts and health sector. If children from a privileged background are the only ones receiving arts education, we are unlikely ever to see a level cultural playing field.
What could be done to improve this?
Investment in the arts! But also there is a role for the culture sector to shout about what we do and to reach out to the next generation, creating opportunities and making the arts – and in particular arts in health – a viable career choice. As a charity we are working on ways of doing this. There is some hope with the growth in popularity of “social prescribing”, where activity is prescribed instead of or alongside conventional medicine.
“We know that arts subjects are not just a ‘nice’ addition to the curriculum, they encourage self-expression and creativity and can build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity. Studying arts subjects also helps to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us.”
Jenni Regan
Social prescribing has been championed by both the Department of Health and NHS England in its Long-Term Plan. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, spoke about culture and creativity in relation to social prescribing in November 2018 at the King’s Fund. He said: “The arts can help keep us well, aid our recovery and support longer lives better lived.”
However, many social prescribers have been focusing traditionally on basic needs such as housing and finances. This is changing as there is a growing realisation that taking part in creative activity increases health and wellbeing to the point where addressing basic needs is easier to manage for the patient. As a charity we have been championing cultural social prescribing and are beginning to see social prescribers seeking to add arts and cultural activities to their offering.
What do you think about the work Create does?
I have been lucky enough to take part in a Create writing workshop, delivered to people with dementia, which was brilliant. It is really inspiring to see a charity working with so many different art forms and with such a wide variety of users. I think Create has done so much to make arts and health more mainstream on a national level, which has benefited smaller organisations.
My favourite project, and one I think many should emulate, is creative:connection where disabled and non-disabled young people are bought together to work with professional artists. I have worked on reducing stigma in mental health and for the refugee community through previous roles and current trustee roles, and the key is always to bring people together to share stories and experiences.
I think the idea of nurturing new artistic talent, which is a major initiative for Create, is also key to championing arts and culture going forward. Again, this is something more organisations should be aiming to achieve.
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