Tag: meet

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.

create week 2025: a celebration of creativity

As July comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the creativity, collaboration and enthusiasm that defined Create Week 2025.

From 1-7 July, thousands of people across the UK (and beyond!) joined Create’s celebration of the creative arts. Whether collaging abstract landscapes, writing monologues inspired by imagined spaces, or building puppets out of cereal boxes, people of all ages and abilities came together to explore the power of creativity.

highlights from the week

seven free activities

Each day featured a new creative invitation, designed by our professional Create artists and spanning artforms from song-writing and collage to puppetry and filmmaking. The activities were accessible, easy to do at home and celebrated the idea that everyone is creative.

We were delighted to receive pictures, videos and reflections from people who took part and we’re so grateful to everyone who shared their work with us. One #CreateWeek participant shared:

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!)

collaborating with white stuff and harrow carers

A huge shout-out to White Stuff who, under the guidance of Create artist Alba, teamed up with carers from Harrow to create a striking, hand-crafted window display celebrating Create Week. This unique collaboration gave unpaid carers the opportunity to step away from their responsibilities, connect with others and showcase their creativity. The display brought colour, care and creativity to the high street – and lots of smiles to passers- by! One of the carers involved shared:

“The window dressing experience was a journey of joy for us carers… thank you so much Harrow Carers! Create have a wonderful team & employ the most talented, experienced & encouraging artists like Alba… whose vision, direction & guidance was enlightening and deeply fulfilling. She was a total pleasure to work with…“

The window dressing experience has created many precious memories to treasure for ever. A big ‘Thank you‘ to all involved!

Organisations Across the UK Got Involved

From local charities and schools to national networks, organisations embraced the spirit of Create Week. Whether running group sessions, encouraging customers and colleagues to take part or sharing the word online, we were inspired by how many people celebrated creativity with us.

Some groups even built entire events around the Create Week resources, bringing people together to draw, weave and share their experiences in powerful and personal ways. One of our partners, Dawn, got involved in our Day 1 drawing activity during their monthly team social, sharing an incredible collection of works made by staff! Members of the team shared their experience:

It was fun to spend time as a team being creative outside of work! Just enjoying the process and the calm that came with it was lovely, it’s rare I get to have a crafty evening like that. It felt really refreshing to slow down, do something with my hands and chat with colleagues in a relaxed setting.

Alice milner, senior designer

“Being creative and removing yourself from technology allows you to feel free and think differently. It allows the team to relax away from the pressure of deadlines and have a laugh together. It created a team spirit with a lot of praise being passed around for everyone’s efforts.” – David O’Hearns, Managing Director

Why Create Week Matters

At Create, our vision is of a  society in which everyone has access to the educational, social and life-enriching benefits of the creative arts. We believe that creativity is a fundamental human need, not a luxury. Whether you’re a young carer, an older adult living with dementia or simply someone looking to reconnect with your imagination, through creativity, we create space to explore our emotions, build confidence and support our wellbeing.

Thank You

Create Week 2025 would not have been possible without our talented artists, dedicated partners, generous funders and – most importantly – everyone who took part. Whether you created quietly at home, shared your work online or helped spread the word, thank you for helping us make this a week to remember.

If you didn’t get a chance to finish all seven activities, you can still download these for free at createweek.org and follow along on YouTube. It’s never too late to get creative!

Let’s keep creating, connecting and celebrating – all year round.

Creativity That Connects Us

At Create, we see every day how creativity has the power to connect, uplift and inspire. Whether it’s through drama, music or photography, our projects provide meaningful opportunities for self-expression, discovery and joy. This month, we’re shining a light on some of the people behind those moments – participants, community partners and volunteers – and the transformations that can happen.

A Space to Grow and Express

For Arin*, an 11-year-old participant on our community:matters project with Salusbury World, photography became a new language for self-expression.

“I mostly learnt how to express myself with a camera, without words,” he said. “It was fun working together. Sometimes we were quietly doing our own work, and sometimes we were just having fun.”

Beyond the creative skills, Arin reflected on his wellbeing:

“[The project] made me quite happy. I think it has benefited my mental health.”

Connection Through Creativity

Carmen* (58), who joined our creative:engagement project for older adults living with dementia and poor mental health, found that participating in creative workshops opened the door to connection – both with others and herself:

It’s nice to share stories. It’s just a joy really. I really look forward to these sessions.

She also noted the therapeutic value of making art:

“[Creativity] takes your mind off things. And you concentrate on what you’re doing. It’s very good for [your] mental health. Because you’re just being creative with your hands.”

The Power of Play and Participation

For Teddy*, a young participant on our creative:tandem circus project at a CAMHS unit in Manchester, the project offered more than just fun. It was a chance to build confidence, joy and connection through learning new skills.

We spoke with activity coordinator Abin, who shared how this project benefited Teddy:

“He was really enthusiastic. He could juggle three balls and even tried the unicycle. He was interactive in every session.”

Abin added: “This project gives more connection between people. It’s also good for the connection between colleagues and the patients. I loved it too.”

A Volunteer’s View

Volunteers Fiona and Brian from Octopus Energy joined our environment:matters visual art project at Ridgeway School, working with schoolchildren with special educational needs.

Fiona shared:

“Each of the children contributed what they were able to. Some fish [sculptures] were quite simple, others really elaborate!”

Brian reflected on the creativity he saw in action:

“Art is an expression of people’s imagination. I think [the participants’ creativity] coming out in these different artforms is really good for them. It helps them to communicate some of their thoughts.”

Fiona agreed:

Sometimes in doing something more creative, more tactile, you’re using your thoughts, and that leads to being able to express yourself better.

The Impact of Creativity

Whether you’re a young carer, an older adult living with dementia or a teenager navigating mental health challenges, creativity offers a way to be seen, to connect and to thrive – 82 % of UK adults report that engaging in the arts helped them feel more connected to others, emphasising that creative expression isn’t a luxury, but a necessity for wellbeing.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Thank you to our funders Ashurst, John Lyon’s Charity, Octopus Energy and The Prudence Trust.

MEET ANNETTE: A CREATIVE:VOICES PARTICIPANT

creative:voices is Create’s multi-artform project for adult carers, designed to offer creative respite and enable participants to explore new artforms in a supportive environment. Between February and April 2025, Create artist Liz Jackson led a series of visual art workshops at Enfield Carers Centre, where carers had the opportunity to experiment with a wide range of materials, from collage to clay. We spoke to Annette (64), one of the participants, about how creativity has helped her reconnect with herself.

Finding joy in creative discovery

Each week brought new materials, new techniques and, for Annette, new opportunities to learn and play:

“Today we were focusing on collage and using a variety of patterns and textures that we created beforehand. It was very freestyle, which I thought was good fun, so everybody ended up with something completely different.”

The workshops encouraged participants to move beyond their usual comfort zone:

“I really enjoyed using images from magazines – it’s not something I would normally do. I had never used FIMO [clay] before and I made a pendant and a brooch. I also loved stitching onto a postcard and I think I will utilise that in my own work at some point.”

No matter the activity, Annette found herself drawn in:

Every session I think ‘oh my goodness, this is so interesting, it’s so fun’. Whatever it is I’m doing I’m completely engrossed.

Balancing caring and self-care

Annette cares for her teenage son, who has autism. After leaving her career in teaching to focus on his needs, her role as a carer became a full-time responsibility:

“[Being a carer] has totally changed my lifestyle. I knew that I would need to be more on hand for him and the pressures of teaching were becoming too much in combination with what was going on at home.”

Making space to reconnect

Taking part in creative:voices offered something vital for Annette – time and space just for herself:

“Having [the opportunity] to come to these sessions – it’s like protected time. When I’m at home it’s very difficult to carve out that time but it’s something I’m going to be doing going forward.”

Creativity became more than just a distraction – it was a source of wellbeing and meaningful social connections:

When I’m being creative, it’s about just losing myself in what I’m doing, so I can’t think too much about things that might be bothering me or even really worrying me.

“I really enjoy being around other people. I actually enjoy being in an art ‘space’ with other people. The social aspect is what’s really important to me.”

The impact of creativity

For Annette, the workshops were not just enjoyable: they were vital:

“I couldn’t praise [these sessions] highly enough. These kinds of projects are just essential.”

This project was funded by the Smiles Fund via Comic Relief and Walkers.