Project: My Space My Place
Grant: £3,000
Area of benefit: Countywide
MySpace MyPlace project will employ 2 artists to deliver 36, flexible 'pop-up', 2 hour sessions of art experiences, over one year. This will take place in community settings within four localities in Dorset, where people are experiencing isolation and barriers to engagement to cultural/art access.
It will be delivered in frontline settings such as:
- care homes
- hospitals
- prisons
- residential children homes
- traveller and gypsy communities
- homeless support settings
- mental health support services
The aim is to introduce and support participants to discover cultural experiences and artists on 'their doorstep'.
Houseworks delivered contemporary arts projects to more than 550 children, young people, adults, and families for 36 weeks across a variety of sectors in the community in North and West Dorset and Weymouth.
They employed local artists, certificate the Discover Arts Award for 48 vulnerable children and young people. The funding allowed us to respond to areas of concern in the community where it was identified that people could benefit from connecting to their communities to reduce isolation and improve mental health.
They delivered in primary schools to children with disabilities and at risk of exclusion, collages with young people at risk of not being in education or employment, youth clubs to children and families experiencing low attainment and poverty, in community stings enabling an open-door access policy, at events to raise awareness of environmental issues and recycling. The main challenge was of capacity and numbers had to be limited.
This inclusive project was adapted to make sure all needs were catered for. This included a dedicated member of the delivery staff to provide one to one support if needed, accessible resources and project and activities that could and were adapted to meet individual needs. A high number of SEND children with parents and carers attended.
Photos from the project can be found on the Houseworks Dorset Facebook page.
Quotes
“I attended Vinyl Van shop in Dorchester and Waverly in Weymouth. Although I may not participate very often in the sessions I do find it incredibly relaxing just being able to hang out and watch my now 17 year old daughter being able to sit at a table switch off to everything that affects a teenage students daily grind and create something. Jodie is able to talk to my daughter about different art, styles and artists plus also I think that my daughter can come away from the sessions with a sort of validation with what she is doing in the sessions from a local artist and not just a supportive parent. Thank you for everything you do.” Participant.
“Wouldn’t leave the house and managed more than one art workshop and ended up continuing art at home and less time on the iPad or computer. It allowed me to engage with my children more. And be around other families. Being immersed in something fun which requires concentration really distracts you from all of life's worries. Collage doesn't require huge artistic skill, just imagination and the need to communicate your ideas.” Participant.
“The sessions are very friendly, fun and inclusive. They have given me the opportunity to meet other people and share our ideas and creativity - which helps me to feel part of a wider community. I love learning from other's especially from other parts of the world. When creating art it makes me feel a connection to other people.” Participant.
“ Volunteering at these events has improved my mental health. It has been great to spend the day with likeminded people who want to improve their community.” Volunteer.
"We absolutely loved delivering this project. It gave us the opportunity to support the whole community to access arts and form connections organically and outside of referral processes (which is a lot of our work) This enabled us to deliver across a wide demographic and embed creative experiences and toolboxes in peoples lives so they can continue to develop their own ways of supporting their mental health and wider wellbeing. We met lots of older people who were encouraged by the opportunity to connect in community spaces and those connections have continued. We were also able to embed The Arts Award Discover in the sessions and 46 young people aged 5-25 gained a certificate. This raised their self-esteem and enabled a number of children out of school to be awarded a certificate. We could run this programme 52 weeks of the year!" Houseworks.