Our creative participation work in 2024
Over the last year our work delivering creative learning opportunities to all ages has continued to thrive.
With over 25,000 engagements in 2024, this area of our work continues to benefit our community by reducing isolation, building confidence and improving mental health through involvement with creative activity.
Our Youth Theatre has seen over 190 young people take part in weekly drama sessions, with funding achieved to provide bursary places. Our annual large scale performance in August 2024, The Jungle Book, was performed across six performances with the two full casts of young people in each, and was a wonderful end to the summer season.
Careers in the Arts, our joint project with The Watermill Theatre and funded by Greenham Trust, has seen over 4,900 young people learn about opportunities for creative careers this year. We have attended Careers Fairs, delivered talks and workshops within school and community settings, Young Creatives and Drama Facilitation sessions, work experience and traineeships.
It is very easy to get stuck in the mindset that being an actor, writer, or director is the only way into theatre, but this conversation thoroughly reassured me that this isn’t true […] spending it with the outreach team, showed me so much of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of theatre that I hadn’t even taken a moment to consider before.
Work experience student March 2024
Our Ageing Creatively programme continues to thrive, using engagement in creative activity to develop the wellbeing and resilience of our older communities. Across the programme this year 84% of participants reported an increase in their positivity and confidence having engaged in the sessions, and 75% reported that they had made new friends.
Our monthly Memory Café has long been a success story, and in August 2024 we piloted an intergenerational version, inviting our toddler music and singing group to join us at Memory Café for a music led session. Singer Louise Ashdown led our youngest cohort of babies and toddlers in learning some traditional nursery rhymes with the help of our Memory Café-goers. With the use of traditional songs, the lyrics and music were easily recalled by every adult and it was a thoroughly engaging session, enjoyed by all who came.
Over the last year we have worked with 20 primary schools and 6 secondary schools across multiple different projects, supporting students from reception through to those in higher education settings, delivering 217 sessions in schools. Our Roald Dahl Literacy project ran in June 2024 with 128 pupils performing on the Corn Exchange stage to a sold out auditorium of friends and family. This project continues to be popular with schools as a curriculum linked literacy intervention, also providing the opportunity for pupils to share their work and celebrate others’ performances.
I learnt that learning lines is quite easy if you are focussed and I’m proud that I did something out of my comfort zone.
Year 6 performer
Our Wellbeing Warriors sessions continue to run in collaboration with the Education and Business Partnership, reaching 237 children in the last year. This project introduces children to physical, mental and emotional, social, educational and holistic wellbeing through drama, music, arts and crafts, games and quizzes.
The children were given the opportunities to express themselves in a safe environment. They had fun and were engaged in the different activities and learnt different strategies to cope with and adapt to different scenarios - including practising mindfulness. A great project for the children to express themselves and learn about themselves emotionally.
Year 6 Teacher
This year we have continued delivery of two arts on prescription projects supporting mental health among both adults and young people through creative intervention.
Our Singing for Recovery arts for health sessions use vocal warm ups and group singing to promote relaxation and build confidence. We continue to see numbers grow, and have received some heart felt testimonials as to the impact these sessions have:
In 2022 I was diagnosed with a condition called Psoriatic Arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints and other areas of the body and causes severe pain and fatigue . . . . In June 2022 I was at my worst and when I couldn’t see a way forward I took an overdose to try and end it all. I was saved . . . I am still struggling to accept I cannot do the things I used to . . But having tried some other things I have finally found something I really enjoy. And the way you lead the group is amazing, making everyone feel really welcome and part of it. I’ve always enjoyed singing and this was just what I needed.
Singing for Recovery Participant
Our Art Journaling for Young Minds sessions provide a safe place for young people to express themselves creatively to help them through challenging times. Led by a professional artist, these sessions provide a creative toolkit for young people to help them explore, articulate and manage their emotions. We have delivered this intervention programme in four local secondary schools this year. 80% of students said that they felt more able to attend school with 90% saying that they helped with managing emotions or behaviour.
These sessions were very useful as they took some stress out of my day and they let me get everything I was feeling out on a page.
Art Journaling for Young Minds participant
Photo Credits:
Sing 55, Infant Youth Theatre, Junior Youth Theatre & Post-Natal Pilates: Simon Vail
Dare to Dance: Tim Easton
