Using the Arts
Using creative practices is a core element of the Partnership’s approach.
The Arts can help people to really engage with issues and explore things from a different perspective. It provides a relaxed, non-confrontational (and fun!) platform from which to work and is therefore an ideal way to engage with disadvantaged and vulnerable people who may not otherwise open up.
The Arts is transformative and can turn the most difficult consultation into a truly empowering experiencing, often giving a voice to those who may otherwise go unnoticed. Above all it puts positive experiences into the most difficult, impoverished and often traumatised lives.
We know that creativity and the use of the Arts is one of our most successful methods of intervention, particularly when working with young people, as demonstrated by the depth and variety of our projects over the past few years.
Our current pieces of work are outlined below.
Women at the HeArt seeks to give vulnerable, disadvantaged women more control over their lives, identifying ways of empowering them through the use of creative activities and reconnecting them with their families and communities. The project focuses on women with complex and unmet needs and offers innovative, cost-effective methods of intervention which can open doors and give women greater access to support services.
We are working with 4 sites across the Thames Valley: Alana House in Reading, The Old Fire Station in Oxford, InterAction MK and Elizabeth Fry probation hostel in Reading.
Integral to Women at the HeArt is a mentee training scheme which is part of our ongoing commitment towards continuing professional development for creative practitioners in the criminal justice field.
We have run sessions with a variety of agencies working together in Milton Keynes and workshops will take place at the Elizabeth Fry hostel during the summer. We will be celebrating the work at an exhibition to take place in the gallery at the Old Fire Station in Oxford www.oldfirestation.org.uk during October 2013 and at InterAction MK www.interactionmk.org.uk during November 2013.
Contact judy@thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk for more info.
“It’s been good to express yourself to how you’re
really feeling but can’t put it into words.”
“I enjoyed having a go. I always feel inadequate
but out of this came light and colour.”
Contact judy@thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk for more info.
MEADOWBROOK COLLEGE OPENS UP ARTS CENTRE!
We are happy to be supporting Meadowbrook College in setting up an Arts Centre at their Harlow site. We have been working with Meadowbrook College for a number of years – firstly through our popular Schools in Action strand of work and subsequently helping to deliver the national Creative Partnerships programme which lasted for 3 years. We are delighted that creativity is now taking such a key role in the provision offered by Meadowbrook. It is clear that they are passionate about arts and its value in education and self-development.
Meadowbrook’s vision in setting up the Arts Centre is to improve and increase access to Meadowbrook to the wider community and widening prospects for Meadowbrook Students. Its artistic approach and expertise can provide others within the community with opportunities; offering varied arts packages and projects to others, delivered by professional arts practitioners.
Meadowbrook’s new exhibition space showcases new and exciting work produced through Meadowbrook partnerships; with an inspiring exhibition programme displaying varied and interesting work. The space offers the versatility as a project space and a professional gallery.
Further information: Dionne Barber: barberdionne@hotmail.com
http://www.meadowbrook.oxon.sch.uk/
Meadowbrook College is Oxfordshire’s Pupil Referral Unit and Integration Service and provides education and support to about one hundred secondary age students from across Oxfordshire. Meadowbrook offers all its students ‘a second chance for learning’ and works hard to ensure that they achieve successful outcomes despite the difficulties and setbacks they have experienced during their time at mainstream school. It’s about looking forward, not back.
Something Brilliant at the barn
Visit our dedicated arts section which captures all the findings from our creative Barnstorming day in March 2011. It is packed with great ieas which will be of real benefit to anyone interested in working creatively with vulnerable groups.
“One of the things I really like about the Partnership is that
it does that really difficult work but with an interesting edge”
Ian Blair (Lord Blair of Boughton), Chair of Thames Valley Partnership
Moving Forward
Moving Forward was a project supported by The LankellyChase Foundation, around young people who have experience in some way of domestic abuse and may subsequently have resulting issues themselves with [...]
Publications for Using the Arts
- Art & Community Safety - An Evaluation of the Community Arts Programme (Feb 2005)
- Art of the Possible – Achieving Change Through Creative Practice (2006) – A pictorial Conference reminder
- SROI Urban Beatz Evaluation - An Evaluation of the Urban Beatz project 2007
- Tales from the Riverbank - A write-up up of the 2007 Lifecrafts Conference by Richard Ings
- Phat Kanz Street Art Support Pack for Young Artists
- Phat Kanz Street Art Support Pack for Support Workers
(Note – these files are very large- you will require Acrobat Reader version 6 or later to read them; if you wish to print you will need to select the “fit to paper” option in Acrobat Reader).
- Runners Support Pack - Designed to accommpany the Runners dvd which looks at the sensitive and difficult issue of young people becoming involved in drug dealing. Dvd copies can be obtained from judy@thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk
- Unlocking Value (2011) – A report by New Philanthropy Capital exploring the economic benefit of the arts in criminal justice.
- Moving Forward : Project Report and Evaluation (2012)
Links for Using the Arts
