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FREEDOM: there is no right or wrong way to be creative, so it gives us the opportunity to engage with the world without judgement. It allows us to take risks, try things and remove inhibitions to learn more about ourselves, each other, and the world in safe and healthy ways.
SELF EXPRESSION: we can access our thoughts, ideas and feelings in different ways when we create. As we start to do this we begin to understand and trust our inner self, which in turn allows us to express ourselves better.
COMMUNICATION: we can find new ways to express ourselves and communicate with others who we are or what we feel or think. Allowing these things to be externalised into a piece of art is a safe way to be seen or heard.
SELF AWARENESS: As we make, we also start to learn to value our work, trust our own instincts more and gain confidence in using them; which can spill over into other area of our lives.
STRESS RELIEF: being creative can be a meditative process - it can help take the focus off other things that are happening in our lives. It can also be fun! and doing anything that brings us joy reduces stress levels and improves quality of life.
PROBLEM SOLVING: being creative is often making mistakes and finding new and resourceful ways of solving problems. When we are in the habit of doing this in our artwork, we find we are able to apply this and be more equipped to deal with the day to day obstacles and challenges of life.
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There is a myth that we are either right brained people; those who are creative, artistic, and intuitive, or left brained people; those who are mathematical, rational, and practical. However, studies show that the idea that anyone accesses one side of the brain more than this other is just NOT TRUE. Similarly, there is a myth around art and artists – those who create masterpieces often considered “creative geniuses”. These ideas limit us to believe that artistic talent and creativity are things that we simply have, or do not have. Again, NOT TRUE. Add to this mix the misconception that art and creativity should be presented in particular ways; painting and drawing for example. More than this though we come to believe that not only should art be done in a certain way, but also that it must also be “good”. This idea often comes through the course of the school experience where identification of “talent” overshadows universal participation, creative freedom, and play.
What we need to realise is that art and creativity can be accessed by every brain! and it is just a case of using it. And that art and creativity is not about skill and talent but is unpinned by play, mistakes, curiosity and imagination. Something we are ALL able to do.
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SELF ANALYSIS; When we work alongside others we are challenged to asses our own competencies – what can I bring to the table, what do I know, when should I step back etc. It allows us to see our own strengths, and weaknesses and gives us a sense of who we are.
PROBLEM SOLVING; when we collaborate a variety of skills and knowledge are pooled, meaning that as a group we are more competent, able and experienced. Multiple standpoints and skills combined together can achieve much more than those people working alone. These viewpoints open several doors to multiple outcomes, ideas and solutions that an individual would not have access to.
EXPERIENCING BIGGER PICTURE; when we work alone we tend to only experience things that are within our own understanding. When we start to work with others we begin to let go of our ideas of how things are and start to be open to understanding that there are multiple ways of experiencing the world.
EFFECTIVE TEACHING; when we work alongside each other we are learning from each other. We are seeing new ways of doing things in action. It encourages us to take risks and to see new opportunities. We support each other in our leaning by sharing skills and teach 'alongside' rather than 'to'. It encourages us to work in ways that are new to us and that are outside our experience and comfort zone.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS; as well as practical skills, when we collaborate we have to use skills such as leadership, negotiation, communication, and consent. We are acutely aware of our own needs, while at the same time having to take into consideration the needs of others.
SUPPORT; the burden of a task can be shared so that great things can be achieved with small efforts of many rather than the large effort of one or few.
BUILDS COMMUNITY; when we work together it creates a sense of joint purpose and achievement. It allows us to feel part of something, to feel more connected. When our input is part of a collaborative effort it allows us to feel like our contribution is valuable and we feel useful.
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Community cohesion, regeneration, and improving public health: The arts encourage people to participate, which raises their self-esteem and makes them more open to change, which is often important in improving their health and lifestyle
There has been a growing understanding of the impact of the arts on health and wellbeing, and more research is being collected and collated to back this up; In 2017 the all parliamentary group produced an enquiry into arts, health and wellbeing (Artshealthandwellbeing.org.uk, 2019) supporting this theory, and in addition to this their website hosts over 700 case studies of the work of arts in heath. In 2018 the health and social care secretary made a significant speech “the power of arts and social activities to improve the nation’s health” (GOV.UK, 2019). Additionally, a plethora of case studies can be found that also support the role of art in health and wellbeing collected by the arts council, (Artscouncil, 2019) who invest money into the arts and culture to improve and enrich people’s lives.
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Many benefits come from community. A sense of belonging to something greater than oneself, meeting our profound human yearning to connect with others and be part of something that transcends us.
EVERYONE!!!
Many, if not all services have a criteria. (e.g. Male, diagnosed with Anxiety, within the last year), and although beneficial in many ways the danger of which means that this label can then defines that person and their identity. Additionally this also means they are created as a direct problem solving endeavour.
We know that communities are made up of humans, and what we know about the 7.8 billion people that make up humanity is that we are are all uniquely different: no one fits perfectly into a box/label, from their DNA to our views on what the word “red” means to us. We believe that all these differences are amazing and should be shouted about! We are not looking to solve a specific problem, we are simply looking to bring people together in order to find more out about ourselves and each other and see what interests us and what happens when we combine all these elements; a space where people can feel valued, heard, and understood through open and effective communication between all. Not led by someone but all held together by those involved. Providing mutual respect, cooperation, and collaboration. With all this community is built and the impossible is made possible.
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There are strong, capable communities all around us. At the centre of human experience is community and without it we would fail to thrive. We have witnessed the strength of local communities helping each other through difficult times and the realisation that we are all interconnected and part of the international community. We have learnt that though we all may be experiencing the same thing, our own situations and situations mean that we are experiencing it in both similar ways and unique ways too. It is important for our well being to embrace out commonalities, as well as acknowledging our differences.
A sense of purpose plays a huge part in our lives, without it we are bereft. Creativity is a way of exploring what is meaningful for us, in order to be doing things that are ultimately satisfying. Working together also give us a sense of belonging and purpose. This has been shown through talking to volunteers about their experiences through COVID-19.