If you have found yourself here, then you may want some more information about the Wellbeing Studio project and I decided to put this all in one place with some frequently asked questions we get about wanting to come.
About the session:
The sessions are open to anybody of a working age (so adults) and are 2 hours long via zoom. We come together and have a creative starting point (often an artists work, or a video tutorial or a specific technique) which we take the time to explore together and share our work at the end. People are also welcome to do their own creative projects if the theme that week isn't for them or they have their own direction in mind.
Things we have covered: -
Mandalas, String Art, Painting with Paper (Matisse), Recycled Portraits, Kandinsky Circles, Paul Klee Word Art, Working with ink, Working with Oils, Doodles and hands, Patterns and Mark making, Notan, Positive and Negative Space..... ALL SORTS. Some of the examples are below (all made by Claire Hilton).
What does grant funded mean?
This means that the time that is put into the session and the staff that deliver the work is all paid for by money provided by a grant from grant making bodies. Therefore its important to understand that it id free but the reason the numbers and weeks are restricted is due to how many sessions have been covered by the funding given. Originally this group took place at Worcester Arts Workshop and we delivered 35 weeks using a Lottery funded grant, with the remaining 25 weeks (from a different fund provider) we have moved the project to Worcester Community Action so that Creating Space can continue with the last 25 weeks delivery. It was decided that this would be 3 final terms of 5 weeks. We have 2 terms of 5 weeks left to deliver.
Who are we?
Creating Space is Claire Hilton who is a qualified and practising Art Psychotherapist (you can find out more about that here) and since the project has been operating independently she has started working with Amanda (our admin assistant) and Charlotte (our co-facilitator) to help the groups run smoothly. They have both been featured in our blog too! Amanda and Charlotte.
How many people can attend?
The session when we were face top face were capped at 8 people due to space and materials required - now the sessions are delivered remotely we are able to make this slightly larger and give 10 spaces to individuals.
Is this Art Therapy?
No, not exactly. Art Therapy is more similar to counselling and art materials are an extra way of exploring difficult subjects. These sessions are to encourage your own personal creative practice which can be therapeutic and good for peoples well-being - but not 'therapy'.
What happens when I complete a booking form?
When we get a booking form via our website, our admin assistant Amanda then calls the number on the form and just checks in with the person who is registered and answers any questions they may have and checks that they know what it is they have signed up for. Its really important to us that our booking process is person centred as well as making sure that the spaces are used by those who want them. Infact, Amanda has a dedicated Wellbeing Studio work phone so that people can text if they would prefer once she has initially made contact. Please don't worry if this doesn't happen straight away as it may take a few days for us to respond. We are a small team of 2 people who work on other things and in other places throughout the week.
Why do I need to book and attend every week?
The simple answer to this is because the sessions are limited in number and we would like as many people to be able to benefit as possible before they come to an end. We know its not ideal and we also know people are busy but please try your best to make the best use of what is on offer. For our summer term we have changed the day from a Tuesday to a Wednesday as feedback told us that Tuesdays clashed with other provision so we have changed the day to see if this is better.
What do I need?
Each week there is starting point and we will let you know ahead of time what is needed to get things together at home. Please don't feel you have to buy anything we can work with what you have at home or some basic materials can be provided if needed. Worksheets can be posted if needed or provided in PDF form so you can print them. If that easier. All you need is YOU! and a commitment to giving things a go.
Have you been to any of our 30 sessions so far? Do You have any Questions about what it is they are like or anything you would like to ask us? Please let us know in the comments below and we will answer anything you need to know.
We would really love to start a gallery of work made by people who have attended our sessions - if you would like your work to be included then please send it to CreatingSpaceSessions@gmail.com with subject *Please Include in Gallery* and let us know if you would like us to include your name too. Claire :)