About

We believe in the power of shared creativity to make a difference to both individuals and communities, and that is reflected in our vision and mission.

Our Vision: Communities that are resilient and vibrant strengthened through shared creative activities.

Our Mission: To inspire and support people through creative activities to improve individual and community wellbeing.

Who We Are
  • KAAW is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, set up in 2017.
  • Directors are Ken Scott, and Adrian Bawtree.
  • Evolved out of LAPWING – Live Art Practice Wellbeing Inspired Network Group led by Age UK Canterbury, 2016-17.
  • Is registered in Maidstone but operates virtually.

Home-based office working:

Adrian  (Canterbury) adrian@kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk

Ken (Maidstone) ken@kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk

What We Do

We promote, design and develop creative activities that deliver improved wellbeing for individuals and communities. We do this by creating opportunity, building the capacity to deliver creative activities and brokering activities between commissioners and artists and creatives. Specifically, we:

  • Identify skill sets and performance standards required by artists and creatives to lead creative interventions that will realise desired outcomes.
  • Recruit, train and develop volunteers so that they can  both leverage the benefits provided by professional artists and creatives and develop their own potential.
  • Develop and deliver practical training for artists, creatives and volunteers  with peer support that will enable them to achieve required performance standards and deliver desired outcomes.
  • Establish process for assessing and reviewing performance standards.
  • Work with commissioners and artists  and creatives to identify and design  activities that will help realise the desired outcomes of commissioners and their clients.
  • Leverage funding to supplement and extend the reach of commissioned activity.
  • Build and maintain a network of both artists and commissioners that are interested in using the arts to improve individual and community wellbeing.
Our Approach
  • Be clear about the needs of artists,creatives and volunteers, commissioners and service users and seek an approach that explicitly balances any differences.
  • Work with commissioners, artists/creatives, volunteers and users at all stages of an activity so that we can be informed of key issues affecting desired outcomes and can respond to help ensure the best possible result.
  • Use principles of co-production to underpin the development of services.
  • Seek to meet unmet/poorly met needs of artists/creatives and volunteers and commissioners through our networks of interested stakeholders.
  • Establish best practice in the application of creative  interventions to improve individual and community wellbeing, taking into account cost and effectiveness.
  • Promote best practice to commissioners and artists/creatives  and volunteers  through both dissemination and targeted training.
  • Work with existing assets, seeking to enhance performance by reflecting and applying best practice where appropriate.
  • Develop new and existing assets so that we are more able to contribute to the improvement of individual and community wellbeing.
  • Establish and monitor viable outcomes that meet stakeholder needs and enable structured improvement.
Our Clients

We will have four category of clients and one, critically important indirect client.

They are:

  • Large Contract Commissioners – these will be organisations within Kent such as Kent County Council and Clinical Commissioning Groups and/or their strategic partners.
  • Smaller Contract Commissioners – these will be either groups funded by KCC/CCGs or  organisations such as individual Age UK or Alzheimer’s Society organisations.
  • Funders who we approach and agree to support our activities.
  • The artists /creatives  and volunteers who provide the creative  services.
  • The end user of the creative  services that are provided, these are indirect but ultimately the most important client group.
Our Experience

We are a new company but the founding Directors bring a wealth of knowledge skills and experience in the following areas.

We have:

  • A good track record on raising funds for arts and wellbeing-based activities: read about our projects here.
  • Experience and skills in project evaluation: read some of our reports here.
  • Established and maintained networks in the voluntary, community and statutory sector.
  • Experience of leading membership organisations.
  • Experience of commissioning Health and Social Care Services.
  • Experience as Trustees in voluntary organisations.
  • Experience of Project Management in diverse settings.
  • Experience of  developing and applying outcomes and performance measurement systems.
  • Experience of the Design, Development and Improvement of Services.

 

Veterans

We are proud to be working with and supporting veteran members of our armed forces