VOTE for Our Work of Art by 2 Sept: UK ‘EPIC Awards
Creative Volunteers up for an EPIC Award!
The ‘Our Work of Art’ project volunteers are thrilled to be shortlisted for a UK award the ‘EPIC AWARDS’. It is one of 31 UK-shortlisted projects. The public is now invited to vote for their favourite project and the closing dates for votes is 2nd September: the weblink to cast votes is:
www.voluntaryarts.org/epic-awards-peoples-choice-voting
The Epic Awards were set up in 2010 by Voluntary Arts, an organisation that works across the UK and Republic of Ireland to promote participation in creative cultural activities.
Our Work of Art is a partnership project. It is championed by Age UK Canterbury with Age UK Herne Bay and Whitstable. 40 local people, over the age of 50, were recruited, trained and mentored who all wanted ‘to have a go’ at being a creative volunteer. The project then supported the volunteers in helping older, frailer people, at the Age UK Centres in both Canterbury and Herne Bay, in ceramic mug painting and mural making; the results for 2018-2019 were fantastic.
The Our Work of Art Creative programme delivery was – and continues to be – led by talented creative, Catherine Arnell from Espression Arts CIC supported by project manager and evaluator Fay Blair from Kent Arts and Wellbeing.
A third round of exciting creative volunteer training has also been secured for this October 2019, to attract in more new volunteers over the age of 50. The next programme of four sessions – will be held over Wednesday evenings from 4-7pm beginning on 9th October 2019 in Age UK Centres (Canterbury and Herne Bay). It will include dementia awareness training too.
Rosie, from Whitstable, one of the 2018 local project volunteers, who did the training and creative volunteering, said:
“Working with the participants has definitely plugged a gap in my life as without parents or grandparents it has given me the opportunity to meet the most wonderful people. I feel blessed that they trusted me enough to share their life stories with me. To see them feel valued, worthwhile and to unleash long forgotten skills, or at least have fun trying, is a joy. As you get older it is harder to meet people with similar interests. This project has delivered them in bucket loads!
In comparison to my experiences volunteering for other organisations, Our Work of Art far outweighed my expectations: I feel appreciated, competent, trained and was supported throughout.The joy the project brought to the participants was tremendous. Seeing them gain in confidence, make new friends, and produce fantastic art work, no matter how “rubbish” they felt they were initially at doing arts & crafts, plus how proud they were of their finished results, was tremendous.”
Our Work of Art project is funded by Canterbury City Council’s Strategic Grant Award and from the National Lottery Community Fund’s – Awards for All.
Dr Neil Brown, Chief Officer, Age UK Canterbury, said:
“We are delighted to be working again with Espression Arts CIC and Kent Arts & Wellbeing with the fantastic team of creative volunteers. Last year they dedicated 1,700 hours and 218 people were involved. 70 creative workshops resulted in 8 stunning murals made up of individually hand-painted tiles by members at our day centres and the dementia support (COGS) groups. “
The Epic Awards celebrate the achievement of voluntary arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland, by recognising the skill, innovation and hard work that goes into their activities.
For more details about the free Our Work of Art October volunteer creative training and the linked creative group work at the Age UK Centres, please contact Fay Blair fay@kentartsandwellbeing.org.uk Mobile: 07786 307 664 or Catherine Arnell catherine@espression.co.uk Espression Arts, 29-30 Palace Street, Canterbury CT1 2DZ.
An application form is available here
