Knottingley
Banner Making
Most
recently, we have been working with Wakefield NHS in delivering
community based arts workshops aimed at raising health awareness
around alcohol use and misuse. Arts activities are undertaken
which allow those taking part an opportunity to build relationships
and confidence. It also enables information and issues around
alcohol use to be shared in a safe and informal environment.
Artist Viv Owen, who is well known to DIVA, began the first
workshops on 7th of November 2011.
Based in Knottingley, this banner-making project provides a
focus for participants. Led by Viv, an experienced arts professional,
they are able to develop their practical skills and provide
input into design and decision making. Creating banners is also
an ideal medium to promote collaborative working. More information
is available from Wakefield NHS or by contacting DIVA.
Discover
Project - Seventh Year
Discover,
now in its 7th year, has been a long term, successful project
involving DIVA. Funded by WMDC Family Services, Discover is
open to adult mental health service users by referral from support
workers. The aim is to benefit users by encouraging confidence
and personal interaction through a wide range of arts workshops.
Participants can develop existing abilities or sample new skills
and develop potential in a creative, supportive environment.
To date, there has been opportunity to have a go at over 20
art forms, including, acting, ukulele, animation, printmaking,
digital photography, sculpture, dance, drumming and textiles.
Some participants have gone on to become members of other voluntary
arts groups or have become workshop providers themselves. Two
current workshops which are available at DIVA, are Guitar on
Thursday afternoons and Patchwork on Thursday mornings. For
more information or referral forms please contact DIVA.
Change
For Life - Healthy Eating
This
project is part of the national programme Change For Life, you
may be familiar with the tv campaign. It is funded locally through
NHS Wakefield and WMDC. The project consists of schools based
workshops aiming to promote the Change For Life healthy living
message. Working with a visiting artist, pupils create puppet
and cartoon characters from a variety of media. These are then
used by them to produce posters and comics, which promote healthy
eating and lifestyle. In addition to creative arts skills, language
and communication aspects of the curriculum are also developed.
An important part of the project has been to target identified
priority areas within the district for delivery. Initial projects
have taken place in schools in Eastmoor in Wakefield. Pupils
produced highly colourful and creative comics full of puzzles
and healthy recipes and facts about a healthy lifestyle.
The
project is set to continue into the new year and it is planned
to set up similar activities to take place at schools in Hemsworth
and Airedale. We’re sure pupils there will prove equally as
creative.
Creative
Partners
Arts
& Wellbeing
Creative
Partners is a programme of arts activities aimed to ‘improve
the happiness, mental health and wellbeing of people in the
Wakefield District’. Funded by WMDC, the project recognises
the fundamental effects that the arts can have in improving
the lives of people who take part, particularly those in vulnerable
situations. DIVA organises a block of eight artist led workshops
in designated priority areas. To date, projects are underway
in Eastmoor, Wakefield and have been completed in Airedale,
Castleford. Artists Morwenna Catt and Marissa Wakefield have
worked in delivering a mosaic project in Eastmoor. Both 2D and
3D pieces are being produced to be used in the community garden.
In Airedale, Bronia Angove led various craft activities, such
as felting, glass painting and jewellery making. As a result,
the participants have formed their own independent craft group,
which will continue now that the workshop sessions are over.
The project is funded until March 2012 and further activities
are planned in two other priority areas.
