Creative Communities growing art-based courses for wellbeing and leisure in West Berks

THERE’S lots going on at Creative Communities at the moment... they have recently had their second annual Student Exhibition and, very excitingly, provision is now growing to include a huge range of adult leisure courses.

Creative Communities (South East) CIC is a not-for-profit organisation, delivering art-based courses for wellbeing and leisure. It is run in West Berkshire by MDs Tanya Reid, who is head of creativity, and wellbeing and Sarah Hemmings, head of teaching and learning.

They have recently taken over the art and creative leisure courses from Newbury College, which they have grown to include lots of exciting new courses, says Tanya.

“Creative Communities held its end-of-year exhibition in July and it was a great night celebrating all of the students’ achievements and the hard work and dedication they have shown to produce some wonderful art over the past academic year.

“The art on display was created by a range of different people in the community attending the Art for Wellbeing courses, some in care homes, day centres, Sovereign’s independent living schemes, small village rural groups, parents of young children, adults with special educational needs and older people with dementia and other age-related illnesses.

“It was a wonderful array of expressive, highly creative work and a real celebration of the creativity shown by vulnerable adults living in West Berkshire.”

The event was opened by Thatcham mayor Mark Lillycrop.

“We hope next year’s exhibition will be even bigger and better, as we open our provision to the entire community,” Tanya continues.

“We are growing and are really excited to announce that in partnership with West Berkshire Council we have taken on all of the creative adult leisure courses that used to be offered at Newbury College.

“We have also expanded the provision to include a wide range of brand new courses too. We have a new team of very talented tutors, all of whom are also working professionals in their field of specialism too.”

Creative Communities will be delivering courses and workshops at Arlington Arts, The Phoenix Centre, Falkland Cricket Club and Thatcham Rugby Club and hope to add other community venues to the list as their provision grows.

“At the moment we have an exciting combination of courses and workshops on offer in floristry, sewing, crafting, drawing, painting, mixed media, crochet, needle felting, macrame, upcycling, Latin and ballroom dancing and lots of exciting Christmas workshops, from wreath-making, ceramics and even eco gift wrapping, to name just a few.”

Creative Communities have launched a new, user-friendly website, where individuals can look through all the courses on offer and book online.

Those wishing to speak to their friendly team directly, can contact them at enquiries@ creative-communities.org.uk or use the ’contact u’ page on the website www.creative-communities.org.uk