The Flourish Project – Forming Creative Community Connections

Description

Creators Artspace is an artist-run community arts organisation. Our mission statement supports initiatives that engage a range of local community, education and health organisations in community arts projects. We ran a Project called ‘Flourish’ which was funded by the City of Wodonga through an Arts and Cultural Contribution New Initiative Grant.The Project delivered well being art workshops to the Wodonga community in 2014 by forming creative partnerships with local community health organisations and Creators Artspace. Health sector members, tertiary students, artists, cultural workers, and the wider community were able to form partnerships through their collective participation in the well being ‘Flourish’ workshops. Building on this project’s momentum Creators Artspace offered a Splash & Dribble Painting Workshop in July 2015 as part of CREATORS ARTSPACE WORKSHOP PROGRAM. This workshop was of an exploratory nature and assisted participants to embrace creativity through experimental mark making using a variety of art mediums. The workshop was attended by 15 participants from the local community which included health organisations. VALUE YOUR MIND: FESTIVAL OF WELLBEING event to celebrate Mental Health Week in October 2015 took place at the Gateway Village, Wodonga. Creators Artspace offered and ran an experimental mixed media ‘Flourish’ art workshop. This large well attended multi-faceted festival involved the Albury Wodonga health sectors and the local community.A ’Flourish' Art expression for wellbeing workshop was offered by Creators Artspace for Senior Celebrations week in October 2016. We at Creators Artspace promote and validate for our community the creation of artwork as an expressive vehicle for mental health and wellbeing. Our program aims to foster equitable community access to the arts by building partnerships and capacity within our community to respond to mental health issues. Through exhibition and workshops we contribute to local community awareness of mental health by promoting partnerships with the community health organisations such as Mind Australia, Upper Murray Family Care, Gateway Health and Albury Wodonga Health. We are also prepared for collaborative involvement in new funding initiatives. Lynette Callaghan AThR (Arts Therapist) Secretary of Creators Artspace.

Period	2014
Event type	Workshop
Location	Wodonga, Australia, Victoria
Degree of Recognition	National