Community Arts Projects And Workshops In Cumbria

We have been facilitating participatory activities alongside Tullie House's new visiting collection of Street Art prints from the V&A. The first workshop gave members of the public the chance to transform their streets. They were able to flypost their designs, doodles and drawings into the drawn streets of Carlisle.

We delivered a day of graffiti at the Beggar's Theatre in Millom. 15 young people interrupted their summer holidays, to come and learn some new skills and explore their imagination. Everyone worked hard, with 5 separate graffiti artworks created, along with 10 other small experimental pieces. Styles ranged from pop art, abstract expressionism and glamour; to gothic, outsider and surreal ...to name but a few.

We returned to St Beghs, Whitehaven, over the summer term this year to create a recycled sculpture with all the year 6s.This involved an exploration of Whitehaven's major landmarks and the west coast as an area of energy creation, including wind, nuclear and coal power.

New Arts North run regular art and design workshops with Amaze (Cumbria's Early Intervention into Psychosis Service) and their service-users. Sessions involve an informal exploration of drawing, painting, film, animation, photography and more. They are designed to be participant-directed and therefore confidence-building, motivating and therapeutic.

New Arts North worked with 200 pupils at St Patricks Primary School in Cleator Moor, Cumbria, to create a mural for its main hall. The work focused around drawing skills and the work of Lowry.

Working with painter and community artist, Celia Burbush from New Arts North, members of the Copeland Cancer Support Group looked at personal ideas and memories, and then, through photography, projection and paint (and a few cups of tea), made them ‘go large’! A project is currently being developed with the Copeland Cancer Support Group to further investigate the generation of artworks through the sharing of oral histories attached to treasured objects and places.