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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Arty-Folks

Inspiring people who feel at a low point in life and who are struggling with mental ill health on their journey to recovery through the Visual Arts.

We offer a Therapeutic Art Programme for adults of working age 16+ in Coventry and Warwickshire who are at a low point in life and struggling with mental ill health.

14/03/2026

Burnout doesn't happen all at once our out of the blue!

It happens step by step and it starts very often with the need to prove yourself to others!

"I felt like I couldn't keep up and whatever I achieved was never enough. That was in work, with family and friends, and eventually it felt like the story of my life."

When you constantly push yourself to meet others’ expectations, you lose sight of your own. The drive that once gave you purpose becomes the weight that drags you down. You keep saying yes to everyone else but forget to say yes to yourself.

At Arty-Folks we meet so many people who feel they’ve “failed” because they can’t run on empty anymore.

Burnout is a red flag and your body asking for rest, balance, and reconnection with what really matters to you.

Through art, conversation, and community, we help you slow down, rediscover your creative spark, and rebuild a relationship with yourself that’s based on compassion, not exhaustion.

If this resonates, have a look at our programme of workshops and courses https://arty-folks.org.uk/whats-on/

13/03/2026

The story of F.C. who joined Arty-Folks online during Covid,
attended at our studios in 2024 and has just returned for a bit more support:

"I became very unwell over 20yrs ago and I was then told I would never get a job and be on benefits for the rest of my life. I felt hopeless and completely written off by their verdict and it stuck with me for a very long time.

Slowly, very slowly, attitudes around mental health began changing and things started to pick up for me. I started to get jobs but also losing them, which is now at the root of so much of my worries and anxiety.

I’ve just joined Arty-Folks again and it feels like I’ve never left. We had a really nice catchup which ended in an interesting discussion about logical versus reasonable thinking.

I said that I feel it’s just logical that it will all go belly up again. Staff replied that just because something can be explained logically step by step it doesn’t make it inevitable or true, that logic is linear and biased and only works because it excludes other possibilities.

Things may have happened in the past in a certain way repeatedly because conditions were the same, that seems logical. When conditions change it is also logical to expect a different outcome, one that you might not be able to predict as it’s a new place! To ignore everything that has changed in the past couple of years is un-reasonable and also illogical.

I hadn’t realised that I was disregarding my achievements like completing my 1st year at Uni, supporting my family through tough times, and holding myself together when students in my care are in crisis.

It helped me realise that I have changed and that staff might be right: I need to build trust and confidence in myself that I can handle situations now, and stop measuring myself through the lense of the past.

I'm really enjoying being back."

To read the full story visit:
https://arty-folks.org.uk/peoples-journeys/logical-vs-reasonable-f-c/

11/03/2026

Very often we are our own worst critics when we're feeling down.

We label ourselves unreliable, unworthy, a lost cause, a burden on others, weak, lazy, a waste of time. We are harsh on ourselves when we really need encouragement most.

What you really need to hear is that you're doing your best going through tough times, that every day is different and remember your hopes and dreams.

If you’re struggling with anxiety, low mood, stress, or just life weighing you down seek the company of people who know what you are going through and who know that you too are worthy of support.

A good starting point is your local library or community centre, or even church cafe. It sure is hard to give yourself that little push, but you won't regret it!

10/03/2026

It is quite sad to see how exhausted people look at the start of our 3-week Art for Mental Health Course.

So many people are feeling tired, exhausted, worn out. Life seems to spin faster, with every more pressure, more stress, and a race to keep up with...? Do we still know?

We are now 4 years past the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s been a weird and surreal ride, to say the least. And life has not got any easier since!

We've been trying to hard to establish a new 'normality' but we just can't find any markers for it. And it’s taken a toll!

Taking a step back from it all has become an essential survival and coping strategy. About 60% of people attend Arty-Folks are on sick leave and are using this time off to recharge energy through their arts practice.

Of course, life can’t just stop! But we do need to allow ourselves some time for our brains and bodies to calm and cool.

So let's be a bit more gentle with ourselves and give each other time and space to heal.

09/03/2026

"All my life I've struggled with my appearance. Now I'm in my 50s and in a lot of pain. I should have enjoyed my health more when I had it."

While creating our Hands on Heart sculptures we had lots of great discussions about our attitudes towards our bodies. Isn't it surprising how common it is to be negative about our appearance?

We came to the conclusion that we need to handle our body just like a car. It does make sense to look after it, to give it what it needs, and to appreciate it for what it does. In return, it will last a lot longer and will cost you far less repairs.

How do you look after your 'vehicle' for life?

08/03/2026

Wouldn't it be great if we all had a road map with achievable goals?

Unfortunately, it just doesn't work like that and it's particularly difficult for people who are unemployed or young people who would love to start their independent lives.

We are living in incredibly weird and stressful times and perhaps this is a good point to change the narrative in our heads.

Instead of aiming for the traditional social markers like career, partner, house, holidays... we coach our members to focus their thoughts on the bigger picture, on how they want to live their lives.

When we look through a different lense we can see our life full of possibilities, our futures as exciting rather than frightening.

The most powerful change in your life begins in your imagination.

02/03/2026

We often hear people say that they feel deeply and irreparably damaged, even broken.

These dark and hopeless thoughts and feelings can be hard to shift on your own. Many have tried medication or meditation, soothing music or deep breathing, but it hasn't quite helped to regain that inner balance people so long for.

To be honest, we have not seen any one thing truly work with a lasting impact. But many ingredients together can add up to a substantial positive change over time.

However, one thing is for sure: we need more Oxytocin in our bodies, the 'love' hormone, which our body only releases when we feel safe and accepted in our community.

As often as you can, join communal activities like arts&crafts, nature or singing groups where you can be surrounded with people who recharge your energy.

26/02/2026

Chicken or Egg?

It is hard to tell whether our health system is in a poor state and unfit for purpose, or whether peoples' mental and physical health has so deteriorated that the system can't cope.

In our experience, we would say it is both and it has trapped us in a perfect storm. There are too many people on waiting lists and too many who are 'below the threshold' for support.

We have no choice now but to try to navigate our own way forward. We literally have to shop around to find something that could work for us, and there is no one size fits all.

Wednesday 11th of March we will welcome a new group of people 16+ of all walks of life to our studios and we will introduce them to Creative Mindfulness the Arty-Folks way.

The first session can be really hard for everyone with anxiety shooting through the roof. But by the end of the workshop we can see colour returning to their cheeks and shoulders drop relaxed.

We run our 3-week Art for Mental Health course back-to-back and they're always fully booked. Here's the link:
https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/art-for-mental-health-110326

24/02/2026

The World Health Organization now estimates that 1 in 6 adults worldwide experience significant loneliness and that loneliness has become a major health risk.

Work sits at the centre of this crisis and at Arty-Folks we support more people in employment than ever before!

For many adults, work is the primary social environment outside of family and close friends. Loneliness is a very complex and subjective experience and it's interesting that people can feel lonely even in busy, collaborative workplaces.

We are inherently social creatures and it's very distressing to feel alone and isolated. Loneliness, much like chronic stress, will affect your mental and emotional capacities, life satisfaction and sense of meaning.

Once you realise that you hit this downward spiral, you really must take action, and we don't mean more work! We recommend that you park your concerns for work and turn your attention towards what could bring you joy and connection, like joining a group or volunteering.

Have a look around where you live. What community centre or church is there nearby. What do they offer and can you help?

22/02/2026

"Shoulda Coulda Woulda! I live with so many regrets."

Some experiences leave us cringing and so ashamed that we end up replaying them, hoping for a different outcome.

But we need to accept that we cannot fix or change our past. We all make mistakes we regret but that doesn't make you a bad person. Regrets will only keep you stuck re-living past stories that others will have long forgotten.

"My Arty-Folks Wellbeing Mentor asked me what crime I had committed that deserved a life sentence, which helped me realise only then that I was punishing myself, that my regrets were a form of self-harming."

Hindsight is not a good thing, unless you can learn something from it. To move forward you need to accept that at the time you did your best with the understanding that you had.

"I'm learning to use my guilt and regrets as guides to move forward and become my true self which also means accepting my imperfections."

21/02/2026

"Everything feels like I'm being put to the test. I hate it when I'm asked a question because I feel I under pressure to give the right answer, one that they will agree with."

Have you reached a point where it feels like everything you do needs to be approved by others? This mindset will inevitably peak into anxiety and even panic attacks.

Don't live your life like a test, like a math equation to be solved. It is a short time we are given to experience what this world offers and what we are capable of.

If you are locked into judgemental thinking we would recommend that you find something that can distract your attention and allows your nervous system to calm down like a long walk, developing a hobby, reading a book... Further on, you might need to challenge those thoughts in a safe space.

Arty-Folks 3-week Art for Mental Health course can kickstart your painting hobby and set you on a path to clearer thinking.

Book your place here:
https://arty-folks.org.uk/events/art-for-mental-health-110326

20/02/2026

"I've suffered with addictions for a long time and it absolutely battered my mental health. I'm slowly coming out of it now.

Slowly getting myself into a better place and coming to Arty-Folks was a very big first step in the right direction."

Isn't this image a great visualisation! Look at that chaotic background and how strong, determined, and confident this whale battles it's way through.

Go girl!! We all believe in you! 🐋 🌊

Address

Eaton House
Coventry
CV12FJ

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442476414740

Website

http://arty-folks.org.uk/

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