Open Arts

Open Arts Open Arts is a community arts and mental health programme, which helps manage and improve mental health and wellbeing through creativity. Thank you.

Open Arts – Positive Mental Health Through Creativity

Open Arts is a community arts programme for Essex residents aged 16+ who have had experience of mental health problems and also for carers; and would like to engage into the community by making artwork within a group setting. The project runs 12 week courses offering an opportunity to learn new art skills and techniques within a safe and supportive environment. No art experience is necessary, but if participants have experience in art the artists offer support to develop skill and interest, and people can work at their own pace. Groups are run in community based venues, and people can be referred by a mental health professional, or they can self refer. Open Arts aims to offer people opportunity to move forward as part of society, challenging the stigma of mental health, with people from all different backgrounds working together with a common interest in art. Open Arts aims to offer opportunities to participants over and above the structured courses, including gallery visits and the chance to exhibit artwork, to encourage participation in the widest sense. On completion of their 12 week arts course, participants are offered a day a week at the new Open Arts Studio at Hadleigh Old Fire Station House, to enable them further time and space to develop their artwork and studio practice. The studio promotes independent art making, networking and longer term support, with 6 month placements being offered to studio members. Participants are also signposted on to other opportunities such as further learning and volunteer opportunities. Visual arts course example: Courses vary depending on the artist tutors and group interest. We also welcome those with interests in other art forms including creative writing and drama. Week 1 - Mark Making - Using graphite, charcoal, pencils and various surfaces

week 2 - Observational drawing techniques

Week 3 - Soft pastel and Oil pastel techniques

Week 4 - Watercolour and Aquarelles

Week 5 - Mixed media - including Pen and Ink and Acrylics

Week 6 – Printmaking

Week 7 – Gallery visit

Week 8 - Silk painting and Batik techniques

Week 9 – 10 3D Art including plaster and mod roc

Week 11-12 - Composition time and finishing off


‘I felt I was treated as an artist, not a person with mental health problems’

‘This is the best therapy I’ve had in 10 years’

‘Open Arts has changed the way I feel about my life, and I got so much out of it that I became a volunteer with the project’.

‘This is the first time I’ve ever exhibited my work and it’s brilliant to see it up there!’

For further information about Open Arts, please contact:

Jo Keay
Open Arts Manager
07580 982 462
jo.keay@nhs.net

Open Arts is NOT FUNDED by the NHS but operates completely on external funding, donations and fundraising by participants, volunteers and local businesses. If you can help support Open Arts or would like information on how you can, please contact us. Please make cheques payable to ‘EPUT Charity Fund’

You can donate online via CAF www.cafonline.org search for
Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Charities or 1053793. Please make sure you type 'For Open Arts' in the message box.

23/10/2024

Sadly due to reasons beyond our control Open Arts are not able to stay at Wellbeing Garon Park

These are our last days as we are moving out next week.

It is the end of an era.

I will be forever grateful to everyone that helped make the open arts dream a reality. Especially to Sally Chinea who spent months of hard graft turning a building site into our beautiful, light and creative space.

Thanks to Sue, all our treasured volunteers, especially Allie, Fatima, Kathy, Fi, Hayley and all our participants that have helped make Open Arts the friendly, welcoming, safe and creative space to be.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

SAVS Hadleigh Old Fire Station Rayleigh Rochford & District Association for Voluntary Service

We’ve had our printing press for many years. Open to sensible offers. Viewing in Southend on 23rd or 29th October at gar...
18/10/2024

We’ve had our printing press for many years. Open to sensible offers. Viewing in Southend on 23rd or 29th October at garon park. Collection only as this is heavy! Please DM or email jo.keay@nhs.net Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Metal Southend Southend Art Club Public Site Southend Adult Community College Creative Basildon (Community Group) Hadleigh Old Fire Station SAVS Southend Arts / Culture

A wonderful weekend of delights are in store! Always worth a visit Enjoy! Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Tr...
04/10/2024

A wonderful weekend of delights are in store! Always worth a visit
Enjoy! Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Open Arts have fond memories of our stays! Hope all is well
04/10/2024

Open Arts have fond memories of our stays! Hope all is well

Fancy a toasty night around the campfire in October?

Get yourselves booked in before we shut for the season (our last night is 31st October)

We do have a special offer for the half term use the code OCT2024 for any stays between 27th-31st October and get it for £80.

Our tents sleep 6 people, with beds, fire pit, solar lights, gas hob, cutlery, crockery and compost toilets.

Book online at www.glampinginessex.co.uk

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
04/10/2024

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

We are pleased to announce, next month will see the anticipated return of Southend Libraries' Festival of Learning, a month-long celebration of FREE community learning.
Throughout the month we'll be hosting family-friendly learning opportunities, including workshops in Beatbox and Boomwhacker, drawing, painting and coding, creative writing, cyber security and much more!
Tickets will be available in advance of each event on Southend Libraries' Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/southend-libraries-18530130247

Take part in Our wonderful Wednesday Wellbeing DaysYoga followed by Mindfulness art making On Wednesday 25th September ...
18/09/2024

Take part in Our wonderful Wednesday Wellbeing Days
Yoga followed by Mindfulness art making
On
Wednesday 25th September 11am to 3pm
11.00am till 12.30pm yoga with Hayley / followed by Mindfulness art, dot mandalas with Sally 1pm to 3pm

£40 for the day

At open arts open space garon park Southend. Next door to little heroes and kids kingdom.

Please let me know if you’re interested or know anyone that might be.

Booking closes 3pm this Friday
Thanks Jo 07580 982462
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Wellbeing Garon Park SAVS Rayleigh Rochford & District Association for Voluntary Service CAVS Voluntary Services Southend Arts / Culture Metal Southend

Get involved! Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
18/09/2024

Get involved! Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

feeling proud of our Open Arts volunteers and members that are taking part in this exhibition Essex Partnership Universi...
18/09/2024

feeling proud of our Open Arts volunteers and members that are taking part in this exhibition Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

We are opening our new multi-media exhibition, 'Expressions of Trauma', on 10th October 2024.

Held at The Minories, the exhibition will feature artwork created by people living with the effects of trauma, with the aim of raising empathy and awareness around trauma. The pieces on display cover sensitive themes, including bereavement, abuse, and forced adoption, amongst others.

Find out more information about the free-to-enter exhibition on our website: https://healthwatchessex.org.uk/2024/09/trauma-survivors-share-artwork-in-healthwatch-essex-exhibition/

[📷: Graphic with a neutral background. Text on the graphic reads "Expressions of Trauma", "A mixed media exhibition by people living with the effects of trauma", "10th Oct - 10th Nov. Open every Thurs - Sun from 10am - 4pm. The Minories Gallery, 74 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UE". On the right of the screen is a piece of work shared for the exhibition, which is a full body piece made of fabrics.]

Canvey
11/09/2024

Canvey

A NEW WALK brought to you by our friends at Yellow Door from 24th September 2024.

Encouraging good use of green space, and building a community around King George Playing Fields, Canvey, Yellow Door are hosting a new walk around the park. With just half a mile laps it's great for beginners and we will do as many laps as we want to, no commitment, absolutely no pressure.

We also want to encourage and help people be active as Summer seems to be fading fast!

Each event will be led by a qualified coach/instructor. Join us and chat about anything, everything or nothing :) Just relax and enjoy the company and green space. Refreshments will follow hosted at Yellow Door.

Any questions, just ask me or email info@cyp-yellowdoor.co.uk.

I will be there for many of the sessions.

11/09/2024

Fusion Lifestyle , who run the leisure centres across Southend, are giving residents the opportunity to grab a free 3 day pass. If you would like to give this a try please see https://orlo.uk/gjoQi and enter your postcode to find your nearest centre.

Local Artist Sally Chinea has kindly donated her artwork to raise funds for Open Arts.If you would like to place a bid p...
10/09/2024

Local Artist Sally Chinea has kindly donated her artwork to raise funds for Open Arts.
If you would like to place a bid please contact jo.keay@nhs.net 07580 982462 Thank you. Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Wellbeing Garon Park SAVS Hadleigh Old Fire Station Southend Arts / Culture

Southend folk Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
26/07/2024

Southend folk Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

19 High Street
Hadleigh
SS7 2PA

Telephone

+447580982462

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