Phoenix project rises from the ashes with the help of Lancaster arts organisation

The Phoenix Project is a new visual arts mental health and wellbeing programme delivered in partnership with Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft), to provide a range of free, online and interactive workshops from home.

In recent years, studies have recognised the importance of creative practice and its link to mental health and wellbeing, and at a time when many people will be feeling socially isolated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Phoenix Project provides a welcome opportunity to participate in accessible, creative activities.

Launching on August 17, the programme will be offered as part of Lancashire Recovery Colleges online content, and will run into the autumn. Four contemporary artists will deliver the first series of workshops throughout August, covering a number of themes either by post or digitally using Microsoft Teams.

Adam York Gregory and Gillian Jane Lees work in collaboration to make interdisciplinary work that is thoughtful, rigorous and engaging.

Their workshop ‘Post: Isolation’ is about feeling connected at a distance, and will be delivered as a series of provocations and activities by mail, encouraging online sharing and interaction using traditional communication technologies to enable participants to access digital ones.

Danielle Chappell-Aspinwall is a visual artist who works across many disciplines, and is experienced in working with mental health and outreach groups across the community.

Her ideas for The Phoenix Project will centre on a series of mindfulness colouring-in activity packs that will be posted out to participants to help explore self-reflection, self-help and calmness, reinforcing positive thinking and strategies for recovery.

Artist Danielle said: “Mental health is something I am passionate about supporting through social dialogue and in my creative eco-arts practice. The Phoenix Project sits with a dual flag that I strive to wave; advocating my artwork and helping to create positive change and value in the wellbeing of the people I connect with, reach out to or work with creatively. Creative arts make people feel valued and respected, a place where they have a voice, lifting their spirits and learning new skills.”

Sue Flowers is a contemporary visual artist whose work explores our emotional connectivity to the environment.

Her workshop ‘Drawing from the Heart’ is a six-week online course where Sue will share her love of drawing and its role in providing a space for self-reflection and focus.

Taking the natural world as inspiration, participants will be able to use drawing as a means of confidence building and self-care.

For those interested in signing up to any of the first series of workshops, booking details can be found on Eventbrite by searching ‘Lancashire Recovery College.’ Information is also available on the Lancashire Recovery College Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/LancashireRecoveryCollege.

The number of attendees per session is limited, to give everyone an opportunity to contribute and participate, so spaces on the workshops will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

The second and third series of workshops, will be delivered independently or collaboratively by the other 19 contemporary artists chosen to be a part of The Phoenix Project - https://greenclose.org/the-phoenix-art-health-project/ Further information on these workshops will be announced shortly and delivered in September and October.