News Update #3: Summer 2023 |
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Current Temporary Exhibition at
Milton Keynes University Hospital:
Just To Fill The Space by Sharon Paulger
Location: Green Zone, cook-chill entrance exhibition space.
Until September 2023
Milton Keynes based artist, Sharon Paulger, recently completed an MA Fine Art: Digital with the University of the Arts London after a career in arts management, including as previous Director of Arts for Health MK (May 2012 – Jan 2018). Her vibrant artworks take a mixed media approach, focusing on the use of sustainable materials. Recurrent themes within Paulger’s practice include using artistic processes to articulate health and wellbeing contexts. In the hospital she presents a series of screen prints on cardboard and reclaimed wood.
“I tend to work intuitively and experimentally. Time and screen printing are the mediums I use most. The ritualistic way I work, repeating things and sometimes with constraints gives the suggestion of the progression of time in my work. Enjoyment in the creative process is a very important part of my work."
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Paulger’s artworks also take account of the hospital setting in which they are displayed. First encounters with artwork in the hospital environment are often unexpected. Whilst many passers-by don't have the luxury of dwell time, they do make repeat visits - and in these brief moments the artworks can become so much more. Across vast labyrinths of hospital corridors, artworks can soothe and soften the clinical environment, provide way markers and conversation points - the opportunity to briefly pause and reset.
Image: Just to Fill the Space 1 (2022), Sharon Paulger. Screen prints on cardboard and reclaimed wood 50 x 50cm
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Projects: Creatively Minded, Ethnically Diverse
Arts for Health MK has partnered with Milton Keynes Islamic Arts and Culture (MKIAC) and Milton Keynes Arts and Heritage Alliance (AHA-MK), to deliver a programme called “Creatively Minded, Ethnically Diverse” for adults (and older teenagers). The programme is being created and delivered by professional artists from diverse communities who represent culturally centred practice in their chosen artform.
The range of artforms includes fashion, photography, visual arts, poetry, writing and dance/movement. Participating artists will be supported via a continuous professional development (CPD) programme.
For the first of these projects, Chinese artist Ziyao Lin has designed a workshop specifically for those of Chinese heritage. Workshop participants will be given opportunities to discuss Chinese cultural context and its relationship to mental health and invited to express themselves using drawing techniques.
This project is kindly funded by the Baring Foundation.
Image: Artists at the CPD event held at MK College.
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Local Events: Artist Listening Event
In association with Milton Keynes Arts Centre, Arts for Health MK invited artists to join the second in our series of free events exploring the lived experience of working in the community and how we can work together in supporting artists’ health and wellbeing.
Fourteen participants attended the session held in May which included an opportunity to share experience and discussions on topics such as training, evaluation, best practice and peer support.
Throughout the session participants could also enjoy mini massages if wished, kindly provided by holistic therapist Kelly Fairy. Unsurprisingly almost everyone had a massage!
Next Event
If you would like to join our next event for artists, please email info@artsforhealthmk.org.uk and we will place you on the mailing list for details of the forthcoming session planned for the Autumn.
Image: Participants at the recent Artists Listening Event held at Milton Keynes Arts Centre
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Fundraising Update
We are delighted to report a particularly successful few months of fundraising, with an especially exciting 3 year award from The Big Lottery, which greatly aids our forward planning and sustainability.
Our application to The Big Lottery was for a multi-year grant to fund our Headstart, art, drama and music programmes for young people. Since starting in March we've completed our first Headstart drama course in partnership with the Black Sheep Collective and the music and visual art courses which began in April continue.
We have also successfully agreed funding through CNWL (NHS mental health services) for two large projects:
1. Inpatient Music at three local mental health centres
2. Six adult Arts on Prescription courses to be held at the Recovery & Wellbeing College in Bletchley.
These projects will start in the summer and autumn and will include dance and photography elements.
Our application to Youth Music for an 18-month grant to fund an early years “Creative Play” project has been successful. This will be a programme of musical interventions for parents with very young children and babies who are at risk of, or diagnosed with, mental health concerns including post-natal depression. This includes funds to appoint a Project Manager to augment our team!
Earlier this year The Wolverton Science & Art Institute Fund once again kindly supported our application to fund the venue for our weekly drop-in Art Group for adults. A big thank you to our volunteers Laura and Sue who have supported this group for many years.
Donations to our charity are welcome, and can be made via our dedicated website Local Giving.
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Workshops: Adults AoP courses
So far this year we have successfully delivered two 12-week Arts on Prescription courses for adults. The course that started in January was held at the Recovery and Wellbeing College in Bletchley. It was led by the talented artist Susan Erskine-Jones, and attended by eleven participants who enjoyed trying different techniques and activities each week, including: Mini Concertina Books, Pen & Ink drawing, Mini Collage Cards, Weaving, Notan designs, Mixed Media, Pinch Pots, Clay Tiles, Coasters, Charcoal Drawings, Dorset Buttons and Zine Books.
In March we began another 12-week course for 10 adults, this time at York House in Stony Stratford. Regular associate artist Sarah Watts helped participants to enjoy exploring a variety of drawing techniques, to sculpt bowls and create a memory box to take away and use after the course. We will be creating an online gallery to showcase some of the artwork produced on these courses.
Some feedback from the 2nd course:
“Thank you so much for allowing me to take part in the AoP course for those 12 weeks. It really has been very good for me and has served me well and was great for my wellbeing. Arts for Health has been amazing”
Joanna
To sign up for one of our adult AoP courses please follow the link and download our referral form.
Image: Memory Box – painted wooden box with decoupage flowers by Carole Monk.
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Volunteers Update: Creative Courtyards
This spring the growing season has been keeping our Creative Courtyards team on their toes, but not just that our new storage shed - fondly named the #megashed - has been given a fresh lick of green paint and the Sensory Garden project is beginning to take shape!
We have been clearing old and overgrown shrubs and plants from the garden, enlarging two of the flower beds ready for new plants to be added. Early June saw the first new plant deliveries, including lemon balm for scent and various grasses for sound and texture.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who have given their time so far including the Milton Keynes Hospitals Patient Experience Team and Slated Row School.
We are seeking a new Creative Courtyards Supervisor! This is a part-time paid role based at the hospital. Please contact us for further details.
The Sensory Garden Project and the Creative Courtyards at MKUH are funded by The Postcode Trust and MKUH Charity.
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Opportunities: Volunteering
We have a number of volunteer opportunities to work with us both at the hospital where our offices are based, at our arts workshops in the community and also in our Creative Courtyards/Sensory Garden at the hospital.
Volunteering has lots of benefits; you can make new friends and learn a new skill plus gain in confidence and give back to your community.
So if you’re a student, retired or looking for work volunteering could be the perfect option.
Current opportunities include gardening, administration, curatorial support and associate artist volunteering on three of our workshop programmes.
For more details and how to apply see our website below.
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Local Events: Exhibition at MK Gallery
Boyd & Evans: High Time
Artist Fionnuala Boyd (a former Arts for Health MK Trustee 2010 - 2020), and artist Les Evans are represented by several works in the Hospital Collection. This includes Boyd & Evans' digital photographic piece 'Inside Out', which we commissioned for the hospital's new entrance area in 2018.
We recommend a visit to their impressive current exhibition 'High Time' at MK Gallery which surveys and celebrates their 55 years of collaboration. Subjects range from early paintings of domestic, urban and suburban settings, and landscapes in Milton Keynes, to their more recent extensive travels in the USA and Brunei.
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Image: Detail of Inside Out (2018), Boyd & Evans. 240 frame photographic work, commission for new Main Entrance. |
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Funding Partners
With thanks to our core funding partners for their continued support of our projects and of our work in the Hospital and in the community.
Donations are welcome and can be made via our dedicated website Local Giving
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Please forward this newsletter onto your friends and colleagues, and they can click the link below to sign up. |
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Follow our social media channels for Arts for Health MK activity updates
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