When Art Makes A Difference - How Charity and Art Go Hand in Hand

Art has the power to make an immeasurable impact in the world. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve been part of it.

I don’t get political with my art. I make it to bring joy - to the viewer and to me. It’s self care and it lifts people but, more than that, it can be used to make a broader difference. It can take people away from their troubles even just for a moment and it can be used to drive change. Art doesn’t have to be showy and conceptually obtuse to achieve this.

The Samarivans

The celebrities got the headlines but this project brought together 180 artists and well known names to create a collection of artwork that raised over £37k for The Samaritans. It was the brainchild of Sarah Graham, a Hitchin based painter. It was borne out of her own mental health battles and she wanted to give back. The show was then turned into a book that went on to raise even more money to fund new facilities so that this charity can continue to save lives.

The art brought joy to the collectors and a lifeline to the people who called the charity. It all raised awareness of the issues and I hope that people may have seen it on social media and decided to reach out for help.

Get help from The Samaritans at www.samaritans.org

East End Women

Working with East End Women (a charity that sadly has ended service due to a lack of funding), had such a profound impact on me. I saw week by week how something as simple as putting ink on paper could provide relief from stress and worry, enable people to make connections with each other and give women the space to open up about their traumas. Creating art was the process but the outcome was so much more. The Creating Confidence project (funded by Arts Council) gave these women a voice and a way to communicate without having to talk all the time. It gave them a positive way to start their week and happy memories. They felt valued when they complimented each other and again when they exhibited their work.

An amazing group of support workers that worked for the organisation have now set up their own community interest company to fill the gap left by the fall of East End Women. Find out more about East End Futures on their website at https://eastendfutures.org.uk/ or email Dawn at dawn@eastendfutures.org

Prostate Cancer UK

My stepdad has been battling prostate cancer for some time now. For a good few years it was under control but then a tumour appeared and there were operations and a whole load of chemotherapy. It has been an incredibly emotional time for all connected but he has always remained grateful to the incredible NHS staff who have brought him through it.

Feeling utterly useless on the other side of the country, I wanted to be able to do something. I’m not a doctor but I do have an audience that I can reach out to so I decided to donate 10% of my revenue to Prostate Cancer UK every month and invited Richard (my stepdad) onto The Curated Nest Podcast to talk about the importance of home during his battle with cancer.

Every month I enjoy sending off the donation to PCUK and the podcast episode continues to reach more people. It was also a really cathartic experience for both of us.

Find out more about PCUK at https://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved

If you would like to get back to being creative to support your own wellbeing then try my free 7 video workshop on YouTube.