Reach In Reach Out
‘Reach In and Reach Out’ (RIRO) is a co-produced project with those aged 16-24 who live in the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and North Somerset area. Building on the good practice demonstrated by our six delivery partners, RIRO aims to explore the link between creativity, wellbeing, community engagement and volunteering.
RIRO is co-ordinated by Arts & Health South West and will share learning regionally and nationally in the form of a framework or toolkit that is adaptable to different types and scales of cultural venues, programmes and events.
Research shows that engaging in creative activities can have a positive impact on health and wellbeing and the development of personal attributes like positive self-image, confidence, and social engagement. The project is working across three areas where the project delivery partners are developing experimental workshops and creative activities with young people in their area:
- Bath & North East Somerset: Holburne Museum and Creativity Works
- Bristol: creativeShift and John Wesley’s New Room
- Weston-super-Mare: For All Healthy Living Centre and Theatre Orchard
Throughout the project, the young people are supported to be equal participants in the creative process. They are encouraged to be innovative and imaginative in the way they help the cultural and heritage practitioners to think about working and volunteering with young people. The process will be one of reciprocal learning between young people, creative practitioners and cultural and heritage professionals. As such, the RIRO project aims to support young people to develop their creative skills and interest in cultural and heritage contexts and work opportunities
RIRO is supported by Arts & Health South West, and funded by Art Council England’s Volunteering Futures Fund. An additional £10,000 for the RIRO project has been funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players.
Spray painting workshop with Silent Hobo at Holborne Museum. Participants created a group artwork inspired by the museum’s collections
