Myself and a colleague here in Fine Art (Tracey Toffield) are in the early stages of planning a series of creative workshops for an Arts and Health project called C.reative Dialogues. The aim of the project is to work with a number of people who have multiple needs, culminating in a focus group and exhibition of creative works.

The project has been put together with a number of different partners:

Newcastle University: Institute for Health and Society, School of Art and Culture, The Institute for Creative Arts Practice, LifeWorkArt.

Changing Lives: North Tyneside Recovery Partnership, NHS: Turning Point.

Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums.

Myself and Tracey met with Fiona Fitzpatrick (project leader) last week to look at the space that the workshops will take place in and to meet the Recovery Centre staff and some of the people who have expressed an interest in taking part in the workshops.

Fiona and I then went on to interview a number of students who applied for  placements on the project. We had a good response from the students and it was a tough decision to make the selection. We hope to include the students in all aspects of the project.

The project will generate its own blog in time, but for now I just wanted to say it looks to be a very energising project, engaging with people who have made momentous changes in their lives and who are looking forward to creating a new   future for themselves and their families. We hope to unlock some of their creative potential and to share the work they produce during these workshops with audiences within the Newcastle area.