Helen Burn of Arts4All tells us how a 'Keep on Creating' microgrant from Creative Lives helped the group buy art materials and go on a trip to a gallery.

"Our thriving weekly visual arts group, Arts4All, was delighted to receive funding from Creative Lives.

Over the course of the academic year, we have worked on a variety of workshop-style sessions – experimenting with colour, printmaking, collage, drawing, and painting.

Learners have begun to follow their own interests, studying towards Bronze Achievement Awards, an accredited award verified through Youth Scotland.

We are lucky enough to have access to an art room through East Kilbride Universal Connections at South Lanarkshire Council. However, Creative Lives funding enabled us to purchase arts resources and go on a trip to see the Banksy exhibition at the GOMA in Glasgow.

Our group is for adults with additional support needs and their carers. A core group of 10 learners access the group weekly, with another 6 attending one-off sessions.

The sessions are not only an opportunity to learn about visual art techniques, but learners also form close bonds, with 80% reporting a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing through attending the group."

[Pictured: a collage workshop at Arts4All; The Arts4All group visit the Banksy exhibition in Glasgow]