Creative Lives AwardsCelebrating the achievements of community-led creative groups The Creative Lives Awards celebrate the creative groups that enhance people's lives in villages, towns, and cities across the UK and Ireland. Since 2010, we've invited community-led groups to share their activities and achievements, so that we can give them a well-deserved moment in the spotlight. Our Award winners all use creativity to bring people together. Groups might take part in singing, dancing, painting, crafting, performing, playing music, or any other creative activity. All of them provide vital opportunities for people to find community, express their creativity, make friends, learn new skills, boost their wellbeing - and have fun together! The 2024 Creative Lives Awards shortlist is now online. Read all about them and vote for your favourite! A Celebration of Humanity Want to learn more about the Creative Lives Awards? You can read about some of our previous winners below and the wonderful work they do, or check out a list of our recent winners here. We hope they will inspire you to tell us all about your group! Black Box Projects Winners of the 2021 Ireland Creative Lives Award, Black Box Projects are created and run for and by people with learning disabilities, supported by a team of dedicated volunteers and the Black Box venue in Belfast. With many members already experiencing isolation prior to the pandemic, lockdown presented a serious challenge, but one that the team were determined to overcome together. Straight away, a programme of remote activities was put in place by the group: 'Creating Connections' every Tuesday afternoon, 'Moon Music' every Thursday afternoon and 'Global Discussion Group' and 'Book Club' once a month. Other activities through the year focused on mental health and wellbeing, staying safe online, an animation project, a biodiversity project and more. Partnerships with PS2 Belfast, NI Science Festival, University of the Atypical and Libraries NI, among others, helped to bring variety and new expertise to the mix. All of this provided a vital, regular routine for group members and a sense of order and familiarity in the chaos when a lot of other important services were closed. "Our volunteers are more confident, creatively innovative and have developed resource skills, demonstrating flexibility and the ability to work well under pressure and despite unprecedented circumstances!" Seonaid Murray, Black Box Projects Learn more about Black Box Projects Website www.blackboxbelfast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CreatingConnectionsBB/ Twitter @BlackBoxBelfast Instagram @theblackboxbelfast Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/moonmusic2020 Manage Cookie Preferences