What does your creative time mean to you?

What has creative activity meant to you during lockdown?

My Creative Time - Poetry inspired by voluntary arts, was a project delivered by Creative Lives in partnership with Literature Wales in 2020, and supported by the Ashley Family Foundation.

The project set out to highlight the importance of taking part in regular creative activity, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Based on a project developed in Scotland by Creative Lives, in partnership with the Scottish Poetry Library, this new initiative gave participants the opportunity to explore and express the varied benefits that arise from taking part in creative activity, and celebrate the work of voluntary arts groups and the connection they have with place and community throughout Wales.

Originally envisaged as an in-person project, we were forced to change our plans due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and therefore all work was delivered at distance. We commissioned eight poets, and partnered them with eight creative groups in the fields of theatre, crafts, visual arts, hip hop and creative writing.

This Anthology presents a curated selection of the poems submitted as part of the project. Despite the distressing context of the pandemic, these poems provide a powerful testimonial to the benefits of participation in creative activity during such a difficult time.

We hope this volume inspires you to spend your time creatively.

You can download the My Creative Time anthology (PDF) here.  

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We are extremely grateful to the Ashley Family Foundation and the Community Foundation in Wales for their support for this project.