Celebrating "the impact that our creative life can have on our health"

Running until April, it brings together artworks created and donated by the artists involved in the gallery’s community programme in 2024.

The programme aims to provide the right support for everyone involved to experience a creative life on their own terms. It's an aim the exhibition will support. All the works displayed in the studio are for sale with 100 per cent of the money raised being used in the gallery’s Partners in Art and wider community programmes.

Emily Robson, who is one of the gallery’s two community programme managers, said: “We have got a community of 200 artists who might need support with their art in various ways, and they come to the gallery sometimes weekly where they create amazing artworks. Some of them donate their artwork and we get it framed and we put it up in the studio for this exhibition – and it is just so different and it has got such variety.

“We have got 200 people engaging with us. Some are perhaps recovering from illness or they might have a disability or mental health concerns. It's mainly people that might need just a little bit more support so that they can enjoy participating in art. It is people that might face barriers otherwise. But it is actually bigger than just creating artwork. We go on trips and it is a lovely community.

“And this is not just about fund-raising. It's the thrill of seeing your work on the wall. Maybe somebody hasn't picked up a brush before and has now painted for the first time and it's got to the point where they feel that they can show their work to members of the public. It's quite daunting. It is a big deal, and a big part of the joy of my job is when you see people participating in the programme and putting their art forward and then seeing the red dot on the frame and they know that their artwork has been sold. It's about knowing the value of what they do, and we value all forms of creativity.

“We have got 78 pieces of work in this year's exhibition, and it gives so much back to people. People report a general improvement in well-being because of art. It has been very well documented, the impact that our creative life can have on our health, both mental and physical.”

Some people are referred by doctors’ surgeries on the basis that they could well benefit from participation in the gallery’s programme: “But it is also about bringing people together. Sometimes people can be quite isolated, and we're bringing together from different walks of life people who might not have met each other otherwise but have a shared interest in art.

“I have got the best job. It's really satisfying. It may well be that somebody is quite nervous when they first come to the gallery and we hope that we put them on a pathway where they can really flourish. It can really change the direction of somebody's life, and for me this job is a real privilege. Lots of people are facing lots of difficult situations but when they come to the gallery they can get away from that just for a while.”

As for the funds raised by the exhibition: “It’s for general running costs. We try to keep everything as low cost as possible. The art sessions are artist-led and low cost and really heavily subsidised by the gallery. It is also for art materials and the very important teas and coffees and biscuits! Everything is so expensive these days but we don't want the cost of the programme to prevent anyone from joining. We also have bursaries for people that are struggling to get to us to help them with the travel and just to help them with the cost.

“Last year we raised just under £4,000 with the exhibition. I would hope that with the quantity of artwork that we have got we might reach £5,000 this year.”