Major new arts project seeks volunteers to unite Crawley in a shared sense of togetherness and pride

Creative Playground is one of 39 projects around England, funded by Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme, working hand in hand with local people to make art and culture a part of daily life.

Led by a consortium of local organisations, and with residents at its heart, Creative Playground is bringing people together locally to get creative, share experiences and become more connected.

Right now, Creative Playground is looking for Crawley locals to volunteer as Playmakers: people who help shape the programme, decide what happens, and encourage others to get involved too.

Crawley resident Iyadh Daoud became a Playmaker in March and is excited about the impact Creative Playground will have on the town. He says: “Creative Playground will add new colourful strands to the beautiful tapestry of my adopted home of Crawley.”

Co-Directors Louise Blackwell and Sophie Eustace are encouraging other Crawley locals to join Iyadh as volunteer Playmakers. “You don’t have to currently feel like you’re creative or arty to get involved,” they explain. “Creative Playground can be what you want to make it, especially if you are up for having a go and being part of something bigger.

“You can be involved in small ways or develop more in-depth connections. By taking part you might have fun, feel like an explorer, feel more confident or happier. Dip your toe in. You never know who you might meet or what might happen.

“Whether you are an interested local resident, have a passion for reading or online gaming, like listening to music or watching films. Or if you love am-dram, are a business owner, a hair-dresser, a delivery driver, a teacher, or a taxi driver. Or whether you work in a pub, at Gatwick Airport, a care home or anything in between in Crawley. This could be for you.”

Over the Summer, the Creative Playground team will be out and about, meeting people in their neighbourhood groups, at community centres, schools and colleges to find out what’s important to them and to recruit volunteer Playmakers:

● Every Friday afternoon from 14 July until the end of October, Crawley residents can drop in for a chat and to have a go at something creative at one of Creative Playground’s Free Friday events, taking place every week in either Bewbush, Broadfield, Langley Green or West Green

● The Creative Playground team will be meeting students at Hazelwick at their Careers Fair on 18 July and town centre businesses at Crawley Town Centre Business Improvement District’s Focus Group meeting on 19 July

● The team invite you to come and say hello at Crawley Pride on 19 August

● At St Wilfred’s School on 22 August they’re looking forward to meeting people at the Refugee Wellbeing event

The Creative Playground team is keen to hear from anyone who would like to invite them to their event too.

To find out more about Creative Playground, becoming a Playmaker and about what’s on, visit www.creativeplaygroundcrawley.com; or get in touch via phone or Whatsapp on 07951 122157.