Benefitting the younger and older people of Tower Hamlets, and the residents of staff in care homes in London, Essex and beyond

Our community arts projects, such as Creative Mix and Voices Through Time, mitigate social isolation by encouraging relationship building between 7–18 year olds and older (55+) neighbours. These projects mitigate challenging living situations at several levels. They:

• Combat loneliness and build community cohesion
• Increase participants’ confidence and sense of wellbeing
• Use artistic creation to encourage relationship building
• Challenge negative perceptions of ageing
• Bring joy

Feedback from our most recent Creative Mix sessions shows:

• 92% reported improved connections from taking part in the project
• 87% reported it helped them feel part of the community
• 94% reported feeling motivated to do more creative things in the future

“I live in a block of flats with over 30 other people that don’t really intermix and I feel glad to have the bounce to come here and keep lively.” (older participant)

“Loved learning new cultures, and being able to relate to others.” (younger participant)

Our research into work in care homes demonstrates that 70% of residents live with a dementia, 40% have depression and up to 40% have debilitating loneliness. Through projects like Spark and our Artist Residencies, we bring high-quality theatre, music, and visual arts into care homes. These creative and sensory projects build:

• Stronger relationships between staff and residents
• New approaches to providing more personalised care
• Tangible improvements in residents’ moods and wellbeing
• Increased social engagement
• Improved physical dexterity

Feedback from the most recent version of Spark we have delivered:

• 100% of staff reported an increase in meaningful connections between residents and staff.
• 100% of staff gained new ideas, activities and ways of bringing more creativity into care homes.
• 100% of staff reported feeling more confident in being creative with residents.

Staff also reported:

• 100% of staff reported that residents experienced an increased sense of connection with staff, other residents or their home following the delivery of Spark activities.
• 100% of staff reported residents felt their individual needs, interests and strengths were recognised and valued during creative activities.

“When you wake up, you think ‘it’s just another day’ but there’s more colour in this room than I’ve seen in my life.” (previous Spark participant)