Flourish (Case Study)

Gloucestershire Artlift and MacMillan Cancer Support

  • Arts and Health
  • Community
  • Workshops

Selected Artist to deliver key Art and Health intervention

“Flourish, in partnership with Macmillan, re-launched in April 2018. We ran two courses, one at The Museum in the Park in Stroud and the other at the GL11 Community Hub in Cam. Both were made brilliant by the people who participated (with a little help from our fantastic artist, Imo).”

As the solo artist teaching within this scheme, the responsibility to create a positive, open minded yet held space was firmly on my shoulders. Participants attend in a vulnerable state and are variably looking for support, distraction, relaxation, warmth and encouragement. My task is to provide these professionally and empathetically through my interpersonal skills and contagious enthusiasm for drawing and art.

Holding the space with creative purpose and friendly nurture is key.

Flourish is based on the Gloucestershire Artlift project, and is targeted at participants who are living with or beyond cancer. It is a joint programme between Gloucestershire Artlift and MacMillan Cancer Support. Flourish is a referral scheme that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of patients through an 8-week art course.

A full evaluation of Flourish was undertaken by The University of Gloucestershire 2017/2018 on behalf of Gloucestershire Artlift and MacMillan Cancer support.

“…the participants believed that the group facilitator cultivated a non-judgmental, caring and inclusive atmosphere, which was viewed as fundamental to the success of Flourish.”

“… [the artist] created an atmosphere of complete sensitivity to the fact, almost without saying anything, she’d ask everybody how they were and created a communal feeling of care, which was quite sensitively and almost done without words.”

“…I haven’t learnt any art before but I have done quite a bit of education in my time. And I would identify her as a brilliant teacher…really good at the kind of interpersonal stuff and shutting down anything that seems to be upsetting anyone, but allowing everyone space to say what they need to. And really encouraging, she’s…given me confidence”

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