Workshops for Wellbeing
Independent Arts has more than 30 years' experience of providing creative activities to older people and community groups. Through our Workshops for Wellbeing programme, we offer a range of activities, which can be delivered to a variety of clients in both residential homes and community settings.
We engage trained, skilled and talented freelance practitioners for our clients. All our practitioners are DBS checked and covered by Independent Arts' insurance.
We are constantly developing the selection of activities we can provide. Find out more through the links below.
Movement and chair-based exercise
Visual Arts, Craft and Photography
We are pleased to have resumed our arts for wellbeing sessions in care homes across the island, as Covid-19 restrictions ease. Please contact us for more information.
During the pandemic, we created and shared hundreds of free workshops and activities, which you can find online on our YouTube channel via the button below.
Story Box Ballerinas
These ballerinas were made by residents at Cornelia Manor and were part of a series of StoryBox workshops themed around Stravinsky’s ballet, The Firebird. Residents really loved the story and the musical score too. They staged a little performance with the puppets for all the residents on Wednesday 13th March 2019!
Mix and Match
We can put together a bespoke series of workshops for homes so that over several weeks residents can explore a range of arts and activities. These stunning cushions were created by residents of Newport Residential with guidance from textile artist Mandy Bangerter. Needlework was one of several activities enjoyed by residents.
Soundbeam
A Soundbeam session enables people with even the most limited movement to create sound and music.
A Spring poem
Creating collaborative poetry with care home residents taps into memories and experience.
Here's a poem by Gina, Kay, Iris, Queenie and Joan at Victoria House from a Spring 2019 creative writing session led by IA practitioner Jason Watts:
A Time of Expectancy
“Spring, sweet spring”,
Springtime is a light time,
The beginning of better things,
A time of expectancy
Of lovely song,
Blackbird and robin,
Run, rabbit, run.
The tree stands outside my window,
Each day I watch it grow,
Now it is in full leaf,
“A young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love”
While sat content beneath.
I look forward and I remember
My own children all now grown,
Three were born in springtime, they were happier,
Like all the little lambs and chick chick chickens
Laying little eggs for me,
In this bright time of expectancy.
"I think my best Practitioner experience was seeing an elderly gentleman who had severe dementia and only felt safe with a blanket over his head, gradually emerge from hiding and start singing with me."
Margaret Jones, music practitioner
Celebrating Age exhibition
Celebrating Age showcased the remarkable artwork produced by residents of care homes at creative workshops run by Independent Arts on the Isle of Wight.
The exhibition ran at our People's Pop Up Gallery in Newport during October 2019.
Care Home Art on Display
An exhibition of paintings created by residents at Hartford Care (Highfield Nursing Home in Ryde and Springfield Nursing Home in Shanklin) went on display at Highfield in March 2019. Titled "Impressions – Studies on colour and light" it brought together work from Independent Arts workshops in both nursing homes, taking inspiration from the work of famous artists such as Matisse.
The Poetry of Dementia
Our 2017 exhibition matched poetry from our Magic Doors creative writing workshops in care homes with beautiful images.
