About
Our Creative Communities project grew out of a four-year Paul Hamlyn Foundation funded project called ‘Above and Beyond‘. This project develops local creativity and community power in partnership with local people, local artists, community groups and the public sector.
Local people can take part in workshops, learn new skills, create performances, and get involved in shaping decisions about things that affect their lives. We are currently working in South Sefton (Bootle and Netherton), Birkenhead, Speke, North Liverpool and Kirkby.
If you live in one of these areas or are part of an organisation in them, get in touch with Abi to find out how you can get involved.
Partners and Supporters
Creative Communities is currently supported by National Lottery Community Fund thanks to National Lottery Players, and by PH Holt Foundation
We work in partnership with grassroots community groups, libraries, local schools, health centres, arts venues, and other public and voluntary sector organisations. Some of our current partners include:
- St James Centre, Birkenhead
- Make It Happen, Birkenhead
- Open Door, Birkenhead
- Wirral COP (Community of Practice)
- St Leonard’s Youth and Community Centre, Bootle
- Kindfulness Coffee Club, Bootle
- MYA Space, Bootle
- Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre
- At The Library, Sefton Libraries
- Regenerus
- Sefton CVS
- Sefton Performers Network
- South Liverpool Homes
- Liverpool Family Hubs
- PSS
- Culture Liverpool Creative Neighbourhoods
- Mental Health Research and Innovation Centre
- Liverpool Lighthouse
- Make CIC
“our participants face challenges in unfamiliar environments, so Collective Encounters brought their workshops to us. This approach allowed full participation, with attendees enjoying a variety of creative sessions, including group poetry writing, Haiku, and exploring their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. For many, this type of creative expression was entirely new, yet the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.”
“Abi has been a regular, familiar presence at St Leonard’s and has been able to develop positive relationships with our community. She is well liked by all and everyone who has attended any one of her sessions / courses have offered very positive feedback which includes increased confidence, improved literacy, reduced isolation and new social connections”
“some of our participants struggle with literacy or articulating feedback about our services. Abi introduced creative methods to help gather this essential input in an accessible and inclusive way.”
