Peabody and the Arts
PROJECTS
Arts Cellar
Arts Cellar is a programme which encourages participants to explore their potential through a
number of arts-based activities.
Open to people of all ages, it’s a chance to pick up new skills and access volunteering opportunities
or employment support.
Weekly sessions are held at Bruce House in Covent Garden.
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Drama – Tuesday, 2pm–4pm
Arts and crafts – Wednesday 11am–1pm
Photography – Wednesday, 1pm–3pm
Digital imaging – Wednesday, 3pm–5pm
Creative writing – Thursday, 2pm–4pm
Art and Drawing – Friday, 2pm–4pm
The classes are aimed at people who are receipt of some form of benefit, and offers confidence
building skills, alongside employment support.
It is open to all (aged over 18), and not solely Peabody residents.
COMMUNITY SPACES
Encouragement Through Arts and Talking (ETAT)
ETAT, through ‘Encouragers’ (aka volunteers) aims to relieve isolation and stimulate new ideas
through participation in art, purposeful reading and listening and expressing the views of the
individual.
ETAT works through encouraging the unique attributes of creativity and talking, which if they fade
or diminish markedly can cause disintegration of the whole person. But their revival, even in a small
way can bring extensive recovery. Friends (participants) are not ‘taught’ as many of our friends have
been taught all their lives, they are encouraged to paint, talk, sing, play, model clay, read, knit and to
take things home to keep themselves occupied.
Peabody runs ETAT in two of its centres, and has plans to expand
Residents
Our residents are encouraged to set up and run arts and crafts classes within their local community.
We have supported the set up of ‘Pimlico Picassos’ which offers arts and crafts training to our
younger residents, and is run by one of our residents. Peabody supported with getting appropriate
insurance, and setting up a bank account to enable the tutors to offer the sessions for a fee outside
of the centre, and at events.
Arts Classes
We have arts classes on offer for our residents in a range of our centres. The sessions are either low
cost, or free for our residents, and very popular.
Mens Sheds
We encourage our residents to attend one of Peabody’s two Men’s Sheds that offer the opportunity
for older men to get together, and make things in a workshop space.
External partners
Art galleries
We have worked closely with the Tate through one of our management committees, and also at a
local festival, where we provided a space for a ‘Play your Place’ project, where the local community
were asked to develop a computer game based on their surroundings.
Somerset house have been supportive offering free tickets to exhibitions to our Arts Cellar students.
We are keen to develop our relationship more with the local, and some of the bigger galleries in
London.
The Magic Lantern (http://www.magiclanternart.org.uk/)
Peabody have commissioned five sessions with the Magic Lantern for our residents.
The Magic Lantern looks at images and encourages the group to think of the story behind them.
The whole audience is encouraged to join in throughout the session whether they are already art
experts or looking at paintings for the first time so that a lively debate and discussion ensues.
Theatres
Peabody have close links with several theatres in London who offer reduced/ free tickets to our
residents. The Royal Court offers tickets at £5 to our residents in Pimlico, and scriptwriting
workshops for those who are interested.
We also have ties with Sadlers Wells, the Southwark Playhouse, and the New/ Old Vic who offer
sessions to the local community. We encourage our residents to attend these sessions.
The Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre have offered free tours and sessions to our
residents. There are also talks with the Royal Festival Hall to utilise a market stall on the Southbank
for our residents to sell items they have made/ developed.
The Cinema museum
Peabody are looking to develop sessions with the Cinema Museum in Kennington, who offer
showings similar to those that our older residents may have been to in the past. It’s a way to relive
memories. We also encourage our residents to visit independently.