Arc - Arts for Recovery in the Community

This year we’re celebrating 30 impactful years improving mental health through creativity, and what a colourful 30 years it’s been! Thank you for being a part of our success as we’ve developed and adapted our services to meet the mental health needs of over 4,500 adults and young people on our core programmes in Stockport and across Greater Manchester, and grown our public offer. Follow us over the coming months to find out how you can help us to support as many people as possible over the next 30 years, to improve their mental health & wellbeing through creativity, build confidence and connection and find their safe, supportive and inspiring space.

Our Arts for Wellbeing sessions are led by experienced facilitators like Alison Waters, who use activities like "continuous line drawing" and 'non-dominant hand drawing" to loosen up participants when they start a programme. These activities help people who are worried about drawing or haven't done art for a long time, to show them that neither of those things matter! Would you like to know more about how you or someone you work with could benefit from one of our creative wellbeing programmes for adults? Visit https://lnkd.in/gCpSHYqt

We really enjoyed having Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre and Education Trust join us for a bespoke creative wellbeing session earlier this month and it was lovely to get this feedback from Maya: 'Our team came to Arc hoping for a restorative, creative activity, that would give us time out from the pressures of our day-to-day jobs. We loved our time at Arc right from the start; the café was cosy and welcoming on a very cold snowy day, and the workshop was excellent. I particularly liked the fact that we did individual and collective designs: this allowed us to express our own ideas but to also connect them as a team'. Arc's experience in delivering creative wellbeing programmes means that we are perfectly placed to offer genuinely impactful workplace wellbeing sessions too. There are also benefits for us as a charity, and these aren't just financial. They allow us to spark new connections and often to build relationships with potential partners, to spread the word about what we do with a different audience and to deepen our place in the GM community. If you feel that your team might benefit from a workplace wellbeing session with us, please get in touch with jo@arc-centre.org to find out more. There are lots of options to choose from, either at our base at Stockport Hat Works, at your workplace or even out and about on a creative walk. Maya Sharma #workplacewellbeing #mentalhealth #awayday #creativity #teambuilding

Happy New Year to all our friends, supporters, partners and followers! In 2025, Arc celebrates 30 years as an organisation with creative wellbeing at its heart. Originally established as the Mind Art Project in 1995, Arc launched as an independent charity in 2005. To mark this, we'll be running events throughout the year, starting with an Art Spa! After sellout success last year, our Art Spa is back; so if you're already feeling like the festive break is a distant memory, join us on Thursday, January 23rd 2025 from 18:00-21:00 to treat yourself and boost your wellbeing with an evening of creativity in the iconic Stockport Hat Works. Enjoy a free drink and canapes on arrival, before enjoying 4 artist-led creative activities. Expect a welcoming and sociable atmosphere, with our cafe open for drinks and a chance to win a Pamper Hamper in our raffle. All money from ticket sales, our cafe, retail shop, raffle and donations help us to continue delivering our amazing life-changing programmes, so please support us and enjoy a lovely evening. Come with colleagues, friends, as a couple or on your own, it's great fun either way! Creative Activities include: * Printmaking * Mini Pots * Watercolour Bookmarks To book visit https://lnkd.in/e3du5tyt Only a few tickets remaining! This project is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. #stockport #manchester #greatermanchester #wellness #wellbeing #artsforwellbeing #artsandhealth #creativewellbeing #artspa

We were so pleased to play a role in last week's #GMCreativeHealth conference. One of our participants, Nick Sims, spoke at the Plenary - openly articulating the impact of creative health on him, and his mental health journey. Thanks to those who have contacted us since, to describe the effect of hearing his words....it really is a reminder of why we should all be working together to embed creative health practises across GM. #CreativeHealth #ArtsInHealth #GMLiveWell

What a brilliant day yesterday at the #GMCreativeHealth conference. I caught up with friends & colleagues from over the past 30 years' working in this sector, which is always a treat. But the best bit was that Nick Sims, Arc - Arts for Recovery in the Community participant and advocate, spoke on the panel with me - very openly articulating the impact of creative health on him, and his mental health journey. From the response afterwards, I know many people found this moving and energising and I'm grateful that he felt able to tell people just how it is....and why we should all be working together to embed creative health practises across GM. #CreativeHealth #ArtsInHealth #GMLiveWell

Our shop in the Hat Works is looking truly magical this year - thanks to an incredible effort by our Creative Enterprise team. It's a Winter Wonderland, filled with handmade and specially designed gifts, cards, decoration, jewellery, prints, wreath kits and creative/wellbeing care boxes. So if you're buying gifts this Christmas, please consider buying at Arc - with all funds going directly to the charity. As well as the times below, we are having a late night shopping evening on Thursday 12th December 6 - 8pm with mince pies and mulled wine. We do hope you can pop in some time. If it's not possible to get to us, you can always visit the online shop here https://lnkd.in/dYWqsXgH Please tell friends, family and colleagues about this chance to buy locally and ethically whilst supporting a brilliant charity at the same time. 

Spotlight on relationships and being a proud core funder!  It’s an increasingly tough funding environment for charities, with costs and demand rising, whilst funding is spread more thinly.  For Arc, like many other charities, our biggest challenge is in securing funding for core costs, often relying on fixed-term and project grants and potentially leaving us vulnerable to funding gaps and an uncertain future. As we proactively diversify our funding base, we want to shine a light on the importance of relationships and being a proud core funder.  We’ve been working with the local branch of national consultancy firm SQW for more than a year now, which has been rewarding for us both in many ways. We’ve attended each other’s events, including Arc - Arts for Recovery in the Community going to SQWs away day to meet colleagues and convey our impactful mental health programmes.  SQW have provided valuable pro bono consultancy support for our strategic plan and their colleagues have enjoyed knowing that this work is really making a difference.  They recently also fundraised for Arc via a charity walk at Tatton Park, proudly donating funds towards our core costs.   “SQW’s generous donations have gone towards our core costs.  One of our biggest challenges is that many funders and donors will fund new projects or work in specific areas only, whilst in these challenging times we also need to cover the costs of keeping the doors open, staffing etc, which in turn enable us to deliver the brilliant impactful programmes that we do” Jo Flint (Project Manager, Arc). Why is core funding so important? * Stability: Allowing us to plan strategically and invest in staff and infrastructure.  * Innovation: It frees up resources to develop programmes and services that address emerging needs and generate further income.  * Sustainability: It helps us build a sustainable future, reducing reliance on unpredictable grant cycles.  * Efficiency:  Grant applications are time-consuming and if successful can also come with a reporting overhead.  Investing in a relationship with a corporate donor can be more efficient and more enjoyable too!  So, as well as being a huge thank you to our friends at SQW, this piece aims to show the importance of relationships and to bust the myth of core funding being not as impactful, not as exciting or funded by someone else.  In fact, it is vital and we can’t deliver our life-changing work without it. #corefunding #philanthropy #corporatesocialresponsibility #charity #nonprofit #impact #socialvalue 

🎅 Look after your team’s wellbeing this Christmas! 🎁   Did you know that staff turnover due to mental ill health costs the UK economy a staggering £43.1bn?   This Christmas we want to help you change this figure. Here at Arc, we have over 20 years of expertise in using creativity to support good mental wellbeing. That’s why we’re so proud to announce our innovative care boxes, developed by Arc participants who have first hand experience with burnout, anxiety, and depression, which offer a unique blend of creative activities designed to: Relax: unwind and recharge Strengthen: develop coping mechanisms Rebuild: boost confidence and self-esteem Let's work together to create healthier, happier workplaces. Perfect for Secret Santa or corporate gifting- plus every purchase of our workplace wellbeing care box helps fund Arc’s wellbeing programmes, supporting people making transformational recoveries through the power of creativity.   What's inside?  Three Creative Activities: Designed by participants who’ve been through Arc’s wellbeing programmes and understand the importance of using creativities to support good mental health. Sketchpad to Continue Being Creative: Featuring a beautiful pattern inspired by feeling better in nature. Soothe Wellbeing Zine: Packed full of wellbeing advice and beautiful artwork, our Zine was developed by our Creative Enterprise participants who have shared their top tips and tricks for good mental wellbeing. Adult Merit Badges: Why should kids be the only one who get a well done sticker? Celebrate your grown up wins with our fun stickers. Art supplies: A pen and pencil to get you started on your creative wellbeing journey.   Prioritise mental health this Christmas. Prioritise your team. Shop on our website: www.arc-centre.org #wellbeing #smallbuisness #charitygiving #ethicalchristmas #mentalhealthintheworkplace

Huge thanks to our friends at SQW's Stockport office for raising funds for us through their recent walk at Tatton Park. This is just one of the ways that they are supporting us, alongside pro bono research, attending events and just generally being local friends and advocates!