31 December 2025: Celebrating 5 Years of Art for Wellness CIC
As 2025 draws to a close, we pause not just to mark the end of a year, but to celebrate a milestone that fills us with pride and gratitude. Art for Wellness CIC is five years old. Five years of creativity, connection, courage, and community.
What began as a simple belief — that creativity can support wellbeing — has grown into something truly special.
What We Celebrated in 2025
This year, our workshops created welcoming spaces where people could slow down, try something new, and feel part of something supportive. Highlights from 2025 included:
- Look Around the Garden pilot workshops at Springvale Community Centre, bringing children and adults together through gentle creative activities focused on wellbeing, curiosity, and connection with nature.
- Therapeutic Art sessions at Priory Gardens, Lungwood, where we worked with social perscribing alongside the garden group to explore creativity outdoors, using natural materials and seasonal inspiration to encourage calm, reflection, and shared experiences.
- “Wellness Wednesday” workshops at Penistone Leisure Centre, delivered through Creative Lives – Know Your Neighbourhood funding, offering accessible, community-based creative wellbeing sessions that supported connection and confidence.
- Therapeutic Art workshops at Barnsley Civic, made possible through grant funding from the Health and Growth Accelerator Community Grants Programme 2025–26, providing inclusive, supportive spaces for mindful making and creative exploration.
Each session was shaped by the people who joined us, bringing warmth, courage, and imagination into the space. Through shared creativity and gentle engagement with nature, Therapeutic Art supported participants to reduce stress, build resilience, and strengthen social connections. We watched confidence grow, friendships form, and creativity flourish—often in people who arrived saying, “I’m not creative.”
Together, these workshops nurtured wellbeing, confidence, and a sense of belonging within the community.
Each session was shaped by the people who joined us, bringing warmth, courage, and imagination into the space. We watched confidence grow, friendships form, and creativity flourish — often in people who arrived saying, “I’m not creative.”
Grant Funding Application Successes
In 2025, we were proud to secure a range of grant funding that enabled us to grow the reach, quality, and sustainability of our Therapeutic Art and creative wellbeing programmes. These successful applications reflect strong local partnerships, clear community need, and a shared commitment to accessible, preventative mental wellbeing support through creativity.
Funding from the Health and Growth Accelerator Community Grants Programme (2025–26) supported the delivery of Therapeutic Art workshops at Barnsley Civic, enabling professionally facilitated sessions in a welcoming cultural setting. This funding ensured participants could access high-quality creative wellbeing support at little or no cost, while allowing fair pay for artists and facilitators.
Through Creative Lives – Know Your Neighbourhood funding, awarded to Penistone Leisure Centre, we supported the delivery of “Wellness Wednesday” workshops as the community interest company delivering and shaping the creative wellbeing programme. Art for Wellness CIC worked in partnership with Penistone Leisure Centre to design and facilitate inclusive sessions that reduced isolation, encouraged participation, and strengthened local connections. All workshops were promoted and booked via Eventbrite as part of the Creative Lives programme, ensuring visibility and accessibility for the wider community.
We were also delighted to secure National Lottery funding, taking us forward into 2026 and enabling the continued development of Look Around the Garden workshops. This funding allows us to build on the success of the pilot programme, expanding nature-based therapeutic art sessions for children and adults, deepening community partnerships, and embedding creative wellbeing activities within local green spaces. Watch this space.
Together, these funding successes have enabled Art for Wellness CIC to support communities across Penistone, Barnsley, and surrounding areas—using shared creativity and gentle engagement with nature to reduce stress, build resilience, and foster confidence, connection, and a lasting sense of belonging.
Five Years of Art, Wellbeing, and Community
Looking back over the last five years, what stands out most isn’t just the art that was made — it’s the people.
Over five years, Art for Wellness CIC has:
- Created safe, inclusive spaces for creative wellbeing
- Worked with local venues like Barnsley Civic, Penistone Leisure Centre, Library Services, and Springvale Community Garden.
- Supported people experiencing isolation, stress, and low confidence
- Shown that creativity isn’t about being “good at art” — it’s about how it makes you feel
One of our favourite reminders has been this quote:
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” — Pablo Picasso
And it’s something we see again and again in our sessions.
What You’ve Told Us 💬
Some of the most meaningful moments come from the feedback we receive:
“I didn’t realise how much I needed this until I was here.”
“It’s the first time in a long while I’ve felt relaxed and creative.”
“I come for the art, but I leave feeling lighter.”
These words remind us that the impact of creative wellbeing goes far beyond the finished piece.
✨ Feedback:
What has creativity given you this year — calm, confidence, connection, or simply time for myself
Crowdfunding for Our Own Art Studio & Community Space
In 2025, we took an exciting step towards a long-held dream — creating our own Art for Wellness studio and community space. A place where creativity, calm, and connection can live all year round. A space to welcome people in, slow things down, and offer regular, accessible creative wellbeing sessions for the community.
Through our crowdfunding campaign, we were incredibly grateful to raise £650. Every donation, share, and message of support reminded us how strongly people believe in the power of creativity for wellbeing. This funding has helped us take practical steps forward while strengthening our confidence that this vision is shared by the community we serve.
Having a dedicated studio would allow us to:
- Offer more regular and affordable Therapeutic Art sessions
- Create a safe, welcoming space for people experiencing isolation or stress
- Develop nature-inspired and community-led projects
- Grow partnerships and long-term wellbeing programmes
This is just the beginning.
✨ How you can help us take the next step:
- Donate or fundraise if you’re able
- Share our story with friends and community groups
- Partner with us or help us find a suitable space
- Follow our journey and spread the word
Together, we can create a space where creativity supports wellbeing every day — not just in workshops, but in the heart of the community.
Watch this space.
Blessed with the Best Team 💛
At the heart of Art for Wellness CIC is an incredible team of people who believe deeply in what we do. We truly are blessed with the best.
Debbie, Heather, Rosie, Ivan, Amy, and Steph have each brought their passion, care, creativity, and commitment to everything we’ve delivered this year. Their support, generosity of spirit, and shared belief in creative wellbeing have played a huge part in making 2025 such a successful and meaningful year.
From planning and facilitating sessions to welcoming participants, holding safe spaces, and supporting one another behind the scenes, this team has worked tirelessly — always with warmth, professionalism, and kindness at the centre of their work.
What makes this team special isn’t just their skills, but their heart. Each person shares a genuine commitment to the success of Art for Wellness CIC and to the wellbeing of the communities we serve.
Thank you for your hard work, your care, and your belief in this vision. We couldn’t do this without you — and we’re so grateful to be creating, growing, and moving forward together 💛
Looking Ahead with Gratitude and Excitement
As we close our fifth year, we want to say thank you — to everyone who has attended a workshop, supported our work, partnered with us, or quietly followed along. You are part of this story.
We’re stepping into 2026 full of hope, ideas, and excitement — starting the year with positive thoughts, creative intention-setting, vision boards, and so much more. The next chapter is about continuing to grow while staying rooted in what matters most: people, wellbeing, and creativity.
Here’s to five years of Art for Wellness CIC — and to everything still to come.
We can’t wait to create with you in 2026 💛
You painted the year with bright grace,
Each workshop a nurturing space.
From gardens to grants,
Your vision advanced—
Art bloomed in your steady embrace.
2025 Celebration