Creative Arts Projects - Achievements - Upstream
Printing with Double Elephant from Exeter. All participants enjoyed this simple process which brought interesting results so quickly.
Creative Arts Projects
From the start, Upstream supported and developed the value of creativity in mental stimulation and cognitive well-being, as a means to building self-confidence and encouraging social inter-action. Upstream has worked with local artists and arts organisations, with South-West Arts and Health, the University of Exeter, Exeter Museum and many others to enhance the experience of participants in the arts. With the help of a 2-year grant from the Arts Council in 2004-05, Upstream was able to bring together several small local communities to create some substantial pieces of textile work that became touring exhibits at places such as the University, Museum, local libraries, GP surgeries and more.
The pieces have included a giant felt-work circle representing the four seasons, 8-feet in diameter; a full length Episcopal cloak using a mixture of textile techniques; a large weaving representing the Devon landscape; patchwork banners 11-feet high for an exhibition in the Exeter Museum; a mosaic pyramid; a folding screen covered in textile and painted vignettes of the Devon environment; a giant felt picnic complete with outsize salmon and an abundant slice of fruit covered cake.
The unique value of the pieces, identified by the participants themselves, has been to enable people to co-operate on something bigger than their everyday experience. They said it made them feel part of something beyond their local community or home. It also showed their communities what they were capable of; it raised the profile of the skills and potential that older people could contribute to their communities.
Officials from the Department of Work & Pensions visited Exeter and saw the Four Seasons felt circle. They had commissioned the Link Age Plus project but admitted that until they saw the felt they had not properly understood what Upstream was really about and could effectively contribute to the well-being of the community. The Duchess of Cornwall came face to face with the Episcopal cloak but resisted the temptation to try it on, out of a sense of decorum.
Many of those pieces are illustrated throughout this website, see also Gallery.
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