We create films and animations with our project participants in many of our projects and we also film some of our work as part of our evaluation process.
Our Hope4Change Music Project
The music group, facilitated by Mike Fulthorpe from Breathe Creative started in August 2023. The idea of the sessions was to simply create a warm therapeutic space for people to be able to share their thoughts and feelings safely in a supportive environment. Music would always be central, a tool to allow collaborative communication, build connections and to provide an alternative way to express emotions rather than simply talking.
The sessions have developed and have brought people together, creating friendships and musical bonds. We wrote our own song and experienced going into a recording studio alongside shooting a video with our videographer/editor, Katja Stiller. Opportunities later arose to do performances, and the group members have seemed to revel in the feeling of being in a band rehearsing for gigs.
Our first gig, with a totally different line-up (except for Max who’s been with us from the very beginning) played in the 96 bar in Barry, the CVMHT football awards ceremony. It was well supported and was a nerve wracking but very successful first ever concert. Photos and articles about the group emerged in 3 local newspapers including the South Wales Echo and the group received really positive feedback from friends, family, staff and journalists.
After a break, the music group re-started with some new members who very quickly gelled with each other. This brought a new dynamic and inspired new musical influences and talents. There has been some lovely feedback from group members about how important the sessions are to them. Once again we have explored discussion, songwriting, improvising, jamming songs and again new opportunities have emerged. Max has performed at the Cardiff City stadium and through meeting somebody at that event has since recorded his own songs and is gaining studio experience. He has also started working as a volunteer doing music with patients at Barry hospital where he is already a much loved member of the group.
Rhys has started guitar lessons and also started a computer/media course with new doors opening up as his confidence grows. The other participants are consistently attending the group every week, bringing their incredible musical talents and warm personalities to boost the positive energy of the group.
The gig opportunities at Jenner Park and at SWALEC stadium are something that is very new and nerve wracking for the group. However, we are also really excited at the opportunity and for the exposure the band will receive. We hope that people enjoy the performances of “Hope4change” and appreciate how far the members have all come in their personal journeys to reach this point.
Future funding and a long term approach is fundamental in projects such as this. It is proven that continued support can lead to new opportunities for members further down the road. The hope is for the cycle of support to continue, helping as many people as possible along the way. For this to happen, funding is paramount.
Project supported by Vale of Glamorgan Mental Health Support Team with funding from Vale of Glamorgan Council, The Arts Council of Wales and The National Lottery Community Fund.
Line of Thoughts
‘Lines of Thoughts’ is partnership a project working with Ty Canna Mental Health Out Reach Service in Cardiff and Breathe Creative, delivered by Katja Stiller, Elliot Bryn Hubbard, Jacob Meadowcroft and Michael Fulthorpe.
Weekly sessions brought participants together in a calm, safe environment. The project provided 9 participants (aged 18-24) the opportunity to break their social isolation, to process their experiences and emotions, to express themselves creatively, to learn new skills and to create short films.
Digging Deeper
Thanks to a grant from Community Foundation Wales via the Health & Social Care Innovation Fund, we have been facilitating a creative wellbeing journey through the seasons over the last year for our vulnerable participants, by connecting with nature, making art from nature and bringing people together to grow and relax in a natural outdoors environment.
Based at the Growing Green allotments in Cardiff city, we have been creating a safe, creative and gentle environment for participants who have experienced challenging life issues, and who are often struggling with mental and/or physical health problems.
In our sessions, people have made new friends, have connected with nature, have relaxed, been physical, learnt new skills, helped to grow the gardens and allotments, have created beautiful artwork, enjoyed the fresh air and have had fun.
This film was made by Jacob Meadowcroft, one of our participant trainees who has been mentored by Katja Stiller.
Feedback from participants:
“ I don’t mind what I do, I give everything a go, I just enjoy being here“
“ I really enjoy the mindfulness, I started doing it during the week”
“Just being here and looking at nature helps me to relax …”
Feedback from Health Board staff:
“ The patients benefited greatly from coming here, those that have attended are encouraging others to join the following week.”
This project has also been supported by funding from the Arts Council of Wales and The Community Lottery Fund.
#ChangingLivesTogether
‘I am Purple’
This collection of seven short films was made by a group of people identifying as “transgender” and “non-binary”, to raise awareness of their lived experiences.
The filmmakers were Jet, Bonnford, Rhys, Rain, Marius, Maz. Sound and music by Jacob Meadowcroft.
The project was facilitated by Katja Stiller and Elliot Bryn Hubbard (Breathe Creative) and Vishal Gaikwad (Ty Canna)
Thank you to Ty Canna Outreach Services, Cardiff.
This project was funded by: Skills Academy Wales (through the Welsh Government Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding for Apprenticeships), The National Lottery Community Fund,
The Arts Council of Wales, The Baring Foundation, and Cardiff & Vale Health Charity.
Penguintown
Our latest film, Penguintown, launched for Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, was created by our animation group at Ty Canna Outreach Service and User Led Resource Service.
“The film Penguintown began in a session of creative writing with service users at Ty Canna. Ideas developed further through discussions about representing mental health issues. The resulting film tells the story of how mindfulness is being used as a productivity tool at PenguinCorps, to make more money for the Big Bosses. However, our penguin hero challenges his Big Boss's attempts at control, and takes things into his own flippers!. The artwork and animation created by David, a talented artist, gives the film a unique and fresh style.” (Jane Hubbard, animator and project facilitator)
“We can't all be the next Einstein or Agatha Christie, but perhaps we can all find a role that plays to our strengths, rather than exploits our vulnerabilities. The team behind this, our little film, have all struggled with this basic, human need. The need to be useful, to fit-in somewhere…”
“Our animation this year is about being 'different'. It is about outsiders.” “We hope you like it!” (Group members)
"Some are short. Some are tall. Some introvert. Some extrovert. We each have our own talents and abilities. Our challenges and deficits too. Being human, we come in many bewildering forms … Such variety gave us Da Vinci, Tesla, Ada Lovelace and many, many thousands more that you have never heard of. Without it, we wouldn't have split the atom, invented the CAT scanner, or created your favourite work of art, whatever that may mean for you.” (David)
This film was created by the service users at Ty Canna and was made by exploring their own ideas, creative artwork and imagination. Thanks to funding support from The Arts Council of Wales, Cardiff Council, and The National Lottery Community Fund.
The Art Shed
Things are happening at our Growing Green project in Cardiff and Spring is on its way!
This short film shows the work undertaken by Growing Green Horticultural Project and Breathe Creative staff and volunteers in building a large summer house (The Art Shed) at the Leckwith Droves allotment site in Cardiff.
The work was funded by Cardiff and Vale Health Charity and the building will be used to provide art, creativity and wellbeing sessions for individuals and groups from a range of communities in Cardiff. We would like to thank Allotment Committee for their support and the staff from Ty Canna, Cardiff Councils Mental Health Outreach Service, whose help enabled us to overcome awful weather and complete the construction. The finished building now forms the hub of an active community engaged in creating a safe well-being environment that incorporates outdoor art, nature connection and food production.
Creativity for Wellbeing - "The Art of Growing Strong"
Breathe Creative CIC and Growing Green Horticulture project in Cardiff are working together to provide access to an allotment space in Cardiff which will be used as a coming together space for Ty Canna Mental Health Outreach Service clients and other vulnerable/ diverse people and groups in Cardiff.
This project aims to help participants boost their mental and physical wellbeing through gentle creativity, arts, nature connection and wellbeing activities.
This project has been funded and supported by Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | The Arts Council of Wales, Cardiff and Vale Health Charity and The National Lottery Community Fund, with increasing collaborations from many community partners to help make this little creative green space more sustainable into the future.
My Mental Elf - The Process
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 we launched these animated films and a mural made by people at Ty Canna Outreach services, at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. This collection of films show many aspects of mental health and the projects were funded by Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | The Arts Council of Wales and The National Lottery Community Fund/ Cronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol. This film shows the process behind the animated films.
Anxiety is the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023. Anxiety is a normal emotion in us all, but sometimes it can get out of control and become a mental health problem. Focusing on anxiety for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week aims to increase people's awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem.
My Mental Elf Shorts Part 2
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 we launched these animated films and a mural made by people at Ty Canna Outreach services, at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. This is a collection of some of the short animation films created during our project.
The projects were funded by The Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales and The National Lottery Community Fund/ Cronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol.
Anxiety is the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023. Anxiety is a normal emotion in us all, but sometimes it can get out of control and become a mental health problem. Focusing on anxiety for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week aims to increase people's awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem.