THROUGH OUR EYES
Worthing collage & Exhibition at Colonnade House - 2019
Earlier this year Make Your Mark, the Arts and Health programme for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, ran a short course for adults with a learning disability. Two groups worked with photographer Dougie Evans to explore their perception of themselves and each other using lighting, framing, movement and personal belongings. The project was developed in response to a need to heighten the profile of Learning Disability Services as part of the Trust and was devised by Lucy Wescott who heads up Springwell. We felt the most immediate and engaging way to do this would be to create a bold visual presence around Trust buildings.
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Engaging and exploring - We used a participatory arts process, working with people who had used SPFT services and focusing on their relationship with themselves and how they could explore and express this using photography.Dougie’s approach was informal, inclusive and person centred and the groups engaged right from the start. Several people wanted to know if there were going to be more sessions and the final group said they didn’t want to go home! There was also the beginning of a positive relational and therapeutic element to the sessions and bonds emerged within the groups as their new shared language of photography developed. We had 100% turn out of attendees with a broad range of abilities and needs. It was so exciting to see people’s skills, enthusiasm and confidence growing over such a short time.
Curating the exhibition - Prior to the exhibition the groups got together as one big group to collaborate on which photos they wanted to show. This collection of striking, beautiful and thought provoking images is the result. Project development - Following this exhibition the photos will be installed on permanent exhibition across SPFT buildings in Sussex. We hope to use our learning from this project to develop a more in-depth Sussex Recovery College Course in 2020. Our artist & facilitator - www.dougieevans.com Our technician - www.charlottehanlon.com |
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