Turning on the heat for the Art in the Park Hub!

Who are we?

AOP is a team of professional artists and well-being practitioners trained in mental health, suicide awareness and crisis management. We are passionate about the benefits that participation in art, connecting with nature and being active brings to health and wellbeing; building confidence, learning skills and reducing loneliness and isolation.

Founded in 2019, AOP have a track record of delivering quality activities to all ages including, painting, printmaking, pottery, textiles, creative writing, singing, dance, yoga and mindfulness, online and in GP Health centres.

We support adults of 16 plus with challenges impacting on their mental health, low income, long-term health issues, disabilities, caregivers, those at risk of loneliness and isolation; issues that impact on health inequalities in Hastings, an area of high need and deprivation.

"I joined Arts on Prescription in 2019. I love all the people here, they help my confidence and now I'm doing my level 3 at college because they helped me." Daisy 24      

In April 2022, AOP took on a disused building with a large green outdoor lawn, in Alexandra Park, Hastings to set up Art in the Park, and piloted a varied program of activities to promote creativity, nature, and community engagement in local heritage. 

In our first year at Art in Park, during spring and summer, we delivered multiple family-friendly events reaching out to over 1000 residents.

We are ready to build on our successes and make Art in the Park an even better space that is accessible and responds to the needs of this diverse and colourful town, Hastings! 

OUR VISION                                                                            

AOP wishes to develop Art in the Park into a volunteer-led, year-round, safe and warm Hub, accessible to a broader audience and respond to a growing demand for inclusive creative and wellbeing workshops and community events. 

From Art in the Park we will build on our experience, learning from past events, collaborating with other community groups to develop an exciting and varied art and wellbeing program that promotes inclusivity, creativity, spending time in nature and getting active. 

We need YOUR help to make our vision possible!

Can you help us raise funds to provide a robust wheelchair ramp, additional storage for our equipment, and cost-effective sustainable heating which will allow us to continue a funded program of activities through the colder months of the year?

"Arts on Prescription has helped me with my self-confidence, I've made new friends, developed skills. I am now a volunteer here"   Andie 50                                                                             

Impact

During our first year at Art in Park, we delivered multiple family-friendly events reaching out to over 1000 residents, recruited 10 volunteers and created a community-led ceramic wall mural celebrating Alexandra Park which is to be a lasting legacy to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and will be installed in the Park in May 23.

Feedback from participants' engaging in our art for wellbeing programs evidence improvements in mental health, confidence, social engagement, and learning new skills.

Through our social prescribing model we invite other local groups to showcase activities that promote wellbeing and positive behaviour choices, including personal development into education, volunteering and employment.

(Feedback below from 154 participants.)

"I have a long-term health condition with mobility issues, I was lonely and depressed and working with AOP has opened up my world. I am now attending university working on projects that support diversity and inclusion and am a dedicated volunteer for AOP. AOP is a life saver for me" Michelle 30

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are raising funds to develop greater accessibility to activities held at Art in the Park, and to create a warm, all year round space to welcome people into, especially required during the cold winter months when many residents report feeling very lonely and isolated. 

There is no heating in the building and our current wooden ramp is unsafe and in need of replacing.

Funding a robust steel ramp and installing heating will allow more residents to enjoy this lovely space set in a green heritage park in the heart of Hastings throughout the year.

The addition of a storage shed and ramp will enable us to make the building a practical and accessible workshop space. 

Hastings is an area of deprivation and health inequalities, ranked 13th in the national index of deprivation, the rising cost of living and heating costs is impacting on many residents, families and children, and funding AOP will enhance many peoples lives.

Your support will enable AOP to deliver accessible events and develop Art in the Park into a sustainable volunteer-led, asset based, community hub that promotes and enhances wellbeing, reduces stigma, loneliness and isolation through a wide range of inclusive opportunities to all residents of Hastings, adults, children and teens, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability.

How we will spend the money raised from Funding: 

• A sustainable and renewable heating system into our building to support people all year round and welcome them into a warm space.
• A  bespoke steel framed access ramp for wheelchair users, buggies and people with mobility issues to access all our workshops and events.
• A metal 10 x 10 storage shed to ensure we can maximise the limited space we have in the building to facilitate groups and wheelchairs.
• Reducing the barriers that many local people face accessing art and wellbeing sessions.

"I joined Arts on prescription after gender reassignment surgery. AOP offers so much variety, and is suitable to all abilities, everyone is so receptive, the community spirit is wonderful and I am now a volunteer" Jemia 60