Everyday Stories
Thanks to funding from BBC Children in Need for the past 7 years, Ignite’s Everyday Stories takes art and craft activities to different areas of the city for families who don't normally get the opportunity to engage in creative activities. We have a strong partnership with Sheffield Libraries to deliver this work across the city, and build relationships with local community organisations to take workshops and activities directly to the communities who will benefit most. We reached around 160 children each year in areas such as Darnall, Sharrow , Manor, Firth Park and Crystal Peaks. As well as working directly with Parent Carer Forum (supporting children with additional needs and their families and Family Voice (supporting women from asylum seeker/refugee backgrounds and their families.)
"These workshops are very needed in this community – there are not any local art or creative activities available for children"
The sessions were flexibly designed to allow for children and young people and their families attending to build on their creativity every week as well as being suitable for people dropping in to get started.
The variety of artforms used in Everyday Stories sessions is a great strength of this project, with activities including t-shirt design, clay or decoupage ensuring every participant will can find something new and something that captures their interest. We encourage participants to create final products and especially to make things that can be displayed at home or which can be used and which encourage play beyond the session. This really helps instil pride and confidence, especially for those children and young people who attended multiple sessions.
“Normally my daughter can’t leave the house on Saturdays, but I’ve told her that its art club and because she has enjoyed them she has managed to get dressed, leave the house and enjoy the session.”
Artists focused on encouraging participants to help with sessions, giving responsibility for small tasks and encouraging interaction with others. 100% of participants said they would like to do more art beyond the project. Sharing work regularly also empowered participants to develop their understanding of quality and celebration of efforts.
"Child A began to see... creative ability and wanted to learn/improve so took materials home to practice and brought the finished piece back to show me"
(Artist, Darnall Library)
The finale at each library included an exhibition of children and young people’s work for parent-carers and guests. Children and young people also participated in a postcard exchange with other libraries, enabling them to recognise their connection to other parts of the city. Many of the parent-carers also developed bonds across the course of the project which we hold will yield a legacy of ongoing connections and friendships.
"Two siblings came aged 8 and 9 who were in foster care, both with learning difficulties and one with behavioural issues and... at the beginning... they were noisy, disruptive, needing constant support...and by the end... they were able to stay on task with support and encouragement and work alongside the other children to complete the activity."
"Child D, aged 7 ...was very quiet and hardly spoke, kept on task but with very little interaction with the other children. She attended 9/10 sessions during which time her
confidence grew, she became more vocal in the group and by the end...she was
expressing herself on what she wanted to do, how she was going to...continue with her art as it made her feel happy and she loved making things."
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