Spinning Yarns
Prism Arts seeks to offer an exciting and challenging arts and social development programme for older people throughout Cumbria. The idea for the Spinning Yarns project came about after Prism Arts worked with Age Concern in Carlisle on a dance project. Prism Arts was also inspired by an inter-generational project in Barrow which Barrow Age Concern had organised with local schools. Through taster days that Prism Arts offered the local community, a need for accessible arts activities for older people throughout Cumbria was identified. One activity, reminiscing, was called Spinning Yarns, as in telling a tale. So the idea for this project was born.
Spinning Yarns offers arts activities for people aged 55 and over throughout Cumbria. Arts workshops have taken place in Appleby, Barrow, Brampton, Carlisle, Cockermouth, Egremont, Longtown, Penrith, Roadhead & Wigton.
Regular Spinning Yarns groups are now established in Appleby, Barrow, Brampton, Egremont, Longtown & Roadhead, with occasional groups in Carlisle.
Many older people do not have a great deal of direct experience of the arts, having been denied access to the arts for a greater part of their lives. They may consider themselves unable to 'do' art. The arts activities are designed to give participants a feel of the possibilities the arts can offer. Workshops are led by experienced participatory artists and offer participants the chance to pursue a wide range of art forms.
A variety of arts activities have been undertaken by the Spinning Yarns groups: card & gift box making; mosaics; marbling; quilling; felt & patchwork quilt making; jewellery making; weaving; spinning; crochet; paper maché; paper making; calligraphy; Chinese calligraphy; flower arrangements; drawing with pastels; painting with watercolours; glass painting; painting on china; making stained glass; sculpture; photographic restoration & reminiscence; digital photography, computer graphics; poetry; dance & theatre; making music and having a good old sing-a-long.
The activities are chosen by, and in some cases led by the participants. Exhibitions have been held throughout the county in Brampton, Carlisle, Appleby, Longtown, Barrow, Egremont & Roadhead and intergenerational links have been established with participants assisting artists to run workshops for children.
This project is currently supported by the LankellyChase Foundation, LloydsTSB Foundation for England and Wales, The Woodward Charitable Trust, Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council.
