Creative Programme for Children and Young People with SEND

Bury, Greater Manchester | 2023 - 2024

Following my identification of a lack of accessible and meaningful cultural opportunities for children and young people with SEND in the Bury area, I secured grant funding through Bury's Culture Fund, supported by Bury Council, to develop and deliver a year-long creative programme in response to the needs of the local community. What followed was a 12 month programme delivered across 2023 - 2024.

I managed the programme from development through to delivery, overseeing budgets, finances and grant reporting, while also working directly with participants and delivering a number of creative workshops myself. I commissioned and collaborated with other local professional artists, creating a varied programme of inclusive and accessible creative experiences designed to support participation, exploration and self expression.

The programme included outdoor arts walks, sensory art workshops for children and young people with complex care needs, and a four part collaborative LEGO sculpture project, developed in response to the growing interest in LEGO based therapeutic approaches within the wider arts community. Each activity was shaped around the needs and interests of the participants, with a focus on creating opportunities to explore creativity in ways that were accessible, flexible and enjoyable.

The programme provided a much needed opportunity for children and young people with SEND to engage with the arts and experience creative activity within their local community. It also demonstrated the importance of developing cultural provision in direct response to identified community needs, creating spaces where young people who may otherwise face barriers to participation can feel welcomed, included and able to express themselves creatively.