Free art bags in new project for Forth Valley hospital patients

Artlink Central artists Alan Bryden and Aya Iguchi-Sherry with the Creative Art Bags

The bags include art materials, such as colours, brushes and different types of paper, and come with an ideas sheet for inspiration.

They are being introduced due to the cancellation of face to face workshops during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

The bags are designed to stimulate creativity so there is total freedom in how participants decide to use the materials - the only important thing is to have fun and be inspired.

Artlink Central’s artists Aya Iguchi-Sherry and Alan Bryden are also holding an online workshop on how to use the bags.

Also included is the new Hope House Creative Colouring Book, which Aya produced after an eight-week project with residents of Hope House at Bellsdyke Hospital, Stenhousemuir.

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Kevin Harrison, Artlink Central director said: “One of the joys of working with patients face-to-face was seeing how they responded to arts therapy and how it encouraged them to be creative.

“We thought that an arts bag was the answer for some of our patients, who we know are missing the time they spend with us.

“It’s vital that we keep minds active and encourage people to use art as a way of not only expressing their own individuality, but also as a relaxing way of relieving stress.”

The bags are available for free and can be booked via [email protected]. Patients can either self-refer or be referred by staff.

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