Manchester Art Bus
‘We Face Forward – Art From West Africa Today’ is a collaboration between Manchester Art Galleries, Whitworth Art Gallery, Platt Hall Costume Gallery and Band On The Wall running from June – September 2012. http://wefaceforward.org/
Creative Hands Foundation delivered a series of community art workshops with families to create the design for the Manchester minibus. The design represents the ‘wheel of progress’, symbolising the Manchester wheel and textiles that have historically been traded between Manchester and West Africa
The bus is called the ‘The Manchester Tro-Tro bus. The name of the bus ‘Tro-Tro’ which is (pronounced Traw Traw – like ‘draw’) is the name Ghanaians give to their minibus transport. It is the cheapest way to get around Ghana. ‘Tro’ meaning penny.
The Manchester Tro-Tro transports artists throughout the city, visiting schools, community centres, parks, community events and festivals. It is used to raise the profile of the ‘We Face Forward’ exhibition and offer taster activity sessions.
Valuing Women’s Worth, Valuing Herstory
This project enabled the contribution of women’s unpaid care work to be more visible and more valued, so that women in poverty who do this unpaid work were afforded greater respect and provided with more support.
Creative Hands Foundation devised and delivered a series of art workshops and community development work to explore issues that stem from the contribution of women’s unpaid care work that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated by wider society and in some cases their families. These developments contributed to social exclusion and expectance of women to fulfil these roles unpaid.
Working with groups of women at Sure Start Children’s Centres in Rusholme and Longsight, weekly two-hour sessions were provided to explore thoughts, feelings and actions of their daily life, over a ten-week period. Using a number of mediums, including creative and political literacy, visual arts and drama, the work was documented on activity walls and photographs. The sessions were designed to help the participating women take an objective view of the role they played in society and appreciate the value of their work.
The project culminated in final art pieces that reflect their messages.
This project was funded by Oxfam.
Ardwick City Region Pilot Project 2011
South Manchester Regeneration Team commissioned Creative Hands Foundation (CHF) to deliver a series of creative art sessions to engage parents of pre school age children who were economically inactive. The main aims of the project were:
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To improve health and well being of participants
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Develop participant skills and confidence
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Develop improved communication between parents and children.
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Support the 5 aims of the ‘Every Child Matters’ framework.
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Contribute to the ongoing development of ‘school ready/able’ children
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Promote joined-up partner resources
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