Discovery – finding meaningful activity through the senses

Discovery is a new project to design a digital resource for people with complex needs of any age to find activity to appeal to particular sensory interests. So many of the requests we receive are from parents or carers looking for personal, meaningful opportunities that allow people to connect with something that reflects who they are, and have freedom to enjoy that.

With the expertise of a software engineering team from JP Morgan’s Force for Good programme,  Artlink will create a unique directory to browse experiences from the perspective of people with particular sensory interests in Midlothian by collating knowledge suggested by parents and support teams. Working in collaboration with park rangers, community organisations and heritage facilities we will share opportunities with sensory appeal.

We aim to create a responsive web page (for phone, iPad or desktop) by Summer 2019 to allow parents or carers of people with profound and multiple learning disability to find specific experiences for those they care for.

Watch this short film – it does a better job of describing this project than words!

Discovery will to use unique local knowledge to share meaningful activity.

Where can I watch owls fly?

Where are there interesting places for someone who loves to listen? 

My daughter loves reflection – where can I find lots of mirrors?

I support someone who loves the movement of trains – where can we go? 

Supported by JP Morgan Chase, National Lottery Year of the Young Person and Midlothian Council

Report: The Ripple Effect

ripple effect

Join us at the launch of The Ripple Effect – a research project that explored new forms of collaborative arts practice that positively impact on the lives of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their care-workers.

 

We would like to invite you to hear about some of the innovative ideas and concepts presented in this report.

 

Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

 

RSVP

info@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

0131 229 355

 

The Ripple Effect report presents the findings of a 12 month project funded by Health Improvement Scotland to explore the work of Artlink within the Cherry Road Learning Centre, and the impact of integrating art into social care in the lives of people with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD).

The research partnership involved the expertise of Dundee University academics in conducting a qualitative study and the development of recommendations for use in transforming social care. 

Lottery award celebrating young people with creative skills

Young Midlothian People with complex needs awarded Year of the Young Person National Lottery Funding.

 

£9800 from the National Lottery Year of the Young Person awards will celebrate the creative talents of young people with autism and complex needs. The project entitled Creative Directors, supported by Artlink Edinburgh, will offer one to one support for young people to direct their own community projects focused on their unique skills like acting, drumming, animation and even listening.

 

The funding will involve six amazing young people from Bilston, Penicuik, Gorebridge and Loanhead, whose untapped talents will be the focus of community activity to benefit other young people in Midlothian;

  • Lewis loves acting but there’s no local group that suited his needs and interests – he will set one up for him and his friends.
  • Jordan has recently showed huge ability for drumming and will organize a music concert for friends and family.
  • Chris has amazing listening skills but needs quiet spaces he can really tune into the sounds around him – he will work with community venues to involve him and many others with complex needs.

 

Artlink Midlothian Coordinator Kara Christine said “The project focuses on young people who have evident, but untapped talent because the youth groups or activities that exist locally aren’t always set up for people with anxieties or complex support needs. This project will put them in charge in contributing their skills to make a difference for others in Midlothian.”

Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Seona Reid, said “ This funding will help young people to make a positive change in their lives and I wish Artlink Edinburgh and Lothians every success as it works to improve young people’s health and wellbeing in celebration of Scotland’s Year of Young People.”

Common Play: Making Things Happen

As a society we no longer create social spaces naturally. Within mental health the increasing reality is isolation and the lack of opportunity for people to find meaningful and engaging ways to belong to their immediate communities.

Over the past years Artlink projects at the Glasshouses in the grounds of the Royal Edinburgh hospital, Leylines across West Lothian and Curious Routes within Edinburgh have at the heart of their studio practice the motivation to bring people together.

‘We as a group of people meet up, chat, eat, share and listen together. It allows us to creatively explore our realities of isolation, support each other and challenge the lack of meaningful opportunities that people face on a daily basis’ 

These projects become social spaces, a chance to engage and share in conversation. ‘Everyone recognises themselves in how the ideas emerge and the way we make them happen.’ Ideas develop naturally inspired by something as simple as a favourite tune, a movie that inspires a time and place, a shared memory. Common ground emerges and the inspiration to involve others is the next step.

In West Lothian’s Leylines project, Peter Johnstone brought his passion for up and coming Scottish music talent to his local community of Bathgate. ’I want people to experience music locally that they might otherwise have to travel to city centres to experience.’

Edinburgh’s Curious Routes project has been developing conversations around communal play through music and games. ‘Getting together and sharing is on our own terms, we inform our ideas from personal and lived experiences’

The Glasshouses studio is a collective group of artists who create unique projects and events that encourages participation and celebration, as one member of the collective puts it: ‘As a group we have created a safe and supportive environment to explore our ideas. We bounce ideas off one another, it encourages us to be bolder, more ambitious about how we involve others and have fun in what we create’

Over the course of this exhibition at the Tent gallery, Glasshouses, Leylines and Curious Routes will be inviting groups and the public to actively take part in workshops or just enjoy the artworks on display.

A portable ping-pong table will be open for anyone to use. No points, no rules just play. Alongside this listen to music, chat about what motivates us and how we begin to create and be in charge of our own spaces.

Music for Mental Health

Glasgow’s Life Model, Adullboy, Idkid and Mad Rodents and their unique gig for Mental Health on September 30th in Boghall, Bathgate, West Lothian. 

We held a one-off gig bringing the best of Scotland’s songwriting talent under one humble roof in West Lothian as part of our project Leylines which hosts creative connections for mental health in West Lothian.

Local resident Peter Johnstone was the power behind this grassroots event – inspired by his passion for the current vibrant Scottish music scene. ‘I wanted to bring fresh Scottish talent to a small town in West Lothian where I come from. I wanted to give others incredible live music without the need to get to the city centres. Music is helpful in so many ways, it brings us out of ourselves and is a connection with others. Creativity is a joy and an escapism’

Chris Smith from Life Model said ‘It’s important to take any opportunity to raise awareness and reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health and get more people to talk about it”

Visit the Leylines website.

 

 

Scott vs Demons

COMIC LAUNCH & EXHIBITION

As part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, Artlink launches Scott vs Demons, a comic which takes a satirical look at the bureaucratic mistreatment of vulnerable people with chronic ill health and disabilities.

The comic takes as its starting point the experience of Scott Davidson, a young man with autism, and goes on a flight of fantasy where we get to experience the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) assessment process for the ridiculous farce it is.

On show at Artlink will be the original artwork for the comic and an opportunity to meet with some of the people behind the comic and talk with them about the ideas behind its creation.

Exhibition Venue: Artlink, 13a Spittal street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DY

Comic signing with Alan Grant & Scott Davidson: Friday 25th August, 9.30am- 5pm

Exhibition of Original Artwork: Friday 25th and Saturday 26th August,  9.30am – 5pm

Where to buy your copy:  At Artlink, Blackwells Books, Deadhead Comics and other retailers or buy it online by clicking here.

Maecenas tincidunt posuere quam, eu consectetur justo

Semper leo. Fusce lectus justo, porta quis felis at, imperdiet elementum libero. Duis nec dignissim lectus.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse scelerisque venenatis purus eget maximus. Fusce dapibus leo sed sem fringilla, nec convallis arcu egestas. Nullam ut

Nulla facilisi. Etiam euismod tristique ipsum, vitae fringilla orci tempor at. Cras dignissim laoreet ligula. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Donec vitae aliquet dui, sit amet cursus ante. Nulla facilisi. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Ut sodales porta lacus, eu facilisis justo. Curabitur sed leo dui.

Nam nisl ex, pellentesque eget lorem eget, dignissim lobortis nisi. Curabitur elit elit, condimentum non lacus sed, elementum pellentesque mi. Fusce eget accumsan elit. Integer euismod libero a tellus tincidunt venenatis. Vivamus sit amet neque id mauris lacinia consequat vel ac orci. Suspendisse posuere velit eu pellentesque vestibulum. Vestibulum sit amet nibh ut nisl luctus facilisis. Vestibulum et posuere massa, ut luctus enim. In id ex dui. Mauris elementum mauris ut mauris luctus gravida. Morbi fermentum mauris sollicitudin scelerisque euismod. Nulla tincidunt suscipit accumsan.

Cras eleifend magna et consequat ultrices. Phasellus sodales placerat ullamcorper. Vivamus sed scelerisque augue, a ultricies erat. Aenean felis nibh, aliquam non turpis et, tincidunt commodo tellus. Quisque tellus nisi, congue vitae mi a, ullamcorper luctus nunc. Nulla vel urna tellus. Aliquam non elementum enim. Maecenas volutpat ex ut nibh rhoncus, quis finibus orci venenatis.

“Etiam nec libero volutpat nisi pellentesque iaculis lobortis ac dui. Duis porta justo metus, eleifend vulputate ipsum volutpat vel.”

Nullam felis leo, tincidunt et facilisis a, gravida non est. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse id laoreet nulla. Nullam sodales convallis pellentesque. Donec sed ipsum eget urna ultrices accumsan nec id dui. Vestibulum egestas, ex eu venenatis feugiat, risus neque congue odio, a suscipit lorem nisl non nunc. Maecenas quis metus et lectus luctus hendrerit. Nunc maximus, enim sed condimentum varius, eros nulla ultricies arcu, non lobortis orci lacus at neque. Nunc pellentesque tincidunt quam, nec gravida neque lacinia vitae. Ut finibus mi eu ante egestas, ut luctus nisl condimentum. Aenean consequat finibus sapien id porttitor.

Integer eu nulla ut purus blandit dapibus ac in quam. Nulla maximus ornare justo, vel luctus metus feugiat sit amet. Pellentesque elit dui, fringilla et sem non, malesuada blandit dui. Quisque sodales mollis elementum.

1. Nam sodales enim nec purus efficitur sodales.
2. Suspendisse rhoncus viverra scelerisque.
3. Nam id interdum nisl, non tempor elit.
4. Suspendisse eget maximus elit. Morbi ut vulputate nisi…

Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis elementum nisl mi, facilisis dignissim ante cursus vitae. Donec tempus elit at ex tempus, in maximus augue rutrum. Cras vitae vehicula elit, posuere lacinia felis. Phasellus ligula nibh, mattis ac lobortis vel, vehicula dignissim tellus. Fusce orci purus, congue ac diam vel, tempor vestibulum nibh. Cras dictum elit a aliquam dictum.

Mauris condimentum vehicula erat, vitae dignissim turpis mattis non. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Donec porttitor, diam vel bibendum maximus, leo justo ornare lacus, nec tempus velit tortor sit amet risus. Pellentesque erat risus, dictum eu magna in, porttitor aliquam augue. Cras suscipit, turpis sit amet gravida iaculis, libero metus ultricies massa, eu condimentum magna erat nec tellus. Quisque ac finibus ipsum. Maecenas auctor sapien tellus, non auctor libero maximus eget. Phasellus iaculis magna non dignissim pulvinar.

Phasellus lacinia tortor am ust euismod, rutrum tellus et

Semper leo. Fusce lectus justo, porta quis felis at, imperdiet elementum libero. Duis nec dignissim lectus.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse scelerisque venenatis purus eget maximus. Fusce dapibus leo sed sem fringilla, nec convallis arcu egestas. Nullam ut

Nulla facilisi. Etiam euismod tristique ipsum, vitae fringilla orci tempor at. Cras dignissim laoreet ligula. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Donec vitae aliquet dui, sit amet cursus ante. Nulla facilisi. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Ut sodales porta lacus, eu facilisis justo. Curabitur sed leo dui.

Nam nisl ex, pellentesque eget lorem eget, dignissim lobortis nisi. Curabitur elit elit, condimentum non lacus sed, elementum pellentesque mi. Fusce eget accumsan elit. Integer euismod libero a tellus tincidunt venenatis. Vivamus sit amet neque id mauris lacinia consequat vel ac orci. Suspendisse posuere velit eu pellentesque vestibulum. Vestibulum sit amet nibh ut nisl luctus facilisis. Vestibulum et posuere massa, ut luctus enim. In id ex dui. Mauris elementum mauris ut mauris luctus gravida. Morbi fermentum mauris sollicitudin scelerisque euismod. Nulla tincidunt suscipit accumsan.

Cras eleifend magna et consequat ultrices. Phasellus sodales placerat ullamcorper. Vivamus sed scelerisque augue, a ultricies erat. Aenean felis nibh, aliquam non turpis et, tincidunt commodo tellus. Quisque tellus nisi, congue vitae mi a, ullamcorper luctus nunc. Nulla vel urna tellus. Aliquam non elementum enim. Maecenas volutpat ex ut nibh rhoncus, quis finibus orci venenatis.

“Etiam nec libero volutpat nisi pellentesque iaculis lobortis ac dui. Duis porta justo metus, eleifend vulputate ipsum volutpat vel.”

Nullam felis leo, tincidunt et facilisis a, gravida non est. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse id laoreet nulla. Nullam sodales convallis pellentesque. Donec sed ipsum eget urna ultrices accumsan nec id dui. Vestibulum egestas, ex eu venenatis feugiat, risus neque congue odio, a suscipit lorem nisl non nunc. Maecenas quis metus et lectus luctus hendrerit. Nunc maximus, enim sed condimentum varius, eros nulla ultricies arcu, non lobortis orci lacus at neque. Nunc pellentesque tincidunt quam, nec gravida neque lacinia vitae. Ut finibus mi eu ante egestas, ut luctus nisl condimentum. Aenean consequat finibus sapien id porttitor.

Integer eu nulla ut purus blandit dapibus ac in quam. Nulla maximus ornare justo, vel luctus metus feugiat sit amet. Pellentesque elit dui, fringilla et sem non, malesuada blandit dui. Quisque sodales mollis elementum.

1. Nam sodales enim nec purus efficitur sodales.
2. Suspendisse rhoncus viverra scelerisque.
3. Nam id interdum nisl, non tempor elit.
4. Suspendisse eget maximus elit. Morbi ut vulputate nisi…

Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis elementum nisl mi, facilisis dignissim ante cursus vitae. Donec tempus elit at ex tempus, in maximus augue rutrum. Cras vitae vehicula elit, posuere lacinia felis. Phasellus ligula nibh, mattis ac lobortis vel, vehicula dignissim tellus. Fusce orci purus, congue ac diam vel, tempor vestibulum nibh. Cras dictum elit a aliquam dictum.

Mauris condimentum vehicula erat, vitae dignissim turpis mattis non. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Donec porttitor, diam vel bibendum maximus, leo justo ornare lacus, nec tempus velit tortor sit amet risus. Pellentesque erat risus, dictum eu magna in, porttitor aliquam augue. Cras suscipit, turpis sit amet gravida iaculis, libero metus ultricies massa, eu condimentum magna erat nec tellus. Quisque ac finibus ipsum. Maecenas auctor sapien tellus, non auctor libero maximus eget. Phasellus iaculis magna non dignissim pulvinar.