Allsorts from Heart n Soul

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:: Lewisham London Borough Council

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:: Project description only

Prevention service description

Seasons can also involve collaboration with professional creative partners, including composers, orchestras and visual artists. Participants are able to gain new skills, find, progress or showcase an existing talent and through Heart n Soul commissioning opportunities, some participants have gone on to work with other cultural institutions, such as the British Museum. In February 2015, two participants, now emerging artists, singer-songwriter and performance artist Tillie Milburn and visual artist Ifeoma Orjiekwe, provided cultural responses to the artefacts and ran workshops for museum visitors.

After running as a pilot, it is now part-commissioned by Lewisham Council, participants also contributing to the running costs (£50 per session for those who have personal budgets, £5 per session, or £120 for all 24 annual sessions, for those who do not have personal budgets). Parents and carers are able to attend, paying what they can afford. While commissioned by the Cultural and Community Development team, there is close links with the Adult Social Care team who recognise the importance of arts engagement as a route to wellbeing. It is part of Lewisham Council's alternative day provision for adults with learning disabilities. Allsorts provides more personalised activities that can meet needs not met elsewhere.