Art by Post

A heartfelt thank you to everyone that has participated in the Art by Post Project in partnership with the Southbank Centre.

The Southbank Centre developed Art by Post during the Covid-19 lockdown to engage those most isolated by social distancing measures, with a particular emphasis on reaching older adults living with dementia and other chronic health conditions. Art by Post was very simple: participants received free creative booklets through their letterbox or via email every four weeks. The booklets, created in collaboration with artists, spark the imagination and help participants stay connected to others via the growing Art by Post community.

Meet the inspiring individuals and partnerships behind Art by Post and hear about the impact the project has had on them and their communities in the Art by Post: Documentary.

The Southbank Centre’s Art by Post project launched in May 2020 to provide free creative activities to people across the UK at risk of social isolation, loneliness and digital exclusion. The project commissioned 17 artists to make 11 activity booklets, sent to over 4,500 participants aged 18 – 103 across the UK, from Aberdeen to Truro and Bangor to Dover. So far, care homes, hospitals, charities, arts organisations, specialist dementia services, prison facilities and housing initiatives have all referred people from their communities onto the scheme.

As a project delivery partner, the Barn distributed booklets to a variety of North-East organisations such as Ace Voices, Grampian Hospital Art Trust (GHAT), Grampian Regional Equalities Council (GREC), Art with Life and the North-East Macular Society. As well as members of our long standing 50+ Third Stage Art group.

Rebecca, a participant from Ace Voices, was chosen out of 3,000 Art by Post participants to be one of 5 people interviewed by Mina Holland from the Guardian about her Art by Post experience and ‘We Grow Together’;

“I attended an online workshop for Art by Post called Grow Together, hosted by artists Bibo and Brian Keeley, a couple who make work in response to ecological issues and wellbeing. They were shielding even before Covid because Brian has had a heart transplant. I found their workshop, and the booklet they helped to produce, very inspiring because they use creativity to allay people’s fears. In tribute to this, and to Art by Post, we have named our charity-to-be We Grow Together – Brian, Bibo and Alec are all mentoring Louise and I as we develop our idea for the charity and harness the power of young people to offer support and comfort to older, isolated people.” - Rebecca, 16 from Aberdeen

Exhibition

The online exhibition on the Southbank Centre’s website showcases the full collection of over 600 artworks, audio recordings of participants reading their poems and films that tell the Art by Post story from the perspective of the participants. The exhibition makes visible the spirit and talent of the participants and the dedicated artists and organisations that have supported them. The exhibition’s focal points – ‘Nature’, ‘Sound & Movement’ and ‘Hope’ – highlight the basic needs that continue to be vital to us all: green spaces, music, dance, physical activity and people to share these experiences with. The exhibition makes visible the spirit and talent of the participants and the dedicated artists and organisations that have supported them.

This exhibition also features artworks created in response to 'Growing Together' an art pack co-designed by Aberdeen-based artists Bibo and Brian Keeley, Southbank Centre and the Barn.

In addition, the Southbank Centre have partnered with Google Arts and Culture to feature Art by Post on their online health and wellbeing hub. They have put together a curated selection of artworks, portraits, audio, film and quotes from across the whole project, to give a flavour of the inspiring individuals behind it and include perspectives from people we haven’t heard from before.

For more information about Art by Post, visit Southbank Centre’s website. If you have any questions, write to artbypost@southbankcentre.co.uk

The Art by Post project is supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Project delivery partners are Age UK Oxfordshire and Camden, artsdepot, The Barn, Beacon Arts Centre, Dulwich Picture Gallery, HOME, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, NAPA Arts in Care Homes, Nightingale Hammerson, Philharmonia Orchestra, Platform and Sunderland Culture. All have worked with the Southbank Centre to deliver an enriching experience for participants, using the booklets as a springboard for further creative exploration.

Last updated April 2022.