Ignite Imaginations Creativity packs given out to Sheffield families
Community arts organisation Ignite Imaginations has been working with professional artists to provide creative resources for families in need.
Back in April 2020, Ignite Imaginations began giving out art and creativity bags to vulnerable families in Sheffield. Starting with 100 packs being distributed throughout the Firth Park and Sharrow areas, they have gone on to create and deliver over 2,500 creativity packs across the city.
Over the last five months, ten professional artists have created batches of packs, each containing between one and five unique creative activities. Each pack contains all the instructions and materials needed for the activities, which have included clay modelling, painting, mask making, creating your own board games and puppet making.
The packs have been distributed to partners working in areas across the city where access to resources for families may be more limited. Ignite Imaginations has worked with organisations including Family Voice, Sharrow Community Forum, Sheffield Libraries, Fir Vale Food Bank and SOAR Works to ensure the packs get delivered to families in need.
The most recent delivery was in partnership with SOAR Works with funding from the Healthy Holidays programme. Three artists created 500 packs each, which were then delivered to SOAR and distributed with food parcels to families throughout Parson Cross and Firth Park. The arts charity has been able to create the high-quality packs thanks to funding from BBC Children in Need, Arts Council England’s Emergency Fund, Yorkshire Building Society’s Community Fund and Sheffield City Council.
Vicki Rolley, Project Coordinator for Ignite Imaginations, said, “Art is more important than ever in this time of uncertainty. While we have been mostly unable to take free creative workshops to areas we would normally work in over the summer, we hope these packs will bring benefits to families with limited access to materials and online resources.”
Any community organisations interested in partnering with Ignite in the delivery of similar packs to vulnerable people or families over the next few months can email enquiries@igniteimaginations.org.uk.
