Read about Span’s recent achievements and how the project has made its mark.
An online artistic programme to reduce isolation and loneliness, alleviate fear, stress and boredom, and build community networks in Pembrokeshire.
This programme had its roots in Span Digidol, enabling us to respond quickly to the COVID crisis.
A 3 year Big Lottery Funded Project to reduce isolation and loneliness through the arts and creative social activities. SPAN received £218k from Big Lottery Cheerful to reduce social, rural and economic isolation through engaging people in the arts. It was a huge success reaching over 7,000 people (including 2,102 named individuals), with 12,282 separate engagements over the last 3 years. We put on 373 activities (including workshops, outreach sessions, community events and workshop sessions in people’s homes) totalling 42,987 participant hours, generated 572 volunteer opportunities totalling 2002 volunteer hours and created a body or work and partnerships that have left a lasting legacy on SPAN and helped us to shape a new vision for Arts as Social Change in Pembrokeshire. “The program put together by SPAN has helped me by giving me a reason to keep my life as normal as possible, a reason to get out of bed get dressed and have a shave!” “I felt shut away but the project has given me a whole new lease of life”
An online artistic programme to reduce isolation and loneliness, alleviate fear, stress and boredom, and build community networks in Pembrokeshire.
This programme had its roots in Span Digidol, enabling us to respond quickly to the COVID crisis.
Caring Choirs is a programme of singing workshops in care settings in Pembrokeshire targeted at older people and people living with dementia that have been running when funding allows since 2015. The project capitalises on the restorative power of singing to deliver positive physical and mental health benefits. This singing workshop programme has proven to be hugely successful and a powerful tool in improving wellbeing. “Having the singing in the lounge has been like a ray of sunshine on a grey day.”
An online artistic programme to reduce isolation and loneliness, alleviate fear, stress and boredom, and build community networks in Pembrokeshire.
This programme had its roots in Span Digidol, enabling us to respond quickly to the COVID crisis.
https://youtu.be/A9Ncp3_RG24 In January 2019, SPAN embarked upon Create and Connect, a volunteer project funded by Enhancing Pembrokeshire. Enhancing Pembrokeshire is a fund generated by Pembrokeshire’s Second Home Tax, enabling SPAN to widen the reach of its existing volunteer outreach programme into new areas heavily affected by second home ownership. At the time of the project, 45% of SPAN’s volunteers were: living with a mental health condition aged over 65 living alone Create and Connect created more opportunities for volunteers to get involved in the arts through interesting volunteering experiences and helped people to contribute to the regeneration and enrichment of life in their communities. “I’d just like to say that I’ve volunteered for a couple of other organisations and that the experience as a volunteer with Span has been by far the best. I feel appreciated, part of a team, and confident in the work Span is doing. Onwards!” Span Volunteer
https://youtu.be/aJuuVDR61WM A singing project for care homes and residential settings. People around Pembrokeshire were invited to participate in SPAN’s ‘Remote Choir’. Remote Choir was a singing project using technology to bring people in different residential locations together in order to improve health and wellbeing. Over 130 people have been involved in the Remote Choir project, 10 of whom were housebound. Health conditions included dementia, autism, COPD, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, ME and depression. Image credit: Ruth Jones We were very proud when this project was used as a case study on Wales Arts Health & Wellbeing Network website and also cited in an NHS briefing paper. Image credit: Ruth Jones Through 40 1:2:1 sessions and 2 celebration events the project met its aims and was described as “life-changing”, “important”, and “positive”. People experienced measurable increases in: Wellbeing Quality of life Digital skills Community connections Feelings of worth Confidence in singing
An online artistic programme to reduce isolation and loneliness, alleviate fear, stress and boredom, and build community networks in Pembrokeshire.
This programme had its roots in Span Digidol, enabling us to respond quickly to the COVID crisis.
SPAN’s creative technology club for children aged 8-16. SPAN trialled a monthly creative technology youth club from February 2019 to April 2020 encouraging young people to “get stuck in” to creative technology guided by artists and experts. Sessions included stop-frame animation, app-making for beginners, an introduction to robotics, Raspberry Pi computers and simple programming, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Digital Mapping, electronic music making and vocal looping—and more! All were well attended with excellent feedback showing a desire for more. ‘I liked everything…the right amount of challenge.’ ‘Very entertaining and easy to follow’
The digital act of kindness could come in many forms, and people were invited to think of something they could make that brings them happiness. Here are the results… A unique opportunity for children and/or young people in Pembrokeshire to be part of a digital creative community reaching out to people of all ages who are socially isolating, both in the community and in residential settings. The digital act of kindness could come in many forms, and people were invited to think of something they could make that brings them happiness. Here are the results… A unique opportunity for children and/or young people in Pembrokeshire to be part of a digital creative community reaching out to people of all ages who are socially isolating, both in the community and in residential settings.
SPAN Digidol was a 2 year Leader and ACW funded project designed to open up culture across the whole of Pembrokeshire through developing a new way of delivering cultural services via digital technology to rural communities. The project reached over 2000 live audiences and over 27,000 digital audiences from right across the county and beyond with representation from all ages. Through an innovative programme of 10 pilot projects SPAN Digidol engaged some of the most vulnerable , or traditionally/stereotypically less digitally confident/competent people through projects such as Map Digi Penfro, Memortal, Cân Sing online, Theatr Soffa, e-ticketing, Pisga Chapel Advent Concert audiences. The project also provided SPAN with the capacity to rapidly adapt to the COVID crisis and be able to contribute to the community response in Pembrokeshire by providing an online programme for the 3 months of Lockdown serving the community with online arts experience to alleviate boredom, stress and loneliness and to improve people’s wellbeing. People reported an increase in health & wellbeing as result in engaging in projects and demonstrated that participation in arts activities is a strong motivating factor for people to develop their digital skills. SPAN Digidol successfully supported the digital inclusion agenda in Pembrokeshire
The Span Arts building opened its gallery space in September 2013. There’s now a great variety of different work on display, currently including pieces by Tom Kelly, Sian Lester, Carolyn Young, Jennie Shales & The Puffin Painter. The Gallery also features cards and postcards on sale from Dorian Spencer-Davies, Claudia Myatt & Susie Grindey. All the artists have been inspired by the diverse beauty of Pembrokeshire and this can be clearly seen in each of their pieces and in the range of different styles on display. The artists on display in Span Arts’ Gallery will often change so it’s worth coming in regularly to enjoy the diversity of Pembrokeshire’s art scene. The gallery is open five days a week and has a great selection of affordable pieces including mini-prints and cards. A percentage of all sales will go to the Span Arts charity fund which allows us to continue running the gallery and putting on various events and workshops for everyone to enjoy throughout the year. Feel free to take a break from the hustle of the high street, pop in, and take in the art. With a selection of affordable pieces to peruse, you might even find one to
SPAN Arts Ltd, Town Moor, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, SA67 7AG
info@span-arts.org.uk
+44 (0) 1834 869323
Charity no: 1088723
Company no: 04150772
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