Better Connect 24_25 Projects

Every Wednesday to Friday throughout the summer holidays, professional artists brought the magic with a vibrant mix of creative workshops for young people aged 5–12. The whole season became a whirlwind of imagination, movement and joyful chaos as children got stuck in, tried new things and had an absolute blast.

They printed bold designs, crafted junk sculptures, moulded clay into masterpieces, and explored environmental arts that turned everyday materials into something extraordinary. Poetry sessions sparked big ideas, while high‑energy Bollywood Dance, Street Dance, and African Drumming kept everyone moving, laughing and learning new rhythms.

Summer 2024 was packed with colour, creativity and unforgettable moments — a celebration of young people expressing themselves, discovering new skills and having loads of fun along the way.

Creativity and Wellbeing Week in 2024 burst into life as we rolled out a colourful mix of free workshops, giving participants the chance to dive into something new alongside our core programme. The whole week became a joyful mash‑up of movement, making, exploring and connecting.

One of the standout moments was Beach Dance at Cullercoats, where artist Lynn Campbell led lively sessions right on the sand – sea breeze, sunshine and spontaneous choreography included. Over in Northumberland Park, Simon Wood’s drumming circles filled the space with rhythm, energy and big smiles as people tried out beats together.

It was a week packed with creativity, community and pure summer fun – a celebration of trying new things and feeling good while doing it.

Family Animation brought stories to life all year long at Wallsend Boys Club, giving families with children aged 7+ the chance to dive into the world of animation and learn hands‑on creative skills together. Working with animators Sheryl Jenkins and Robin Webb, families explored a whole toolkit of animation styles — each one sparking new ideas and plenty of laughter.

They experimented with cut‑out animation, crafting characters from paper and watching them dance across the screen. They tried claymation, shaping colourful models and learning how tiny movements create big personality. And with flickerbooks, they discovered the magic of making drawings flip into motion right in their hands.

As they moved through each technique, participants built real animation skills – storyboarding, character design, sequencing, timing and teamwork – all while creating their own mini‑films from scratch.

To top it all off, we hosted a mini‑animation fest, celebrating every film made throughout the year. Families watched their creations on the big screen, met animator Julie Ballands, experimented with LEGO animation, and even tried out zoetropes to see how animation worked before cameras existed.

Participants in our North Shields programme slowed down, switched off and settled into creativity as they worked with artist Meg Randall to craft a beautiful series of nature‑inspired ceramics. The workshops were intentionally relaxed – a calm space where people could take time out, breathe, and enjoy the simple pleasure of making something with their hands.

Together, they shaped clay into gentle, organic forms and added words of positivity and hope, creating pieces that felt both personal and uplifting. The sessions encouraged mindfulness through making – focusing on textures, patterns and small details that invited everyone to be present in the moment.

Participants also crafted ceramics for their gardens, from softly chiming wind chimes to mini clay houses.

Over Summer 2024, adult participants from the Better Connect weekly programme at Wallsend Library teamed up with local textiles artist Emma Pace to explore needle felting and Japanese stitching techniques.

Using naturally dyed wool, they created beautiful “landscapes we love” – transforming soft fibres into felted scenes that captured places close to their hearts. They also experimented with Japanese- inspired freestyle stitching, turning recycled fabric scraps and natural materials into stunning new pieces, including scented aromatherapy cushions and cosy hot‑water‑bottle covers.

The sessions offered a calm, creative space to unwind, connect and focus on wellbeing – and the finished artworks are now proudly displayed in the Helix Arts window exhibition.

Over six creative weeks, participants teamed up with artist Theresa Easton to design and craft their own artworks. The sessions were relaxed, hands‑on and full of discovery – from printmaking and bookmark design to paper‑based art, everyone had the chance to experiment, learn new techniques and bring their ideas to life.

Josie Brookes worked with participants over six weeks to create a lively, multi artform experience. Everyone got hands-on with animation, collage, inky still life drawing and making their own spring wreaths. Each session gave people space to play, explore and reflect – a chance to slow down, try something new and enjoy time for themselves.

In late 2024, we teamed up with North Tyneside Parent Carers Forum to deliver a burst of creative activity through their UK SPF funding. Participants got stuck into a mix of playful, hands-on artforms – from animation and light catchers to Lego printing and natural dyeing – enjoying time to experiment, make, and have fun together.

Kate Hunter‑Parker led a six‑week series of hands‑on workshops introducing participants to the craft of pewter. The group explored traditional techniques while creating their own contemporary designs, producing a range of unique pieces including clocks, book covers, bookmarks and more. The sessions offered a chance to experiment, learn and bring an old craft into a new context.

In late 2024, participants took part in a series of Better Connect creative writing workshops led by writer Amanda Quinn at Wallsend Library. Across the sessions, the group explored their memories and experiences of libraries by writing pantoums, and they also created free‑verse poems celebrating the small good things in everyday life.

An exhibition in 2025 brought together the poems produced during those workshops, showcasing the creativity, reflection and shared stories that emerged.