Over the summer, members of the SASS community had the opportunity to step into the creative world of Mission Gallery for three fantastic free art workshops.

The sessions were made possible through a partnership between SASS and Mission Gallery, who generously welcomed members of our community into their gallery for a series of relaxed and creative afternoons funded by Beacon via their community investment sum.

Across three sessions, participants explored batik, drawing and painting, and ceramics. No previous artistic experience was needed, and all materials were provided – giving everyone the chance to try something new, while also spending time together in a welcoming and relaxed environment.

There was plenty of room for experimentation, with participants able to choose what they wanted to create and work at their own pace. As one participant, explained:

“It was very helpful for my mental health, and I learned a lot of things like drawing with my eyes closed, and the materials supplied were very useful as well.  I would like to do it again. The freedom of choosing what to paint was liberating.”

For SASS, one of the most valuable parts of these workshops was the opportunity they created for people to connect. One participant said:

“The art workshops were a great experience.  I met lots of new people with creative mindset and full of positive energy.  I learned lots of useful things during the workshop and it was all FUN.”

One SASS volunteer, who attended two of the sessions, said:

“They were very enjoyable…It helped attendees feel more involved and reduced language and cultural barriers.”

Mission Gallery also shared how much they enjoyed welcoming the SASS community and seeing participants get involved:

“We loved meeting members of the SASS community through our summer workshops. We were so impressed by all the participants and how they threw themselves into each activity. They created wonderful artworks that they should be very proud of! A big thank you for Beacon for enabling these workshops to happen, and we look forward to working with SASS again in the future!”

We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Mission Gallery, particularly Safi, for making the sessions such a success and for welcoming the SASS community so warmly. We’re incredibly grateful for the time, creativity and care that went into making these workshops possible. We’re also very excited about the possibility of building on this relationship in the future!