It has been a year since I joined Art4Space as a new member of staff to look after Creative Surgery and it’s volunteers, how time flies!
I started off as a volunteer at the end of 2020 and really got to know some of the other volunteers. Two years later, it’s heart-warming to see the members that have stayed committed, some that have even joined long before I did as a volunteer. It is also a delight to welcome newcomers who have joined for various reasons and often express just how enjoyable and relaxing the studio is.
Our volunteers take pride in what they do, they enjoy seeing the design process as a mosaic panel gradually comes together and once completed and installed it becomes a celebratory moment. It means a lot to them knowing that they’ve contributed to a stunning piece of art and that a piece of them will forever be part of that mosaic mural.
With the arts and health sector growing and finally getting the recognition it deserves, we get a lot of volunteers gaining experience and knowledge in order to become an art therapist or practitioner, community champion, mental health advocate or to develop as an artist. So it feels uplifting when people discover us and that we have contributed to their own journey of developing in their career, their practice and their interests, even more rewarding when volunteers show further interest and enroll on to our courses or workshops or vice-versa.
What ever the reason is for one to volunteer at Creative Surgery, we sure know that we’re doing something right as for many people Art4Space has provided a sanctuary, a haven, an art centre and a central hub for socialising, learning and developing.