Sign-up for a free online creative skills and wellbeing festival

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing.

Caerphilly-based RecRock, a not-for-profit community music company, is launching a six-week online festival to help people boost their creative skills.

My Creative Brain, is a six-week free online series of activities and will culminate with a showcase of all the creative work participants have developed.

The aim of the six weekly sessions is to increase people’s confidence, re-build new and existing networks, and develop new creative skills.

Project leader Dan Fitzgerald, from RecRock, explained: “Throughout the six weeks, we will talk to a range of guests who will offer a creative activity to follow at home.

“We’ve got writers, musicians, visual artists and many more. These sessions will give the viewer an insight into how the guest started out, a number of tips on creativity from different fields, and what kinds of things they’ve been doing to improve their lockdown and wellbeing.”

The project, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, is aimed at anyone who needs a creative lift: Creatives, the unemployed, those with confidence issues, people with an interest in wellbeing and mental health or who have worked in creative industries but are currently out of work due to the pandemic.

Beginning on Tuesday, March 16, the sessions will be live streamed over Zoom, Facebook and YouTube, and made available for participants on demand afterwards.

Each week will include a range of video links and Zoom calls (20 people maximum), to engage participants in new ways of thinking, creation and how to overcome mental blocks.

The project is perfect for people who are isolating and feel like they need to connect with other people. There will also be a series of wellbeing videos for participants to get some practical advice during lockdown.

For anyone wishing to take part, please contact Dan on dan@recrock.co.uk, or message through their Facebook page, @recrockwales.