What is it?
PAWS offers professionally run workshops in visual and performing arts for community groups. Each project is subsidised by Wiltshire Council, with groups paying a nominal fee of £30 plus any material costs.

PAWS is open to any group based in the villages and towns of Wiltshire who are interested in taking part in creative activities. Each project runs for a minimum of eight hours spread over two to four visits to the group by the artist.

PAWS is designed to introduce participatory arts practice to a range of groups who would like to stimulate future arts work.

Skills for Life
All leaders have experience of working with community groups, they are adaptive and receptive to the needs of the groups and its individuals, and they are experts at passing on their knowledge and expertise. Examples include:

Young people have become skilled animators having learnt about storyboarding, developing characters and the technology needed to capture and edit the work they create.

Weaving, felt making, spinning wool, drawing, and mosaic making are just some of the other areas that people have been able to gain skills in and pursue interests.

'The staff have also enjoyed learning new skills which they will be able to use with other members in the future…'
Jenny Mayne - Community group leader

'I thought paws was a great experience as I learnt a lot from drawing and letting my imagination go wherever it may take me'
Participant of the animation workshops

'I learnt new skills that will help me teach clay work in the future and the children's individual skills and confidence have grown enormously'
Rachel Ross - Teacher

Re-finding Skills
Members of an Alzheimer's Support group in Trowbridge were reintroduced to skills that many had distant and fond memories of. Members of a Day Centre based in Bradford on Avon took the opportunity to reminisce over songs from the 40's during a singing workshop.

Christopher, who was part of a clay sculpture workshop for people who are visually impaired in Devizes, was reminded of his first experience working with clay when much younger. His reintroduction through PAWS has spurred him on to enrol on a course at a local college and continue to develop the skills he has acquired.

A Therapy
Involvement in the arts has a profound and positive effect on us. Through it we are able to express our emotions and individual identities. It is a mode of communication that speaks across any form of isolation and ultimately is something to be enjoyed and celebrated.

'Most group members had memories of using the skills in the past, it was a good opportunity to chat about the past, memories and how the skills were used'
Clare Brown - Wool Crafts Artist and Leader

'PAWS has brought isolated individuals together, given them something to talk about, a common ground (that isn't their disability).  It has raised their spirits and lifted their mood.'
Maggie Hemmings - Community group leader

'The sessions were a time of laughter, filled with music. Participatory music seems to make an important contribution to quality of life for senior citizens'
Dr Joel - Vocal Percussion Artist and Leader for NHS Salisbury

Helping Groups Connect with Artists
PAWS acts as a sign post helping groups engage with artists. It removes any anxiety around sourcing and approaching artists. Questions that arise around what fee they should expect to pay the artist, how to recognise whether the work is of good quality, and even how to make first contact are made easy. PAWS gives groups the confidence to continue to build relationships with community artists themselves.

Contributing to Artists' Work in Wiltshire
PAWS contributes to the work undertaken by local artists and adds to the considerable output of art in the county. It helps build upon, inform and recognise the value of the work made by artists living and working in Wiltshire.

Wiltshire Council supports the professional development of arts project leaders by offering training courses including courses on the delivery and provision of projects for community groups. This helps ensure projects are safe and delivered to a high quality.

If you would like to share stories, ideas or thoughts about participatory arts, please visit our blog where you can leave a comment.