Island-based arts for wellbeing charity, Independent Arts, is this year taking part in the national Big Give campaign, a week of fundraising where all donations given are matched and doubled.
Independent Arts are aiming to raise £4,000 for their Ageing Artfully campaign, which will allow the charity to help more older people on the Isle of Wight, who live in care homes or alone, to join in arts for wellbeing activities to improve their mental and physical health and to engage socially with exciting and enlightening experiences.
Lisa Gagliani MBE, Independent Arts Chief Executive, said:
“The campaign we are running through the Big Give Christmas Challenge will fund provision directly to vulnerable elderly people, some living in their own homes, some through care homes. We have a 35-year history of delivering arts based activities to vulnerable and isolated people on the Isle of Wight. We engage approximately 40 freelance arts partitioners, who are all recruited, briefed, security checked and managed by our small staff team
“The £4,000 we hope to raise during this campaign will fund 400+ hours of support to individuals and small groups, to ensure the right people get the support when and how they want it”.
To support their fundraising campaign throughout the course of the week, Tuesday 30th November – Tuesday 7th December, Independent Arts will be running 2 events at their Newport High Street Creative Hub.
The first, to kickstart the week, will be an opportunity to attend a coffee, cake, and fundraising morning at the Creative Hub, where guests will be welcome to meet the team, explore the exhibitions on show, and donate to Ageing Artfully via ‘Donation Stations’ set up around the hub. The event will be open 10:30-13:30 Tuesday 30th November and is free to attend.
Singer-songwriter Paul Armfield will then headline an intimate evening of live music at the Creative Hub on Friday 3rd December, with tickets just £1 to reserve, those attending will be asked to pay what they feel by way of donation during the gig. The ‘Unplugged’ event will be seated, and tickets extremely limited, for what promises to be a very intimate and one-off evening of live music
Tickets for Unplugged: An evening of live music with Paul Armfield, can be reserved here for just £1.
To support Independent Arts campaign, you can donate from Tuesday 30th November, here.
