Belonging
Pioneer Projects
January – April 2026
This exhibition celebrated five years of dedicated work developing and embedding our person-centred model of learning and creative delivery. It reflected the commitment of our talented community, whose involvement has shaped and strengthened this approach. We extend our sincere thanks to the players of the National Lottery for their vital support, which has made this long-term, meaningful work possible.
We had over 3000 people attend this exhibition, with some gorgeous feedback, and wonderful comments from our community and wider!
If you missed it don’t worry – we will be able to share more of our amazing work with you in our upcoming celebrations across the year.
What does it mean to belong?
For each of us, belonging takes a different shape; a feeling, a memory, a moment of connection. It might be found in the places we call home, in the people who make us feel seen, or in the small acts of creativity that remind us who we are.
This exhibition brought together work created by participants from across our Creative Health programmes and community; people living with long-term mental ill health, disabilities, memory loss, or simply seeking new ways to connect. Through painting, textiles, collage, sculpture, music, performance and mixed media, we have explored identity, pride, reflection, and connection.
At its heart, Belonging celebrates creativity as a bridge – between people and places, between past and present, between self and community. Each artwork holds a story: of courage, of expression, of nothing or something, of finding joy and meaning through making.
Together, these pieces form a collective portrait of what it means to belong, not through perfection, but through participation, not through sameness, but through shared humanity.
This exhibition is both a celebration and an invitation to pause, to look closely, and to feel part of something larger. Because when we create, we connect.
And in connection, we belong.
