Arts Project
We believe that creative expression can be instrumental not only in the recovery process from trauma but in exploring identity and having your voice heard. It can also be great fun!
The Rees Foundation Arts Project is an ever evolving, exciting project encouraging anyone with care experience to become involved.

Current Projects 2020

Centre Stage
Sophia Hall
Presenter, musician and care experienced advocate

Centre stage is a platform for care experienced individuals to share their journey, achievements and message. We, at the Rees Foundation, understand the importance of representation and accessibility and hope that these interviews offer an insight into how care leavers get into their chosen creative medium and the issues they can sometimes face.

Sophia, in her early 20s, has many strings to her bow. She has been referred to as “that careleaver that went to Oxford University” and was invited to Buckingham Palace by the Queen for her services to children in care.  She’s hosted a successful Jazz radio show, named a Top Talent under 25, is a talented saxophone player and a dedicated advocate for other care experienced people. It is a challenge to know where to start in our interview; Sophia wears so many hats. What is remarkable, however, is Sophia’s humility/borderline Imposter Syndrome, something that affects so many high achieving potential leaders.

Music, she says has always been a passion of hers. Sophia has worked professionally as a radio presenter and plays in a band. Music, she says, has played a monumental role in her mental health and wellbeing. You can check out Sophia’s seven-piece band, Jess Fitz here .  She is also on the board for Youth Music and believes in the importance of the arts, music and creativity in education. (See STEM VS STEAM)

“A year ago, I couldn’t afford bread…remember how you got here.”

Sophia’s journey to where she finds herself now is nothing short of inspiring. She is quick to state that she sees herself as incredibly lucky to have benefitted from so many opportunities which are often not available to many care experienced people. She is committed to using her position to better the state of play for those not so lucky.
Advocacy is “both the best and scariest” part or Sophia’s life. As Digital Coordinator for IMO, host of her own YouTube channel as well being a reliable source of support and information to care experienced people on social media, Sophia shares that she has had the most rewarding experiences connecting with others in the community.
In our interview, we discuss Who Cares about Research? WCAR was inspired by attending a conference day at Cambridge University. Sophia explained that up to date research should be more readily available to institutions, the media, and the people they directly affect. (For example : Care leavers in Higher education).

Changing the narrative
By securing funding for the first series, Sophia has hired a small but impressive team (including CEPs) to create the podcast which premiered on 30th September. Interviewing specialists and academics, WCAR promises to deliver informative insight into where we are, where we were and what needs to come next.

“The only person who needs to believe in you, is yourself.”

Follow Sophia and Who cares about research? On social media to keep up to date with her journey.
If you would like any more information about anything in this interview, or would like to be interviewed for our next Centre stage episode please CLICK HERE or telephone 0330 094 5645 to contact us!  

Imagine Project
for Refugee Week

UPDATE: We now have enough interviews with care experienced refugees/asylum seekers to write our script! However, we are passionate about producing a piece that is varied, so if you would like to share your experience, we would still love to hear from you!

The Imagine project is an ambitious verbatim theatre piece, compassionately adapting first – hand accounts of care experienced refugees/asylum seekers into monologues which will be performed to the public in honour of Refugee Week 2021. We hope this project will shed light on this underrepresented group of people in society and bring communities together.
 
How does it work?

Interviews are on an informal basis and we can work around you. These interviews will be audio and/or video recorded (just for our team to write up). You can choose to remain fully anonymous if you wish. Participants will be kept in the loop about how the project is progressing.
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, we are not currently casting performers. However, when we do, we are keen to work with care experienced actors.
Check out our Arts Project coordinator giving you the low down HERE.

If you are someone you know is interested in this project, please call our Arts Projects Coordinator on 0330 094 5645 or click HERE to contact us.

Create It!
A creative challenge for all Care Experienced people. 

Create it is an online project for ALL care experienced people: regardless of age, background or level of skill. In response to the UK lockdown in March and understanding the potential risk to the mental health of Care experienced people, we launched Create it. Our aim is to create an online hub for Care experienced creatives. Check out #ReesCreateIt to see how we have done.
Check out our collection of some of the incredible entries HERE.

We have now updated the challenge as follows:
Every MONTH we will be sharing a prompt that is there to inspire creative work IF you need it. I.E. you can submit anything you want on any subject; the prompt is just there to help. You will then have a month to create something and send it to us. It can be poetry, filmed spoken word, music, acting, dance, art, photography or sculpture etc.

Your work will always remain yours. You can upload your work yourself on to Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook but be sure to tag us @reesfoundation and use #reescreateit. You can also share anonymously by emailing your work to our Arts Project Coordinator Kim Cormack at contactus@reesfoundation.org

Want to get involved but have questions or need financial help with arts materials? We can often help so give us a call on 0330 094 5645 or email us: contactus@reesfoundation.org.
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Prompt 10
October – November 2020

Arts Exhibition 2020
Painting. Art Installation. Photography. Poetry.

UPDATE : In light of the current Coronavirus pandemic, we are postponing plans to organise the exhibition itself, HOWEVER, we are still supporting the care experienced community in accessing art materials and encouraging all creative CEP to use their talents whilst at home. We would love to see what you are working on!

After the huge success of our Art and Poetry Exhibitions in 2019 (see link to brochure below).  If you are care experienced (any age) and would like to have your talents showcased free of charge, please do get in touch! We can assist in the purchasing of arts materials as well offering group and if required 1-2-1 guidance, support and brainstorming.

Please get in touch on 0330 094 5645 or email contactus@reesfoundation.org
2019 Projects & Gallery click here

Get involved!

If you would like to have more information, or if you would like to pitch an idea relating to any of the arts (Fine art, poetry, writing, photography, drama, art etc) please contact our Arts Project Coordinator : kim.cormack@reesfoundation.org