Making Space for Creativity, Confidence and Wellbeing

Our Create Room programme is expanding into two more Cornish schools, offering young people time, support and space to express themselves through art.

In a busy school day, or some children, there is not always the opportunity to experiment, to make, or to express what feels difficult to put into words.

Create Room was developed to offer young people that opportunity. Through artist-led sessions, a safe space with high-quality materials and a supportive environment, the programme gives students time within the school day to explore creativity, build confidence and develop new ways of expressing themselves.

Thanks to new funding from Duchy Health Charity, St Ives School of Painting is now expanding Create Room into two additional secondary schools in Cornwall, working in partnership with The CHAOS Group, social prescriber Sonia Bradley, and Penair and Richard Lander Schools.

The programme will support 24 young people facing complex challenges, offering a dedicated creative space where they can explore art-making as a way to build confidence, feel more present, and express themselves in a safe and supportive setting.

Since 2017, arts funding from UK national bodies has decreased by 16%
equity.org

Why Create Room Matters

This work comes at a time when access to arts education is shrinking across the UK, while the need for youth mental health support continues to rise.

Since 2017, arts funding has fallen by 16% (Equity), while council spending on culture and leisure has dropped significantly since 2010/11. At the same time, uptake of arts subjects has declined sharply, with GCSE arts subjects down 42% (Cultural Learning Alliance) and A-level arts subjects down 31% (Campaign for the Arts).

Alongside this, one in five young people now has a probable mental health disorder, compared to one in nine in 2017 (NHS England, 2023).

Against this backdrop, Create Room offers something increasingly rare: time and space to be creative.

For the young people taking part, the sessions are not about producing perfect outcomes. They are about exploring materials, trying new processes, developing confidence, and discovering that creativity can offer another way to process and reflect what is happening in their lives.

The Impact So Far

The impact of Create Room is already strongly evidenced.

A 2025 pilot at Pool Academy showed a 47% increase in students’ ability to express themselves, a 44% increase in feeling present and mindful, and significant improvements in emotional wellbeing across all participants.

Some students showed individual progress of up to 176% growth across areas including confidence, creativity and coping ability.

Our work with Create Room has shown just how powerful creativity can be for young people navigating complex challenges. We would like to thank Duchy Health Charity for their vital funding to enable us to expand this work into more schools across Cornwall.

Jane Cowans, Director at St Ives School of Painting

Celebrating Creativity and Personal Growth

Each new Create Room project will culminate in a student-led exhibition, celebrating both the work created and the personal journeys behind it.

These exhibitions offer a chance for students to share what they have made, reflect on their progress, and see their creativity valued within their school community.

Alongside Create Room, St Ives School of Painting will continue to offer free scholarship places through its Young Artists programme, giving 7 to 16-year-olds the opportunity to explore their creativity at the historic Porthmeor Studios in St Ives.

As a registered charity, this work sits at the heart of our purpose: making art accessible, supporting young people, and creating opportunities for creativity to have a lasting impact.

If you would like to support our charity in anyway, please head to our Donate page.

For more information, please email [email protected] or call 01736 797180.

20/5/2026Lucy Turvey

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