Creative Forces is a showcase of artwork produced by a Ukrainian displaced community group living in Edinburgh. The group met in Dean House, LifewithArt’s Charity Arts Centre in Edinburgh, every Friday between April and September 2023. LwA tutors Alena Rogozhkina and Jenny Ward led the group through different forms of creative expression, experimenting with various mediums. The show consisted of work from 5 art projects including Re-establishing creative connection as described here  by Alena Rogozhkina:

It is often intimidating to start working as a group on something new. Although some artists from our group knew each other from previous creative community learning projects, we regularly have new participants joining and the location was completely new as well. On top of everything, when we started, it was one of the most stressful periods for many of our participants due to the MS Victoria leaving Leith. The ship had provided a temporary home to  more than 1,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. So, the question for many was “Can I afford creativity and artistic me time while there is massive uncertainty about even my basic needs for physical survival?” Instead of debating these challenging questions intellectually, the artists dived into finding visual ways to communicate their challenges, needs and dreams. To switch their busy minds off and activate their senses, various visual exercises have been performed, one of which was using collage as a communication tool. Artists assembled them individually and discussed in groups their concepts that become a foundation for later projects.

The Creative Forces launch event took place on Friday 6th October in Dean House and was well supported by the artist’s friends and family as well the local community. LifewithArt extends our thanks to the Edinburgh Ukrainian Club for the delicious food they provided for the event! Well done to all exhibiting artists who created such a stunning showcase of work.

“Friday workshops are precious for me because I feel inspired and I belong to a creative community” “Art workshops give me sense of direction when there is huge uncertainty in everything”. 
Dean House clients

Click here for the full run-down on the Creative Forces exhibition.