Designed by artists and inspired by our art collection and artistic programme here at the Southbank Centre, Art by Post booklets were available for any individual or organisation seeking creative resources, including care-givers, those living with dementia or long-term health conditions, and practitioners and professionals working in social and healthcare settings.
Art by Post began in May 2020 and since then has worked with 17 artists to create 11 creative booklets, sending out over 40,000 to date. Each booklet guided participants through a series of activities to spark their imagination, keep their mind active and help them stay connected to others.
We included a Freepost envelope for artwork and responses to be sent back to us, many of which were included as part of our exhibition Art by Post: Of Home and Hope.
Art by Post was made possible due to our brilliant delivery partners: Age UK Camden, Age UK Oxfordshire, artsdepot, NAPA Arts in Care Homes, The Barn, Beacon Arts, Dulwich Picture Gallery, HOME Manchester, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Nightingale Hammerson, Philharmonia Orchestra, Platform and Sunderland Culture.
The Southbank Centre's Art by Post project is supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
What’s next for Art by Post?
Art by Post’s monthly postcard series is our ongoing commitment to maintaining a creative connection to our thriving Art by Post community. Each postcard celebrates an artwork sent to us over the past 18 months in response to our Art by Post booklets. We have received over 800 pieces of artwork to date, which means we have a plethora of thought-provoking and beautiful pieces to inspire the next phase of our project.
It’s also a way to welcome new participants from across the UK. Even if you didn’t receive our booklets, you can still join the project at this stage, either as an individual or organisation.
The project is open to all adults, and we’re keen to keep reaching those who find it difficult to leave their home or visit places like the Southbank Centre.
Our postcards invite you to try a creative activity, and we encourage you to share what you’ve created with someone you care about or to display what you create in your home, whether it be on your fridge, in your front window, or in a scrapbook.
Participants can send their artwork back to the Southbank Centre using Freepost SOUTHBANK CENTRE. We’re not currently working towards another public exhibition and won’t be able to return your artwork, but we'll store it as part of our archive.
With special thanks to Afsana, Michael, Ross, Susan, Gita, Barbara, Gabi, Elizabeth-Ann, Emma, and Daniel for all their support in creating our first series of Art by Post postcard provocations.
