EARLY CONCEPT / NOT A LIVE SERVICE
COMMUNITY LAB
No talent audition. Just room to try.
Community Lab is a proposed creative, intergenerational drop-in for making, playing, trying new things and sharing skills. It’s still in development — not yet a bookable or drop-in service.
WHY IT MATTERS
Creativity shouldn’t have a dress code.
You don’t have to think of yourself as creative to enjoy making something. But cost, confidence, access and simply not knowing anybody can all make activities feel out of reach. Community Lab is intended to be an informal way for different generations to spend time and learn alongside each other.
The wider evidence: A 2019 World Health Organization review drew together evidence from more than 3,000 studies of the arts and health. The studies covered varied activities and methods: they help explain the opportunity, but they do not establish results for Community Lab. Explore the WHO review.
FROM IDEAS TO ACTION
Make something. Meet someone.
The idea is deliberately uncomplicated: accessible crafts, games, creative making and shared learning across ages. Activities would be shaped around participants’ interests and abilities. A venue, timetable and delivery arrangements have not yet been agreed.
01
Start with welcome
Think about practical barriers, different ages and a range of confidence levels from the outset.
02
Try something together
Create opportunities to make, play and share everyday skills without pressure to get everything right.
03
Make it theirs
Use participants’ ideas and feedback to develop the mix of activities over time.
THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE
We want more people of different ages to feel confident joining in, sharing skills and forming connections. If the project proceeds, we would look at participation across ages, feedback, skills developed and people’s sense of welcome.
GET INVOLVED
Bring your curiosity. We’ll find the glitter.
This is an idea we’re developing, rather than a session you can attend today. If you have creative skills, community knowledge, space or an interest in helping shape it, we’d love to hear from you.