Project

Blue to Green

Project dates: March 2022 - December 2022

Getting creative in nature to support adult mental health

Blue to Green

Blue to Green provides free arts activities for adults in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire experiencing mental health issues. Participants join small, supportive workshops led by professional artists. Sessions take place in some of our city & county’s most inspiring outdoor spots.

Connecting with nature helps improve wellbeing. It leads to a happier, healthier life. Being outdoors has been shown to help lower levels of stress, to reduce fatigue and alleviate anxiety. It motivates us to be more physically active and healthy.

Artist how people how to paint outdoors

Nottingham City

Sessions in Nottingham City are for people aged 18+. They are supported by Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service, through their GreenSpace programme.

Young woman holds up a watercolour sketch
Poet in sunglasses reads to a small audience

In the beautiful surroundings of Nottingham Arboretum, creative activities help Blue to Green participants connect with the natural world. Workshops include poetry, watercolour and ink painting. Participants are self-referred, referred by a health professional or attend via a partner organisation like Framework Housing Association.

Supported Housing

Older man holds up a watercolour sketch

The Jigsaw Foundation supports a series of Blue to Green workshops for Jigsaw Homes residents aged 55 and over. In sessions based at Jigsaw properties, participants enjoy mindful nature-based activities ranging from drumming to drawing.

Older woman using watercolour to paint vegetables
Man in short-sleeve holding percussion instruments

Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire workshops are for people aged 55+ who live anywhere served by Nottinghamshire County Council. This strand offers wellbeing boosting creative activities in places like Arnot Hill Park, Bestwood and Gedling Country Park’s.

It is supported through Nottinghamshire County Council’s Covid Partnership Recovery Fund.

Project Team

Partners

Funders